Articles tagged with Medical Tests
A large study analyzing living patients found an association between repeated head impacts and later-life symptoms of depression and cognitive decline. The study revealed that exposure to repetitive head impacts had a stronger effect on depression symptoms than traumatic brain injury alone.
Researchers have developed a novel geochemistry test that can identify osteoporosis before its clinical effects on bones. The test is more sensitive and can detect changes in calcium isotopes in blood and urine, allowing for earlier diagnosis and treatment.
A study of 140 WNBA players reveals their hearts are larger and thicker than most women, due to physical conditioning and height. The research provides a normative dataset for female athletes, enabling better identification of cardiac problems.
A low-cost, easy-to-use emergency ventilator for COVID-19 patients has been developed at the University of California San Diego. The UCSD MADVent Mark V can be assembled in just 15 minutes and is designed to be safe and easy to use for healthcare workers with limited experience.
A decision analytical model study examined the feasibility of pool testing to identify COVID-19 patients in settings with limited testing availability. The study found that this approach could be effective in identifying patients with COVID-19, even in resource-constrained environments.
A new test developed at CHU Sainte-Justine enables better management of patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) by analyzing a small volume of peripheral blood. The test uses a 3D culture system to mimic the function of a human thymus, allowing for a relatively quick response and improved treatment options.
A Massachusetts General Hospital study found that among symptomatic pregnant women, 7.9% tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, while asymptomatic women had a 1.5% test positivity rate. The study suggests universal testing can provide insight into community prevalence and inform public health decisions.
A new study found fentanyl was the most prevalent drug in overdose patients at two Baltimore hospital emergency departments, detected in 73-87% of specimens. The Maryland Emergency Department Drug Surveillance System helped identify this trend, highlighting the need for hospitals to add fentanyl testing to their routine panels.
A new ancestral lineage of tuberculosis has been found in East Africa, with genome analyses suggesting a unique origin. The discovery reinforces the hypothesis of an East African origin for the disease and provides insights into its evolution.
A paper-based device has been developed to analyze human sweat for biomolecules without requiring external power. The device uses capillary action and evaporation to extract and manage sweat, enabling long-term analysis of up to 10 days. This technology holds promise for affordable medical testing in under-resourced populations.
A risk-tailored approach can guide Canada's COVID-19 response by accounting for population-level risks. This approach would require granular data and address social and health inequities.
Researchers found TSH testing performed on most pregnant women without thyroid disease, leading to unnecessary thyroid hormone therapy. The study suggests that minor elevations in TSH may not require treatment, raising concerns about overmedicalization during pregnancy.
A new blood test has been developed to detect recent Plasmodium vivax infections and identify individuals with hypnozoites, which can cause relapsing malaria. The test offers high sensitivity and specificity, and mathematical models suggest it could reduce P. vivax prevalence by 59-69%.
A recent study by Arizona State University's Canine Science Collaboratory found that pet dogs will attempt to rescue their owners if they know how. Approximately one-third of the dogs in the experiment rescued their owners, suggesting that motivation alone is not enough, but rather a combination of understanding and ability are required.
Researchers at the University of São Paulo's Engineering School have developed a low-cost mechanical ventilator that costs approximately 7% as much as conventional ventilators. The device has already been tested in animals and humans and shows promise in treating patients with acute respiratory syndrome, a severe outcome of COVID-19.
A new Stanford Medicine study provides a comprehensive analysis of the molecular effects of exercise, shedding light on how physical fitness is determined at a molecular level. The research reveals a strong correlation between specific molecules and an individual's aerobic fitness, paving the way for the development of a blood test tha...
Researchers have introduced polymer molecules that mimic nature's antifreeze proteins into concrete to prevent ice crystal growth. The new concrete mix has been shown to withstand 300 freeze-thaw cycles and maintain its strength, offering a potential solution to the damage caused by freezing and thawing.
Women with a history of miscarriage who engage in high-strain exercise may be at a greater risk of subclinical pregnancy loss, according to new research. The study found a two-fold higher risk of very early pregnancy loss for highly active women compared to those who were less active.
A new urine-testing system inspired by nature can identify metabolites that cause kidney stones to form, enabling patients to receive results within 30 minutes. The test is more cost-effective and simpler than current methods, making it a promising solution for managing urinary stone disease.
A new blood test can identify women at risk of developing type 2 diabetes up to 10 years after delivery, allowing for potential interventions such as diet and exercise. The test uses metabolic markers that are present in the blood of women who have had gestational diabetes.
A blood test detecting neurofilament light chain can predict which people with multiple sclerosis will experience worsening symptoms and disability over the next year. The study found that individuals with high levels of this biomarker were more likely to develop significant disability and secondary progressive MS.
A team of researchers at McMaster University developed a reliable and accurate blood test to track individual fat intake. The test detects specific non-esterified fatty acids, allowing for an objective assessment of dietary fats and potentially informing public health policy.
High DPP3 blood concentrations are linked to circulatory failure, cardiac depression, and acute kidney injury in burn patients. Decreasing DPP3 levels indicate a reduced risk of mortality.
Researchers found that six months of aerobic exercise improved executive function and verbal fluency by 5.7% and 2.4%, respectively. Blood flow to the brain increased significantly with exercise, associated with modest but significant improvements in thinking abilities.
A miniaturized Bluetooth device can detect glucose and fructose molecules in fermentation processes over days, enabling the study of metabolites and disease. The device has an accuracy above 98% and can transmit data wirelessly for up to 24 hours.
The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) has released consensus recommendations to aid in the design, validation and interpretation of clinical genotyping tests for predicting warfarin response. The guidelines define a minimum set of pharmacogenetic alleles for inclusion in clinical warfarin sensitivity genotyping tests.
An observational study investigated the association between ACEI and ARB use and COVID-19 positivity. The study found a significant correlation between ACEI/ARB use and increased likelihood of testing positive for COVID-19. The authors suggest that future studies should explore potential mechanisms underlying this association.
A new study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that incorporating cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) into traditional risk factor assessments improves mortality risk prediction accuracy. CRF was strongly associated with a lower risk of mortality, particularly when combined with age, sex, blood pressure, cholesterol, and smoking.
A new study published in Nature found that a simple 'sniff test' can accurately diagnose and predict the recovery of severely brain-injured patients. The test measures the response to different smells, with minimally conscious patients showing significant changes in breathing patterns.
MIT engineers have devised a way to speed up drug development by rapidly testing how well drugs are absorbed in the small intestine. The new system uses pig intestinal tissue grown in the lab to test thousands of different versions of a drug in just hours.
Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a method to monitor the novel coronavirus in wastewater, offering a new approach to tracking disease outbreaks and identifying hotspots. This technique uses reverse-transcriptase quantitative PCR (RT qPCR) to detect viral RNA genomes in wastewater samples.
The study examines pediatric cases of SARS-CoV-2 from China and Singapore, highlighting key clinical features and diagnostic tests. Current therapeutic management and prognosis are also discussed, providing valuable insights into managing the disease in this vulnerable population.
The new device developed by the Institute of Physical Chemistry uses non-contact printing to test antibiotic combinations and concentrations. It offers flexibility and precision, allowing users to produce sterile plates on demand with different antibiotics in various combinations.
A new diagnostic method for allergic rhinitis has been developed using nasal smears, providing a gentle alternative to blood tests. The method detected identical allergic sensitization patterns in both blood and nasal secretions for a wide range of airborne allergens.
A new program analyzing Maine and New Hampshire well water samples found that 25% exceed the New Hampshire maximum safety level of 5 ppb, while 62% of homeowners haven't had their water tested. The results highlight the need for improved testing and mitigation strategies to protect residents from arsenic-related health risks.
A study by Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz found that students have difficulty evaluating online sources, with most relying on irrelevant information. Critical online reasoning skills are essential for learning in the 21st century, yet few training approaches exist to foster these skills.
Scientists developed a new method to simplify the search for traces of medicines and sports doping drugs in human biological samples. By analyzing the chemical composition of a substance with reduced search space, the method helps detect illicit substances more efficiently.
Researchers at UC Davis have developed a new web application to track COVID-19 cases and testing globally, offering user-friendly data visualization and interactive maps. The app uses publicly available data from reputable sources, including the COVID Tracking Project and Johns Hopkins University.
A recent study published in Neurology found an association between long-term air pollution exposure and a steeper rate of cognitive decline in individuals living in urban areas. Participants who lived in areas with higher levels of air pollution scored lower on thinking and memory tests and experienced faster declines in cognitive skills.
Researchers developed a new pinto bean variety, TARS-LH1, with increased resistance to leafhoppers and drought tolerance. The new crop has broad adaptation to different climates and could contribute to reducing pesticide use in common bean farming.
A UK-China project develops wearable biosensors and a portable diagnostic test to monitor dairy cow health and detect brucellosis early. This technology aims to prevent disease spread and improve animal welfare.
A new study published in Technology and Health Care reveals that four leading electric car brands do not trigger electromagnetic interference with cardiac implantable electronic devices. The research, which tested over 100 CIED patients driving and charging four e-cars, provides reassuring evidence for pacemaker users.
Researchers at OIST Graduate University developed a new method to diagnose frailty using metabolomics and identified key biomarkers in the blood. The study found that 22 blood metabolites correlate with frailty, cognitive impairment, and hypomobility, offering potential for early diagnosis and treatment.
A new clinical test uses sustainable harvesting of horseshoe crab amebocytes to save human lives and spare at-risk population. The method enables fast, affordable, and precise tests on specially treated human blood.
Patients with abnormal stress test results but clear arteries experience changes in symptoms over time. The study found that disease activity ebbs and flows, with periods of increased symptom severity and absence.
Researchers found that neutral language was rated as more credible, while positive adjectives led to lower trust. The study's findings have implications for doctors and researchers communicating with patients online.
Scientists create two innovative AST methods that can assess a pathogen's sensitivity to beta-lactams in just 30 minutes, targeting top CDC priorities. New phenotypic tests quantify small changes in nucleic acids after antibiotic exposure.
A new study found that testing blood pressure load, which detects elevated readings over 24 hours, is not necessary for diagnosing hypertension in children. Having high average blood pressure on a 24-hour test does strongly predict risk of cardiac and kidney disease.
Participants who reduced their Facebook usage experienced fewer depressive symptoms, were more active physically, and showed increased life satisfaction. Reducing social media time may help prevent addictive behavior and support a healthier lifestyle.
Monitoring lactate and bio-ADM levels helps identify high-risk sepsis patients. Bio-ADM measures blood vessel leakage, which can detect fatal outcomes despite low or decreasing lactate levels.
A new study published in Experimental Results journal found that a commonly used autism screening tool, the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ10) questionnaire, lacks reliability in measuring autistic personality traits. The researchers suggest that new systems are needed to better capture the range of autistic traits across the population.
A new study by researchers from the University of Michigan found that several commercially available arsenic test kits performed poorly, with some underestimating arsenic levels by a factor of two. The most accurate kits returned field-test values closest to lab-tested arsenic values, while others produced lighter color test strips tha...
A smartphone app detecting jaundice in newborns may prevent deaths and disabilities due to its accuracy and low cost. The app uses images captured on a smartphone camera to quantify the yellowness of the eye, similar to expensive hand-held devices.
Scientists at UCF created functional nanomaterials for highly sensitive biomarker detection. The new method could enable high-performance technologies in various areas, including better diagnostic tools and test strip technology.
A wireless sweat sensor developed by Caltech researcher Wei Gao accurately detects cortisol levels in near real-time, allowing for non-invasive monitoring of stress and mental health conditions. The sensor has been tested on healthy individuals and patients with depression and PTSD, showing promising results.
A new paper-based device has been developed to enable quick diagnosis of bacterial infections at the point of care. The test uses lasers to identify the presence of bacteria and determine which antibiotic is most effective in treating it.
A portable 'electronic nose' device detected Barrett's oesophagus with a sensitivity of 91% and specificity of 74%, comparable to breast and bowel cancer screening methods. The non-invasive technique shows high acceptability and low costs, making it a promising approach for primary care screening.
A new study by West Virginia University found that 8.10% of newborns in the state had PETH levels consistent with late-pregnancy alcohol use, associated with developmental problems and cognitive deficits. The prevalence varied across the state, with higher rates in the Mid-Ohio Valley.
Scientists at the University of Portsmouth have identified chemicals in urine specific to overactive bladder, which could lead to a diagnostic gadget similar to a pregnancy test. The device is expected to be simple, accurate, and cost-effective, saving millions from painful procedures and long waits for diagnosis.
A new study from Michigan State University finds that perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) helps arteries relax and expel muscular tension when stretched. This structural benefit assists in reducing energy expenditure and stress on the vessels.