Date Time
Parkinson’s disease: wearable sensors to track symptoms
EPFL scientists have developed algorithms that, combined with wearable sensors, could help clinicians to monitor the progression of Parkinson’s disease and assess the effects of medications commonly used by people with this neurodegenerative disorder.
Parkinson’s disease affects neurons in an area of the brain that controls movement, causing tremors, difficulty walking and other motor problems. Doctors caring for people with Parkinson’s disease need to be able to assess the severity of the symptoms and alter the doses of medications that reduce such symptoms. To do so, clinicians rely on a handful of tests, such as those that measure gait speed – or how fast people walk. However, these tests are typically conducted in the clinic once every few months, and results can be affected by several factors including the experience of the person conducting the assessment.
12 April 2021 09:30 Share in:
NUR-SULTAN. KAZINFORM – 37 cases of pneumonia flagged as pneumonia with the COVID-19-related signs have been reported in the country in the past 24 hours, Kazinform cites сoronavirus2020.kz. Related news
The country has also seen 125 fresh daily recoveries from COVID-19-like pneumonia.
Since August 1, 2020, a total of 51,339 COVID-19-like pneumonia cases have been reported nationwide. The COVID-19-like pneumonia death toll stands at 727. 50,102 recovered from the disease in the country.
Notably, the country has reported 2,290 confirmed cases of the coronavirus infection in the last 24 hours.
Figure 1
G. rostochiensis yellow PCN developing females on potato roots. Soucre AHDB
PCN cyst split to reveal eggs and juveniles. Source AHDB
PCN infestations can reduce yields by up to 80%. Previous Next
Replacing older plant varieties with better-performing newer varieties is an important aspect of increasing productivity and profitability, and essential in responding to changes in consumer preferences, policy and the environment.
Potato cyst nematodes (PCN) are increasingly problematic where potatoes are intensively grown.
Until recently, very few potato varieties have been available for commercial production with resistance to both species of the pest,
Globodera pallida and
Globodera rostochiensis.
Teagasc and IPM Potato Group have been partners in developing new potato varieties with better pest and disease resistance since the 1960s.
Prof fires broadside at experts who called for AstraZeneca rollout in SA 12 April 2021 - 14:52 Prof Barry Schoub. File photo. Image: Supplied
Prof Barry Schoub, head of the ministerial advisory committee (MAC) on vaccines, has lashed out at other experts who said the country should have gone ahead with the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
In a strongly worded editorial in the
South African Medical Journal, he said rolling out a vaccine with such poor efficacy would drain much-needed resources, break public trust, and create a potential threat or further “escape variants” of the virus that causes Covid-19.
In a previous edition of the SAMJ, Prof Francois Venter, from Wits University’s faculty of health sciences, and other experts had berated the MAC on vaccines, accusing them of a lack of transparency.
Loss of pleasure and happiness linked to frontotemporal dementia, brain study shows
Posted 4
updated 4
AprApril 2021 at 7:19am
In contrast to Alzheimer’s disease, memory often remains unaffected in frontotemporal dementia, especially in the early stages.
(
Share
Print text only
Cancel
Those living with a type of dementia that affects younger people can t feel as happy as they did before developing the disease because the pleasure system in their brain has deteriorated, new research suggests.
Key points:
In frontotemporal dementia, the frontal and/or temporal lobes of the brain become progressively damaged
Diminished pleasure is associated with atrophy in areas of the brain related to feeling pleasure, research shows