Latest news with #AnalyticalChemistry
The Sun
9 hours ago
- Health
- The Sun
The strange sign in your EARWAX that can predict if you'll develop devastating brain disorder
Eliza Loukou, Health Reporter Published: Invalid Date, YOUR earwax could be used to predict whether you'll develop Parkinson's, scientists say, About 153,000 people in the UK live with the devastating neurological disorder, caused by a loss of nerve cells in the brain. The progressive disease is characterised by symptoms such as tremors, slow movement and muscle stiffness, which slowly get worse. According to researchers Zhejiang University in China, most Parkinson's treatments only slow the disease's progression, so early diagnosis is important for managing symptoms. But current tests for spotting the disease - such as brain scans or rating scales - can be expensive or subjective, they said. Now, a study published to Analytical Chemistry suggests that earwax could be used as a cost effective way to screen people for Parkinson's. Researchers claimed they'd developed a new AI system that could help catch the disease at an early stage, using earwax samples. Previous studies have shown that changes in sebum - an oily substance secreted by the skin - could help identify people with Parkinson's. Sebum from people with the disease may have a characteristic, musky smell because volatile organic compounds released by sebum are altered by disease progression. But sebum on the surface of the skin isn't a reliable substance for testing as it's exposed to pollution or humidity, which can change its composition. However, sebum in ear canals is sheltered from the elements. Seeing as the oily substance is the main component of earwax and it's easy to sample, researchers decided to use it for their screening tool. Good Morning Britain star reveals Parkinson's diagnosis after tragic death of his wife To identify the compounds released by sebum in people with Parkinson's, the researchers swabbed the ear canals of 209 participants, more than half of which were diagnosed with the condition. They then analysed wax samples, identifying four volatile organic compounds specific to people with Parkinson's. Those include ethylbenzene, 4-ethyltoluene, pentanal, and 2-pentadecyl-1,3-dioxolane. Researchers said these could serve as potential biomarkers for Parkinson's. Using these findings, they were able to develop a system that inexpensively screens for Parkinson's. Everything you need to know about Parkinson's Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condition, meaning that it causes problems in the brain and gets worse over time. It affects around 153,000 people in the UK. People with Parkinson's don't have enough of the chemical dopamine because some of the nerve cells that make it have stopped working. This can cause a range of more than 40 symptoms, but the three main ones are: Tremor (shaking) Slow movement Rigidity (muscle stiffness) Other common signs include: Mild memory and thinking problems Trouble sleeping Issues with balance Pain Anxiety and depression Shuffling walk with very small steps Difficulty making facial expressions Loss of sense of smell Problems peeing Constipation The four main ways of managing Parkinson's include medication, staying active, exploring occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech and language therapy, and monitoring symptoms. They trained an artificial intelligence olfactory system - a robotic model that can mimic how we smell - with their ear wax compound data. They found it was able to categorise samples with and without Parkinson's with 94 percent accuracy. Researchers suggested their system could be used to a first-line screening tool for early Parkinson's detection and could help improve care for condition by making it possible to administer treatments earlier. Author Hao Dong said: 'This method is a small-scale single-center experiment in China." 2 'The next step is to conduct further research at different stages of the disease, in multiple research centres and among multiple ethnic groups, in order to determine whether this method has greater practical application value.' Earlier this year, scientists warned of a surge in cases of Parkinson's. They said 25 million people across the world will be living with the debilitating brain condition by 2050.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
How your ear wax could tell you if you have Parkinson's disease, according to experts
Could your ear wax tell you if you have Parkinson's disease? Some 90,000 people are diagnosed with the degenerative neurological condition in the U.S. each year, and annual deaths have surged in recent decades to tens of thousands. Now, researchers at the American Chemical Society claim they have developed a new system that could help catch the disease at an early stage. The identifier is in the odor of ear wax's main ingredient, known as sebum. The oily substance is produced by the body to lubricate and protect the skin. Sebum from people with Parkinson's may have a characteristic and musky smell because the volatile organic compounds released by sebum are altered by disease progression. This association has been identified in previous research. To identify the compounds released by sebum in people with the disease, the researchers swabbed the ear canals of 209 participants, more than half of which were diagnosed with the condition. Then, they analyzed what was collected using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry techniques. Four of the volatile organic compounds they found in people with Parkinson's were different than people without it. Those include ethylbenzene, 4-ethyltoluene, pentanal, and 2-pentadecyl-1,3-dioxolane. The researchers said they are potential biomarkers for Parkinson's. Using these findings, published this week in the journal Analytical Chemistry, they were able to develop a system that inexpensively screens for Parkinson's. They trained an artificial intelligence olfactory system - a robotic model that can mimic how we smell - with their ear wax compound data. Using the model, they found it was able to categorize samples with and without Parkinson's with 94 percent accuracy. Some 1.1 million Americans are living with Parkinson's right now. Because most treatments for Parkinson's only slow the progression of disease, catching it early is critical. Current testing is also costly, and can be subjective. This AI system, the researchers say, could be used as a first-line screening tool for early detection. 'This method is a small-scale single-center experiment in China,' explained author Hao Dong. 'The next step is to conduct further research at different stages of the disease, in multiple research centers and among multiple ethnic groups, in order to determine whether this method has greater practical application value.'
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
This Fossil is Rewriting Everything We Know About Dinosaurs
A new study from the University of Liverpool has rewritten how we understand the fossilization process It was long believed that the fossilization process destroys all organic material But new analysis of a hip bone from a Edmontosaurus revealed a patch of bone collagen, suggesting other fossils might have similar organic remnants 'A DNA strand, like me, is a blueprint for building a living thing' says the anthropomorphic double-helix Mr. DNA at the beginning of 1993's Jurassic Park, '...And sometimes, animals that went extinct millions of years ago, like dinosaurs, left their blueprints behind for us to find.' In the film, the way the scientists acquire those 'blueprints' is through dinosaur blood found in a mosquito that was preserved in amber. If that seems like an overwrought way to get that dino DNA, keep in mind that such a convoluted workaround was needed, since, as SciTechDaily notes, 'scientists widely believed that the fossilization process destroyed all original organic molecules, leaving fossils devoid of their original biological material.' But a new study published in Analytical Chemistry seems poised to shatter that long-held belief. The study, led by the University of Liverpool, analyzed a fossilized hip bone from a Edmontosaurus using 'advanced mass spectrometry and other analytical techniques.' Those techniques, including protein sequencing, led to the discovery of bone collagen still remaining, despite fossilization. 'This research shows beyond doubt that organic biomolecules, such as proteins like collagen, appear to be present in some fossils,' remarked Professor Steve Taylor of the University of Liverpool's Mass Spectrometry Research Group. Taylor points out that the study refutes a commonly-asserted idea that any organic material found on fossils was the result of contamination, rather than remnants of the fossilized creature in question. Taylor also asserts that the implications of this study extend far beyond the single Edmontosaurus sacrum they had analyzed, which had been part of the University's collection after being excavated from the South Dakota Hell Creek Formation's Upper Cretaceous strata. He argues that 'cross-polarized light microscopy images of fossil bones, collected for a century, should be revisited.' The reason for this is the possibility that something may have been missed the first time, when it wasn't thought that organic material could remain on a fossil. Now, armed with this new knowledge, those re-examining the images might be able to spot more intact patches of bone collagen, 'potentially offering a ready-made trove of fossil candidates for further protein analysis.' That protein analysis, Taylor suggests, could reveal previously unknown connections between dinosaur species. Of course, this discovery also raises a new question: if the past widely-held belief that the fossilization process destroys organic molecules is now disproven, the question becomes exactly how this organic material was preserved. But while this new discovery raises new questions, it also presents new opportunities to analyze and understand our ancient biochemical history. You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
This 66-Million-Year-Old Fossil Is Rewriting Everything We Know About Dinosaurs
A new study from the University of Liverpool has rewritten how we understand the fossilization process It was long believed that the fossilization process destroys all organic material But new analysis of a hip bone from a Edmontosaurus revealed a patch of bone collagen, suggesting other fossils might have similar organic remnants 'A DNA strand, like me, is a blueprint for building a living thing' says the anthropomorphic double-helix Mr. DNA at the beginning of 1993's Jurassic Park, '...And sometimes, animals that went extinct millions of years ago, like dinosaurs, left their blueprints behind for us to find.' In the film, the way the scientists acquire those 'blueprints' is through dinosaur blood found in a mosquito that was preserved in amber. If that seems like an overwrought way to get that dino DNA, keep in mind that such a convoluted workaround was needed, since, as SciTechDaily notes, 'scientists widely believed that the fossilization process destroyed all original organic molecules, leaving fossils devoid of their original biological material.' But a new study published in Analytical Chemistry seems poised to shatter that long-held belief. The study, led by the University of Liverpool, analyzed a fossilized hip bone from a Edmontosaurus using 'advanced mass spectrometry and other analytical techniques.' Those techniques, including protein sequencing, led to the discovery of bone collagen still remaining, despite fossilization. 'This research shows beyond doubt that organic biomolecules, such as proteins like collagen, appear to be present in some fossils,' remarked Professor Steve Taylor of the University of Liverpool's Mass Spectrometry Research Group. Taylor points out that the study refutes a commonly-asserted idea that any organic material found on fossils was the result of contamination, rather than remnants of the fossilized creature in question. Taylor also asserts that the implications of this study extend far beyond the single Edmontosaurus sacrum they had analyzed, which had been part of the University's collection after being excavated from the South Dakota Hell Creek Formation's Upper Cretaceous strata. He argues that 'cross-polarized light microscopy images of fossil bones, collected for a century, should be revisited.' The reason for this is the possibility that something may have been missed the first time, when it wasn't thought that organic material could remain on a fossil. Now, armed with this new knowledge, those re-examining the images might be able to spot more intact patches of bone collagen, 'potentially offering a ready-made trove of fossil candidates for further protein analysis.' That protein analysis, Taylor suggests, could reveal previously unknown connections between dinosaur species. Of course, this discovery also raises a new question: if the past widely-held belief that the fossilization process destroys organic molecules is now disproven, the question becomes exactly how this organic material was preserved. But while this new discovery raises new questions, it also presents new opportunities to analyze and understand our ancient biochemical history. You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
