A new research has revealed that collecting samples of exhaled breath from people at a high risk of lung cancer could help diagnose the disease. According to researchers, the new technique could be a cheap and non-invasive method of quickly assessing the symptoms of the disease. Previous research has shown that animals are capable of detecting diseases based on breath tests. Scientists have been trying to replicate this in ”electronic nose” technology, which works by detecting different profiles of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in breath samples. This is the most extensive study using the electronic nose to show that the technique could be an accurate method for lung cancer screening. Researchers from the University of Latvia have not yet clearly identified which VOCs are linked to different diseases, but this new study suggests it is possible for an electronic nose to differentiate lung cancer from different lung conditions and healthy people. Lead author, Maris Bukovskis said that the research has shown that it is possible to use breath tests to correctly identify lung cancer with a high sensitivity rate. “The major problem with electronic nose technology is that it is individual, and each piece of equipment must be trained to distinguish between odours. This causes a problem of standardising the practice between different centres. The next step will be to test the practice between different centres to help us think about how we can ensure consistency between all the results,” Bukovskis said. (ANI)
Men more prone to fall ill than women
A new study has revealed that men are more likely to develop physical illness than women. The research conducted by St. Michael’s Hospital over a period of 10-years found that having a mental illness increases the risk of developing a physical illness by 10 times in both men and women. However, women with mental illness tend to develop a physical illness a year earlier than men, according to the study by Dr. Flora Matheson, a scientist in hospital’s Centre for Research on Inner City Health. Women were at a 14 percent reduced risk, compared to men, of developing physical illness; meaning that men are disadvantaged from a health perspective. The study, which used data from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, was conducted to see whether gender also had an impact on the relationship between mental illness and onset of physical illnesses. There is growing interest in studying the link between physical and mental illness as new studies indicate people with serious mental illness have higher rates of physical ailments such as metabolic syndrome, hypertension and cardiovascular, viral and respiratory diseases. (ANI)
Immune cells that aid cancer growth identified
A new study has found that there are immune cells, known as myeloid derived suppressor cells, that provide a niche where cancer stem cells survive. The study, published by the Immunity journal, reports that cancer stem cells are thought to be resistant to current chemotherapy and radiation treatments, and researchers believe that killing the cancer stem cells is crucial for eliminating cancer, Prensa Latina reported Friday. Researchers looked at cells from the most common and lethal type of ovarian cancer, a disease in which patients often become resistant to chemotherapy, causing the cancer to return. The researchers also said that if a therapy to combat the function of these cells could be identified, it would be possible to eliminate the immune suppression that helps support the cancer. Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal or malignant cells in the body that multiply autonomously, invading other tissues both near and far from the source. (IANS)
What leads to caffeine addiction
Caffeine users can become dependent on or addicted to caffeine and may have difficulty reducing their consumption. Researchers have now described the prevalence of caffeine dependence, clinically relevant indicators of functional impairment among caffeine users, and the criteria for making a diagnosis of caffeine use disorder. Steven Meredith and Roland Griffiths, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Baltimore, MD), Laura Juliano, American University (Washington, DC), and John Hughes, University of Vermont (Burlington), reviewed the published research on caffeine dependence. In the article “Caffeine Use Disorder: A Comprehensive Review and Research Agenda.” They posed an agenda for future research that would include clinical, epidemiologic, and genetic investigations to lead to a better understanding of the clinical signs and the prevalence of caffeine dependence, as well as the risk factors and best approaches for treating caffeine addiction. (ANI)
Secret behind charactersof whiskey revealed
Every type of whiskey has a distinct chemical signature to match the complex combinations of grains, barrels, aging and other factors that makes it what it is. Thomas Collins, Ph.D., and his team profiled 60 American whiskeys, which resulted in a treasure trove of information that could prove useful for whiskey-makers large and small as well as for regulators. Using latest analytical tools, Collins’ team found that a single whiskey sample can contain hundreds of nonvolatile compounds, the ones that tend to stay in the liquid rather than evaporate off. Added up across multiple samples, the number of compounds comes to about 4,000 total, a scientific testament to the complex molecular mingling that occurs as a spirit ages, sometimes for decades, in a 53-gallon oak barrel. Of the thousands of compounds in the resulting products, the scientists narrowed the field down to 50 to 100 contributors, including fatty acids, alcohols and tannins, comprising a spirit’s signature that distinguishes a Tennessee whiskey from bourbon. (Ani)