The technique is aimed at easing a frustrating problem in genetic testing. (AP) NEW YORK – Scientists say they’ve found a new way to help determine whether specific genetic abnormalities are likely to make people sick, a step toward avoiding a vexing uncertainty that can surround DNA test results. Researchers used genetic engineering to create […]
What’s your heart’s age? NHS test shows risk of deadly heart attacks
What’s your heart’s age? NHS test shows risk of deadly heart attacks for millions What is your heart’s age? Results of NHS test shows the risk of deadly heart attacks and strokes for millions The obesity crisis is taking its toll on the nation’s heart health With 78 per cent of over-30s found to have […]
Simple test detects disease-carrying mosquitoes, presence of biopesticide
A new diagnostic tool has been developed by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin that can easily, quickly and cheaply identify whether a mosquito belongs to the species that carries dangerous diseases such as Zika virus, dengue, chikungunya or yellow fever. It can also determine whether the bug has come into contact with […]
New personality test is faster, tougher to trick
Psychology researchers have developed a new personality test that is both faster to take and much harder to manipulate by those attempting to control the outcome. “The test draws on the ‘Big Five’ approach to personality assessment, so it’s a new method for personality testing, rather than a new paradigm,” says Adam Meade, a professor […]
New urine dipstick test detects cause of disease that blinds millions
Scientists at Scripps Research have developed a urine diagnostic to detect the parasitic worms that cause river blindness, also called onchocerciasis, a tropical disease that afflicts 18 to 120 million people worldwide. Described in the journal ACS Infectious Diseases, the new, non-invasive test may provide an inexpensive method of determining in real time whether a […]
Over-the-counter drugs, dietary supplements and their effect on lab test results
Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and dietary supplements are widely used and popular, with US households spending an average of almost USD 350 annually on OTC products. In 2006 an average of EUR 67.50 was spent per person on OTC products in Germany. The use of various OTC drugs and dietary supplements is highly prevalent in Europe […]
Field test for dog Leishmania exposure evaluated
Dogs infected with Leishmania infantum, a parasite transmitted by the sand fly Phlebotomus perniciosus, are at risk for spreading leishmaniasis infections to humans. A new test, described and evaluated this week in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, provides an easier-than-ever way to test dogs for exposure to P. perniciosus sand flies, and could be used in […]
PSA: This Online Tool Makes Getting An STI Test Way Less Embarrassing
Let’s be real: Getting screened for an STI can be embarrassing, uncomfortable and pretty bloody awkward. But with sexually transmitted infection rates increasing across Australia year on year, it’s never been more important to get your bits tested. Enter: Stigma Health, the online tool that provides patients with a personalised pathology request without the hassle […]
$20 blood test could help diagnose hepatitis B patients across Africa
A simple $20 blood test could help diagnose thousands of patients with hepatitis B in need of treatment in some of Africa’s poorest regions. Researchers have developed an accurate diagnostic score that consists of inexpensive blood tests to identify patients who require immediate treatment against the deadly hepatitis B virus—which can lead to liver damage […]
Study provides promise in search for simple, early test for Alzheimer’s disease
Researchers at Indiana University have found early evidence that tiny snippets of genetic material called microRNA may help with early detection of conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. The study, published June 18 in Scientific Reports, found that changes in microRNA are detectable in mice long before they start to show symptoms from neurodegeneration. These microRNA […]