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Stroke detection using a smartphone
A new smartphone face-screening tool could help paramedics identify strokes in seconds. Currently, there is no faster or more accurate technology to delay strokes or the damage they cause.
Biomedical engineers at RMIT University developed the artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities behind the new device. “We have developed a simple smartphone tool that paramedics can use to instantly detect whether a patient is post-stroke and then notify the hospital before the ambulance leaves the patient's home,” research leader Guilherme Camargo de Oliveira said in a statement.
The smartphone has an accuracy rating of 82% for detecting stroke.
Why do older people walk slower?
It's natural for our movements to slow down as we age, possibly due to a slower metabolism, loss of muscle mass and being less active over time. However, new research from the University of Colorado Boulder argues that older adults may walk slower partly because they have to expend more energy than younger adults to do so.
Scientists say this new research could help discover new diagnostic tools for diseases such as Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis. Read more about the study and its implications for the future of early disease detection here.
Chilli and Obesity: Is It Harmful?
Interestingly, chilies are often viewed positively in health care for their fat-burning and metabolism-boosting properties. Yet, new findings suggest that chili consumption may be associated with a greater risk of obesity.
In a study Front Lines in NutritionScientists found that frequent chili consumption was associated with increased body mass index (BMI) and the risk of obesity, especially in women and adults over the age of 60.
Combining chili peppers with other unhealthy foods may increase the risk for obesity, said Thomas M. Holland, M.D., M.S., physician-scientist at the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging and instructor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition at Rush University.
“In particular, chili is often eaten with high-fat, high-calorie foods, meaning that more frequent chili consumption is associated with more frequent high-calorie food intake,” Holland said.