Family Features) While people may think about heart disease and kidney disease as two different health problems, there are many links between them. Kidney disease affects roughly 1 in 7 (15%) American adults, according to the American Kidney Fund.

Having chronic kidney disease (CKD) means that you're more likely to get heart disease. The reverse is also true: Heart disease can cause CKD. In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death among people on dialysis, which is a life-saving treatment for people in kidney failure.

To learn more about the link between kidney disease and your heart, consider these facts from the American Kidney Fund:

Your heart and kidneys rely on each other to function well. When you have kidney disease, your heart must pump harder to get blood to your kidneys, which can cause stress on your heart. This extra stress can eventually lead to heart disease. Additionally, if your kidneys are damaged, they can't filter blood as well as they should, leaving extra fluid and waste in your blood, which can damage other organs – including your heart.

When you have heart disease, your heart cannot pump blood through your body as well as it should. Heart disease includes heart or blood vessel problems such as coronary artery disease, blood clots, heart attacks or problems with your heart's muscles, valves or heartbeat. Your heart makes up for this by holding onto more salt and water, putting pressure on your veins. This extra pressure on your veins can ultimately damage your kidneys, leading to kidney disease.

Kidneys help regulate blood pressure and create red blood cells. In addition to filtering blood, healthy kidneys also produce a hormone that helps regulate your blood pressure. The kidneys also produce erythropoietin, which signals the body to make more red blood cells to carry oxygen through your body. When the kidneys can't make erythropoietin, it can lead to anemia and heart problems.

Potassium plays a major role in kidney and heart health. Potassium controls muscle contractions, including those in the heart. Unbalanced potassium levels can lead to risk of heart disease or heart failure – the most fatal heart issues associated with kidney disease.

Patients with kidney disease, including those not yet on dialysis, can have issues with potassium. The loss of kidney function can result in the inability to filter potassium. When this happens, it causes extra potassium in the body, a condition known as hyperkalemia, or high potassium. Hyperkalemia often does not cause symptoms until heart health has already worsened and can lead to a heart attack if not diagnosed and treated.

Many patients discover they have high potassium due to a minor heart issue, but the chronic condition must be treated continuously through medicines called potassium binders. The medicine works by sticking to the potassium in your body, which is then removed through feces. This prevents some of it from being taken into your blood and building up.

Prevention of both heart and kidney disease starts with preventing and managing the conditions that cause them. Keeping diabetes, high blood pressure and anemia under control can help prevent them from getting to the point of causing kidney or heart disease. When found early, you can manage the conditions through lifestyle changes, such as:

- Following a kidney-friendly and heart-healthy eating plan

- Being active daily

- Avoiding use of tobacco products

- Lowering stress levels

For more information on the kidney-heart connection, especially potassium in the body, talk to your doctor and visit KidneyFund.org/BeyondBananas, an education campaign from the American Kidney Fund and AstraZeneca.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to rapidly detect infected humans to intervene early before severe conditions develop and to mitigate the spread of infections across a larger population. The ideal diagnostics approach should be painless (non-invasive), rapid, cost-effective, accurate, and should be versatile to detect multiple infectious pathogens, in some cases pre-symptomatically (even before the symptoms are visible). This diagnostics capability when applied to United States Department of Defense (DoD) warfighters would ensure mission readiness in austere environments, where providing adequate medical personnel and/or traditional diagnostics labs can be challenging. With this vision, DoD's DIU teamed up with DTRA and has awarded an Other Transaction (OT) contract to Detect-Ion to develop such a Point-of-Care (PoC) Breath Diagnostics.

Detect-Ion's PoC Breath Diagnostics project called "CLARION", leverages a disruptive chip-scale mass spectrometry technology originally developed via prior high-risk/high-gain IARPA and DARPA investments to detect trace chemical signatures in ambient air for strategic intelligence collection and early warning systems, respectively. "This is a classic example of dual use technology which we plan to adapt for human breath analysis," said Dr. Ashish Chaudhary, Founder/CEO of Detect-Ion, and the principal investigator of the CLARION project. "Typical exhaled human breath contains nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, argon, etc., and high amounts of water vapor. In addition to those major components, it contains a complex mixture of 100s of trace-level volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the parts-per-million to parts-per-trillion range. There's credible science that demonstrates that relative concentrations of some of these VOCs can get perturbed due to a host's response to a certain infection, and this approach has been successfully demonstrated in lab-scale studies to discriminate infected humans from a healthy population. Our objective in CLARION is to leverage this science to establish the relevant VOC biomarkers, adapt our portable sensor hardware for exhaled breath analysis, and apply machine learning/artificial intelligence detection algorithms to enable near-real-time PoC infection screening.

If successful, a single CLARION device could run up to 160 breath analyses per day, at a fraction of the cost of rapid PCR tests. This could potentially offer high-throughput screening of large populations in a variety of densely populated military and civilian settings, such as offshore deployed battalions, military installations, airports, shopping malls, hospitals, concerts, etc. The project is planned over three years and allows DoD to pursue follow-on production if the pilot project succeeds in addressing the program metrics.

About Detect-Ion: Detect-Ion is a Deep-Tech startup founded in 2021 and is headquartered at the Tampa Bay Technology Incubator on the University of South Florida campus. Detect-Ion develops next generation CBRNE sensor technologies for a broad range of applications including national security, environmental monitoring, and life sciences. Most recently, its founder, previously at SRI International, has been a principal investigator for the IARPA MAEGLIN and DARPA SIGMA+ programs.

Doceree, a leading global platform building unprecedented solutions for healthcare professionals (HCPs) through programmatic messaging with proprietary data tools, today announced the launch of Doceree Enterprise, an industry-first, HCP-focussed global Demand Side Platform (DSP), delivering an integrated ecosystem to media agencies with high-impact, built for scale programmatic capabilities to serve healthcare and life sciences brands.

Doceree Enterprise, powered by proprietary HCP identity-resolution technology EspyianTM , is a fully self-serve ecosystem, enabling agencies to run highly targeted global and integrated campaigns with transparent and measurable outcomes.

In addition to providing media agencies the access to worldwide web inventory through its SSP integrations, it also provides them ‘preferred access’ to Doceree’s specialized supply side platform (SSP) – the world’s largest integrated global network of 650+ endemic and point-of-care platforms, with a worldwide unique physician reach of over 2 million. On top of it, the agencies can bring their audience, data partners, and measurement tools to build their own healthcare-specific marketing platform.

Agencies currently counter multiple challenges while buying media directly from third party publishers or from existing DSPs, which mostly have restricted presence in the US and experience compliance issues around regulations for advertising to HCPs outside of the US. The non-HCP media impacts the return on investments (ROI) of life sciences brands that are looking to engage prescribers through effective programmatic campaigns.

Doceree has been relentlessly working to identify issues facing the pharma messaging ecosystem and close the gaps through its AI-enabled category-centric technologies that can precisely target HCPs and enable marketers to activate high-performing campaigns.

“We are thrilled to launch our new DSP that creates unprecedented HCP personalization and customization for media agencies. The platform offers full suite of capabilities to media agencies to activate HCP-focused campaigns with utmost ease and convenience without worrying about transparency, performance or regulatory compliances,” said Harshit Jain MD, Founder & Global CEO, Doceree. “Doceree Enterprise will introduce never-seen before advancements in the category that will revolutionize HCP messaging. We will continue building category-first solutions that our partners would immensely benefit from.”

The integrated ecosystem equips agencies with the ability to forecast campaigns; build HCP-only audiences & cohorts; activate, optimize and analyse campaigns to create omnichannel experiences; and measure campaign outcomes in near real time.

“The rapidly evolving digital healthcare industry create new opportunities for marketing, engaging and educating HCPs. Doceree Enterprise is exactly the solution agencies are looking for to stand out from the competition on a global level. There is no ‘one solution fits all’ and the DSP uniquely addresses the gaps, curating an agency-specific platform that aligns with each agency’s specific needs. This first-of-its-kind approach to engaging HCPs is exciting and offers plenty of opportunities for agencies to run successful and scalable HCP campaigns for their healthcare clients,” said Jeffrey D. Erb, Chief Media Officer, Fishawack Health.

Doceree is a global platform building unprecedented solutions for healthcare professional (HCP) programmatic messaging with proprietary data tools. It facilitates messaging between life sciences brands and HCPs through an extensive global network of digital endemic and point-of-care platforms to programmatically deliver personalized communications to HCPs and transparent marketing campaign metrics at scale. To learn more, visit doceree.com.

Allergenis, a Pennsylvania-based provider of advanced food allergy testing solutions, is actively seeking funding to support its innovative technology that accurately determines allergic status and assesses tolerance levels. With the food allergy epidemic affecting 32 million Americans, including one in 13 children, Allergenis aims to alleviate the mental, emotional, and financial burdens faced by individuals, parents, and caregivers.

Existing food allergy testing methods fail to provide a comprehensive understanding of an individual's allergy spectrum, often leading to ambiguous and inaccurate results. The current blood-test options in the market to diagnose peanut allergies exhibit a false-positive rate as high as 60%. On the other hand, the gold standard tool, an oral food challenge (OFC), is not only costly and time-consuming but also anxiety-inducing due to the potential risk of severe reactions, and is often avoided as a result.

Allergenis is transforming the food allergy diagnostic landscape by offering patients more testing options and enhanced clarity regarding their food allergies. Through cutting-edge systems biology and data analytics, Allergenis analyzes blood samples to determine an individual's allergic status accurately and thoroughly. This breakthrough technology enables individuals to make informed decisions about their food choices, leading to a better quality of life.

"Our mission is to empower individuals living with food allergies by providing them with comprehensive testing options and accurate information about their allergies. By utilizing our innovative blood test, individuals can confidently consume food without the fear of severe allergic reactions,” says Jim Garner, the CEO of Allergenis.

Allergenis currently offers a state of the art blood test to diagnose peanut allergies and are in the process of finalizing their next product that will improve the diagnosis of cow's milk allergies. The Allergenis testing process involves analyzing a blood sample to determine the likelihood of an allergic reaction to a specific food. The results provide a probability percentage, indicating the chances of reacting to a particular allergen. This information allows individuals to discuss their threshold with a healthcare provider to help make informed decisions about their food choices. For instance, if the test reveals a low probability of an allergic reaction to peanuts, individuals can consume the food in front of a healthcare provider without fear of severe consequences.

Conversely, if the test indicates a higher probability of an allergic reaction, Allergenis provides specific information about the level of tolerance. For example, if a person is found to be likely allergic to peanuts, the test might suggest they are unlikely to react unless they consume a certain threshold. This valuable information allows individuals confidently navigate social situations involving food, such as birthday parties, where accidental exposure to allergens may occur.

“People don't think about the true ramifications that allergies cause. It’s not only the individual who is affected but those who surround them. Whether that be a parent who has to put limitations on their child's upbringing, a business who has to find cover because a member of staff is frequently absent due to caring for a child, or the healthcare industry that is unnecessarily burdened. People simply do not know whether they have an allergy or not, and when they are allergic how much could be safe to consume or how much needs to be avoided.” says Jim Garner.

Furthermore, Allergenis is actively collaborating with therapeutic developers worldwide to establish its blood test as a surrogate for oral food challenges in clinical trials. Traditionally, clinical trials for food allergies required individuals to consume the allergen and experience a reaction to qualify for participation. By validating their blood test as a reliable alternative, Allergenis aims to facilitate more clinical trials, leading to the development of a diverse range of therapies for food allergies.

"We are working closely with renowned research centers such as Mount Sinai and Stanford in the US, and the King's College, and the Imperial College of London in the UK, as well as several academic institutions and researchers across Europe, the United States, Australia, and beyond. The enthusiastic response from global thought leaders reinforces the importance of our breakthroughs and motivates us to commercialize our products for the benefit of those living with food allergies", Jim Garner added.

To accomplish this vision, Allergenis is actively seeking growth capital to support the commercialization efforts and establish a sales force. The funding will enable Allergenis to bring its innovative food allergy testing technology to a wider audience, empowering individuals, and improving their quality of life.

One of the most stubborn, deadly cancers is pancreatic cancer. What if individualized mRNA vaccinations could support the immune system's defense?

One of the deadliest forms of cancer around, pancreatic cancer is estimated to kill 88% of patients. It’s also one of the most recurrent cancers, with roughly 90% of patients experiencing a relapse within seven to nine months after surgery.

Fortunately, a recent study of an mRNA vaccine for pancreatic cancer patients has provided a glimpse of hope.

Scientists at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer Center in New York just published the results of a small study that the group conducted in partnership with Germany’s BioNTech on pancreatic cancer patients over several years.

The study used a pancreatic cancer mRNA vaccine tailored to each patient’s tumor to potentially help provoke an immune response.

What’s revolutionary about the vaccines is that the German scientists tailored them to the mutated proteins on the surface of cancer cells instead of a mix of tumor and normal cells, which has been the method tried for decades.

The cells were extracted from patients’ tumors by researchers at Memorial Sloan and sent to BioNTech, the company that created the highly-effective COVID-19 vaccine alongside Pfizer.

Among the participants in the study, half of the patients’ immune systems learned how to recognize and fight off the cancer cells and showed no signs of relapse during the 18 months they were tracked.

While promising, personalized mRNA cancer vaccines are still in their infancy and are too costly to be broadly used.

Right now, regular cancer screening remains the best method for detecting cancers, however there are currently no screening tests for pancreatic cancer.

Fortunately, that could soon change thanks to Mainz Biomed (NASDAQ:MYNZ), a molecular genetics diagnostic company specializing in the early detection of cancer

Developing Early Screening Tests for Colon and Pancreatic Cancers

On May 10, Mainz Biomed announced a partnership with Microba Life Sciences for the creation of PancAlert in addition to early colon cancer diagnostics. The technical characteristics of a novel pancreatic cancer screening test with DNA and microbiota indications should be enhanced.

As part of the agreement, the two companies will conduct a pilot research project utilizing Microba’s proprietary metagenomic sequencing technology and bioinformatic tools in an effort to discover novel microbiome biomarkers to detect pancreatic cancer.

The project, which is expected to run until late 2023, will use Microba's Community Profiler (MCP), a proprietary metagenomic platform technology that has proven to be a best-in-class research tool that can produce comprehensive and accurate species profiles of gastrointestinal samples.

Mainz Biomed (NASDAQ:MYNZ) is also focused on commercializing its flagship product ColoAlert, a highly efficacious and simple-to-use detection test for colorectal cancer (CRC) that is already available in select international territories.

In Q1 2023, the company also launched a corporate health program in Germany by integrating into BGM, a well-established corporate health program that provides services to employees at 48 of the 50 largest companies in Germany.

On May 24, Mainz Biomed announced initial results from its colorectal cancer screening campaign with Zöller-Kipper GmbH through its BGM partnership. In April 2023, Zöller-Kipper selected ColoAlert for its corporate health program, which includes over 2,500 employees.

According to the results, employees found the online patient portal easy-to-use and convenient and were able to readily access the portal, request a kit and securely receive results within five days.

In order to process the ColoAlert PCR test kit, Mainz Biomed has added Eurofins GeLaMed to its network of lab partners. Eurofins GeLaMed is a division of the global laboratory company Eurofins Scientific, which conducts 450 million tests annually and has over 61,000 employees in 61 nations. Germany is home to four of its locations.

Advancing Towards FDA Approval to Bring ColoAlert to the US Market

Over the last few months, Mainz Biomed has continued to prepare for patient enrollment in its pivotal clinical trial for ColoAlert after successfully completing its pre-submission process with the FDA.

ColoAlert will be examined in the FDA-registered trial "ReconAAsense" in order to obtain commercial approval in the United States. The company's business objective is to create scalable distribution across the nation once it receives approval through a cooperative partner program with regional and national laboratory service providers.

Image Source: Freepik

Spots of blood after bowel movements, stomach aches, and protracted episodes of diarrhea may be symptoms of early-onset colorectal cancer, which is increasingly diagnosed in young adults who are ineligible for colonoscopies.

The most concerning early indicator of colon cancer is rectal bleeding, which is taboo to talk about outside of the bathroom.

According to Dr. Matthew Kalady in a recent NBC News article, head of the division of colon and rectal surgery at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, "It can be difficult or embarrassing to talk about." However, he added, "the reality is that everyone deals with something like this," and it's crucial to know what's typical and what isn't.

5,075 people with early-onset colorectal cancer were included in the new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, which was published Thursday in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

The intention was to identify symptoms that could serve as warning signs for colorectal cancer, a condition that has been on the rise in younger individuals in recent years but whose alarmingly high rate of late-stage diagnosis warrants concern. The percentage of colorectal cancer diagnoses involving individuals under the age of 55 quadrupled from 1995 to 2019, from 11% to 20%, according to the American Cancer Society.

Up to two years before a colon cancer diagnosis, the current study identified four different signals: Abdominal pain. Rectal bleeding. Ongoing diarrhea. Anemia due to iron deficiency.

At least one of the symptoms, which could have started up to two years prior to a diagnosis, was experienced by participants.

However, a colonoscopy is only advised at or after the age of 45. This implies that patients may have symptoms for a long time before seeking medical attention or receiving a colon cancer diagnosis, which is treatable if discovered early.

The study's lead author, Dr. Cassandra Fritz, an assistant professor of medicine in the division of gastrointestinal at the Washington University School of Medicine, said, "As patients, we kind of brush these things away."

At least one of such symptoms was present in nearly half of the study subjects three months before their diagnoses. Additional symptoms increased the likelihood of a cancer diagnosis.

The study, according to fellow author Yin Cao, an associate professor of surgery in the department of public health sciences at Washington University School of Medicine, indicates an "alarming problem" for young adults and the medical professionals who treat them. “Young folks need to be aware of these indicators”, Cao stated in an interview, and “this is the message we are making loud and clear.”

A non-invasive, quick, easy, and accurate colorectal detection test is available from Mainz Biomed (NASDAQ:MYNZ). Stool tests are more accurate than blood tests and may be performed in the comfort of your own home, making them a more practical choice.

In addition to early colon cancer detection, on May 10th Mainz Biomed announced a partnership with Microba Life Sciences for the Development of PancAlert. The combination of DNA and microbiome biomarkers has the potential to improve the technical profile of a novel pancreatic cancer screening test. A collaborative research initiative is underway to identify disease-specific microbiome biomarkers. With ColoAlert already out in the market, PancAlert looks to be another monumental tool helping savr lives from pancreatic cancer.

The company's core product, ColoAlert, is an at-home colorectal cancer (CRC) screening kit with high sensitivity and specificity. Patients are given a basic kit that includes directions, a stool collector, and mailing instructions so they can mail the kit back to their local lab for testing and results.

This non-invasive test can identify malignancies earlier than fecal occult blood tests (FOBT) by analyzing tumor DNA.

ColoAlert, a stool test that uses PCR technology, finds more cases of colorectal cancer than traditional stool tests and enables early detection. Through a network of top independent laboratories, corporate health initiatives, and direct sales, this screening test is CE marked and is commercially available in a number of European countries.

To receive commercial approval in the US, ColoAlert will be examined in the FDA-registered trial "ReconAAsense." Once licensed in the United States, the Company's commercial objective is to build scalable distribution across the nation through a cooperative partner program with local and national laboratory service providers.

For the processing of the ColoAlert PCR test kit, Mainz Biomed (NASDAQ:MYNZ) has expanded its network of lab partners to include Eurofins GeLaMed. A division of the global laboratory corporation Eurofins Scientific, which does 450 million tests annually and employs over 61,000 people in 61 nations, is Eurofins GeLaMed. Germany is home to four of its locations.

Eurofins GeLaMed offers cutting-edge diagnostics in human genetics, medical microbiology, laboratory medicine, and molecular diagnostics across eleven medical specialties. The more than 500 staff of GeLaMed process more than 15,000 orders daily and offer more than 2,000 analytical procedures from their portfolios in laboratory medicine and microbiology, all under the supervision of medical specialists.

Marcus Cholewa, Director of Clinical Diagnostics for Eurofins Business Line in DACH, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership between Mainz Biomed and Eurofins GeLaMed because Eurofins consistently offers the highest levels of quality, customer service, and the most thorough testing methodologies. Additionally, he said that Eurofins has a track record of offering innovative and high-quality diagnostic testing solutions, and that by collaborating, they could be able to detect colorectal cancer (CRC) and give patients individualized information to help them manage their health.

In order to raise awareness of the importance of early screening for CRC identification and prevention, Mainz Biomed (NASDAQ:MYNZ) will support physician and patient education programs during March Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and Eurofins GeLaMed will provide ColoAlert at its testing locations.

Additionally, Mainz Biomed has expanded its network of lab partners across Europe and a few overseas markets by including the Instituto de Microecologia in Madrid.

For more than 60 years, the Instituto de Microecologia has been a leader in the study of the microbiota and food sensitivity, emphasizing the importance of intestinal health through microbiological investigation, microbiota profile diagnosis, and specialized health indicators. The company's ongoing expansion in Europe may be seen in Mainz Biomed's entry into the market and commercialization in Spain and Portugal.

Photo Source: Freepik

Sentient®, LLC today announced the U.S. introduction of Sentient Tixel*, which uses the first and only thermal-mechanical action technology to resurface skin. Tixel technology uniquely combines heat with the forward motion of a medical-grade titanium tip without the use of lasers, radiation, ultrasound, or needles, providing a comfortable treatment experience that creates a smoother and more even-toned appearance without social downtime. Sentient is the aesthetic medical device industry's leading full-service provider that's transforming the way the aesthetics industry does business – with integrity, innovation and operational excellence.

Proven on a global scale, Tixel has been used in Europe since 2011 and is now exclusively available in the United States through Sentient. Cleared by the FDA for treatment of all skin types, this proprietary, non-invasive technology transfers thermal energy to skin very quickly and safely. Makeup can be applied the day after treatment, and pain and social downtime are minimal compared to laser, microneedling, and radiofrequency treatments.

According to a recent report the energy-based aesthetic devices market is expected to reach $9.07 billion by 2027, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 10.8 percent. A study by The Aesthetic Society found that U.S. revenues from skin resurfacing treatments rose 43 percent from $138.96 million in 2020 to $198.2 million in 2021(The Aesthetic Plastic Surgery National Databank Statistics 2020-2021).

"Tixel drastically improves practices' abilities to meet this rising demand for skin resurfacing treatments that offer effective results with minimal downtime," said Chris Cella, Chief Executive Officer of Sentient. "By making this cutting-edge technology available in the U.S. – along with world class service to support it – we continue in our goal to not just sell equipment, but to develop collaborative relationships with our clients that enhance their practices' efficiency, profitability and ability to help the widest variety of patients possible."

A recent study by Wang, et al, evaluating the safety and tolerability advantages of the Tixel device was published in Dermatologic Surgery, the journal of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. Subjects with moderate-to-severe perioral rhytides were enrolled and underwent four monthly treatments, and after which the study demonstrated thermomechanical fractional injury using the Tixel device was safe and effective for the treatment of periorbital rhytids. At three-month follow-up 93.8 percent of patients reported that they were satisfied with their treatment and of those, 50 percent were very satisfied. In the study, patients were treated without topical numbing and rated their pain 2 to 3 out of 10. There were no adverse events and patients returned to normal social activity and work in less than a day.

"The results of this study were notable for the safety and tolerability advantages that Tixel offers," said Cella. "The scientific evidence reported by respected physicians from the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York and The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology at New York University Langone Health in New York City demonstrates that Tixel is impressive on age-related changes in the lower face."

Practitioners agree that the advanced technology of Tixel along with Sentient's knowledge of the industry, commitment to affordability and integrity are assets to help their businesses thrive.

"I'm bullish on Tixel. I think Tixel is such a great alternative to a laser to have in a practice," said Dr. Ava Shamban, founder of Ava MD in Los Angeles, CA. "It's versatile - everything from active acne to acne scars to facial rejuvenation to assisted drug delivery - Tixel has increased our patient base because it can be used on such a wide variety of skin types as well as conditions."

Sentient™ is the aesthetic medical device industry's leading full-service provider, offering advanced technology and industry-leading service and financing, delivered with integrity and transparency. Sentient takes pride in its transformational business practices as it sells, designs, repairs, fine-tunes, and implements the complex devices that help sculpt bodies, treat skin, and improve silhouettes. Sentient is committed to affordability and offers flexible financing, device maintenance, and a superior certification and warranty program to assure future performance.

Sentient is the premier company in the U.S. offering an exceptional suite of advanced proprietary technologies to meet the expanding needs of practices of all sizes, from its Park City, Utah, location to nationwide. With hundreds of longstanding professional relationships and more than ten years heritage providing the best in refurbished equipment, Sentient's industry-leading service model provides quality laser and medical device repair and refurbishment services for 84 types of medical and cosmetic systems, to the FDA standards required of each manufacturer. Sentient is dedicated to building a collaborative relationship with its clients to help significantly enhance their practice efficiency, drive stronger profitability, and, most importantly, deliver an exceptional client experience. For more information visit https://www.sentientlasers.com.

Diabetics now have their own designer bags to streamline their daily treatment. KYT, which stands for Keeping You Together, has revealed three new contemporary, premium bags purpose-built for the everyday needs of people with diabetes - a chronic condition that the World Health Organization (WHO) says affects 422 million people worldwide.

Crafted with the insights of hundreds of diabetics from around the world, the bags have innovative features, smart layouts, premium materials like gold-rated Italian leather and solid brass hardware, and ethical craftsmanship. A contemporary exterior discreetly hides diabetes supplies like a testing kit, pump consumables, and insulin pens. The bags now available for global pre-order are:

SideKYT: a contemporary crossbody bag that streamlines users' essential diabetes supplies. The bag splits in two: life essentials up front and diabetes equipment out back. A testing station allows blood glucose levels to be tested straight from the bag.

SideKYT+: a larger crossbody built for pump users or those who want to take more equipment or spares.

StarterKYT: a compact case that lets users take their supplies on the sly. The size of a sunglasses case, it smartly locks together with magnets, unfolds completely flat to create a testing station, and then folds back together in a snap.

KYT is also committed to ethical production and materials, and a donation from every bag sold helps diabetes charities get crucial supplies to those in need.

At age 20, Designer & KYT Founder Bridget Scanlan was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. As her pancreas stopped producing insulin, she had to learn to manage multiple blood glucose tests and insulin injections every day. Along with all the equipment that came with it.

"From talking to diabetics around the world, I got universal insights into the daily diabetes struggle," Scanlan says. "It sparked a thought: could smarter design empower people to feel better about dealing with daily treatment? I wanted to redesign diabetes so we could all redefine it."

Combining her background in fashion design and entrepreneurship, Scanlan was inspired to channel her chronic condition to help empower other diabetics by creating designer bags specifically for diabetics.

"Every zip, every angle, every equipment detail has been influenced by the insights gathered from the hundreds of incredible diabetics who have opened up and shared their diabetes stories (and gripes) with me," Scanlan says.

According to WHO, globally 8.5% of adults aged 18 and older have diabetes, making it one of the most prevalent chronic conditions worldwide.

Stanford University research estimates that people managing diabetes make around 180 extra health-related decisions every day to keep themselves safe.

Here is some of the feedback from diabetics using KYT's original Crossbody bag:

"I've been waiting 50 years for a bag like this.... it is so easy to 'keep me together.' Pick it up and off I go, and no one knows what I am having to carry around." - Joy, New Zealand Diabetic

"I am loving my KYT for travel! It's such a great bag, I now take it with me whenever I go away." - Megan, London Diabetic

"Cannot be more excited for this amazing bag designed for diabetics. Fully functional & more importantly so stylish!" - Kyoko, Tokyo Diabetic