OMH CAPSULE: Exposure To Light During Sleep Linked To Diabetes
Only My Health brings you a quick round-up of all the latest health news that you need to know.
New COVID-19 Test Can Identify All Variants In Hours
Researchers at the University of Texas have developed a new COVID-19 test that can detect all current variants of coronavirus accurately within hours.The test, called CoVarScan, can identify signatures of eight hotspots on the coronavirus virus.
The study, published in the Clinical Chemistry journal, was based on samples collected from over 4,000 patients.While a number of other tests for COVID-19 exist, they can not provide information to identify the variant.In most cases, scientists use genome sequencing to determine the COVID-19 variant. The process is time-consuming and expensive as well.Compared to genome sequencing, CoVarScan had 96% sensitivity and 99% specificity.It identified and differentiated Delta, Mu, Lambda, and Omicron variants of COVID-19; including the BA.2 version of Omicron, the infamous ‘stealth variant.’
Indian-Origin Woman Given One Year To Live Defeats Cancer
An Indian-origin woman who was given less than a year to live has defeated cancer after taking part in a clinical trial. 51-year-old Jasmin David of Manchester, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer in 2017.Two years later, she started a trial, using an experimental medicine combined with an immunotherapy drug, at The Christie hospital in Manchester.
She said she felt "reborn" after scans showed no evidence of cancer.She said that she had "so much to look forward to" including her 25th wedding anniversary in September, adding that she relished each day as "everything is a bonus".Treatment in the clinical trial will continue until December 2023.
Exposure To Light During Sleep Linked To Diabetes
Do you sleep with the lights on? Well, a recent study has revealed that sleeping while exposed to any type of light whatsoever - even dim light - is linked to an increase in the likelihood of diabetes along with obesity and high blood pressure in older adults.The study is conducted by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. The findings of the research were published in the journal 'SLEEP'.The researchers measured light exposure and sleep in older adults aged between 63 and 84 for seven days using a wrist-worn device.Researchers suggest that if you need to have a light on, make it a dim light that is closer to the floor.Amber or red/orange light is less stimulating for the brain. Don’t use white or blue light. Blackout shades or eye masks are good if you can’t control the outdoor light.
