Tuberculosis, or TB, is a sneaky disease. It can hide in the body, making it tough to spot. Doctors often use sputum cultures to find TB bacteria. But sometimes, these tests come up empty, even when TB is present. This is where things get tricky. New, super-sensitive tests like GeneXpert MTB/RIF Ultra can pick up TB DNA in sputum samples that cultures miss. But what ...
The quest to understand why some people live exceptionally long lives has always fascinated scientists. The body's metabolic processes are key to how long and how well someone lives. The metabolic processes in the body are crucial to how long and how well someone lives. Studies have looked at the metabolic profiles of long-lived people from different parts of the ...
ADHD is a condition that affects many kids. It makes it hard for them to focus and control their impulses. Doctors and scientists are always looking for better ways to spot ADHD early. One interesting area of study is how the brain's electrical activity might give clues about ADHD. Brain waves can tell a lot about what's going on inside the brain. Scientists use a t...
Cancer treatment has seen a major shift with the introduction of immune checkpoint blockade. This method has led to significant improvements in long-term outcomes and survival rates, especially when combined with other treatments. However, not everyone benefits from these treatments. Some patients face serious side effects. This is due to the complexity of cancer, wh...
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a deadly cancer that is often caught too late. This is because it doesn't show clear signs early on and doctors don't have good tests to spot it early. But there's a new hope on the horizon. Researchers have found a way to use something called "junk DNA" to detect this cancer early and without invasive tests. They looked at tiny packages...
In the realm of blood cancers, tiny messengers are at work. These aren't your typical couriers, but minuscule particles called extracellular vesicles. They're like tiny bubbles that cells release, carrying a mix of molecules inside them. These bubbles are not just passive bystanders. They play a crucial role in how cancer evolves and spreads. Understanding these par...
Alzheimer’s disease is a growing concern worldwide, and early detection is crucial for effective treatment. A new blood test has been developed to identify Alzheimer’s and monitor its progression. This test focuses on detecting fragments of a protein called tau, specifically eMTBR-tau243, which are linked to the formation of tangles in the brain. These tangles are...
Women with HIV face a higher risk of a liver condition called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. This condition is quite common among them. Gut health might play a bigger role in this than previously thought. Gut damage and the movement of microbes from the gut into the bloodstream could be key factors in how this liver disease develops. Rese...
Kidney disease is a big deal worldwide. It causes permanent damage to the kidneys. Doctors often have to do invasive tests to check how bad it is. One key thing they look for is something called interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy, or IFTA. It is a big part of managing kidney disease. But what if there was a less invasive way to predict IFTA? That is where mach...
Diabetic macular edema, or DME, is a tough opponent. It's a condition that causes swelling in the back of the eye, leading to blurred vision. Doctors have a powerful weapon against it: anti-VEGF therapy. This treatment has been a game-changer, but it's not perfect. Some patients don't respond well, and their DME becomes refractory, meaning it doesn't get better with ...