Results from at-home genetic tests are not always accurate. A new study in the journal Genetics in Medicine, published by Springer Nature, now shows that up to 40 percent of direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic tests provide incorrect readings in the raw data. Stephany Leigh Tandy-Connor, study leader at Ambry Genetics Corp in the US, expressed concern about...
Category: <span>Diagnostic</span>
Post
We’ve come up with a TB test that’s cheaper, quicker and more accurate
Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease that kills more people due to a bacterial infection than any other disease in the world. In 2016, the World Health Organisation reported over 10 million new infections and 1.7 million deaths. In South Africa, TB remains one of the leading causes of death. Countries with high TB burdens are tackling the...
Post
Researchers discover a ‘security chief’ that sounds the alarm against infections
Corresponding author Thirumala-Devi Kanneganti, Ph.D., pictured with first authors Ein Lee, M.D., and Rajendra Karki, Ph.D. Credit: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital scientists have identified a key molecule that serves as a “security chief” to help the immune system quickly recognize and fight infections with dangerous gram-negative bacteria like Salmonella....
Post
Women’s antibiotic use linked to higher risk of death from heart disease, other causes
Women who take antibiotics for long periods, especially in late adulthood, appear to have a higher risk of death from heart disease and in general, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention | Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2018, a premier global exchange of the latest advances in...
Post
This bulging lump on a 27-year-old man’s handwas triggered by a trip to the dentist and is a sign of a deadly infection (but can you guess the illness?)
The 27-year-old, from Vancouver, Canada, was diagnosed with endocarditis The killer infection can trigger heart failure and strikes one in 30,000 people Doctors believe that the infection actually triggered the bulging blood vessel A man was left with a bulging lump on his hand and a deadly heart infection after a simple trip to the...
Post
Gene-based test for urine detects, monitors bladder cancer
Researchers at The Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have developed a test for urine, gathered during a routine procedure, to detect DNA mutations identified with urothelial cancers. IMAGE: The UroSEEK test looks for cancer mutations found in the urine from the ureter and bladder in samples taken during routine examinations. UroSEEK uses urine samples...
Post
Protein analysis for personalised medicine
New knowledge about proteins helps researchers develop innovative solutions for clinical practice, for example to the benefit of patients with Parkinsons’s disease. To this day, there are no therapies that work equally well for all patientsdiagnosed with the same disease. Many conventional therapies are effective in only a limited proportion of cases. And some patients who...
Post
Smart software can diagnose prostate cancer as well as a pathologist
Chinese scientists and clinicians have developed a learning artificial intelligence system which can diagnose and identify cancerous prostate samples as accurately as any pathologist. This holds out the possibility of streamlining and eliminating variation in the process of cancer diagnosis. It may also help overcome any local shortage of trained pathologists. In the longer term...
Post
Mobile application detecting atrial fibrillation reduces the risk of stroke
IMAGE: THE APP CAN DETECT ATRIAL FIBRILLATION WHEN IT IS HELD AGAINST THE PERSON’S CHEST. A new application developed at the University of Turku, Finland, can detect atrial fibrillation that causes strokes. Atrial fibrillation can be detected with the mobile phone application without any extra equipment. The mobile application can save lives all over the...
Post
TGen testing whether ultrasound can help fight pancreatic cancer
SCOTTSDALE, AZ – In the battle against pancreatic cancer, a Phoenix-based organization will soon begin testing a new method that may enhance the effectiveness of current treatments. The Translational Genomics Research Institute, or TGen, will begin testing with ultrasound next week. The organization is working with a Norwegian biotech company, Phoenix Solutions. “It could…significantly improve...