January 28, 2006 New Tests For Earlier Diagnosis Good News! New tests are entering the market that are more efficient, rapid, and less uncomfortable than "older" tests. Here are just a few: Gag Free Test For Digestive Problems Bald Spots and Other Autoimmune Diseases Test That May Lead To Earlier Breast Cancer Diagnosis Only 63% of breast cancers are localized at the time of diagnosis. Ideally, most women would prefer a simple blood test that would measure molecular markers for the presence of an early lesion. At Ciphergen Biosystems, Inc. of Freemont, CA, they are planning multi-site research studies to validate several candidate protein biomarkers that could detect ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), since the majority of women diagnosed at this stage can be cured. The company's goal is to develop a blood test that can be used in combination with sophisticated imaging techniques to improve the diagnosis of breast cancer. Additional information about Ciphergen can be found at www.ciphergen.com. Spit and Strip Rapid Bedside Comprehensive Lab Test Abbott Point of Care, headquartered in East Windsor, N.J. recently received FDA approval its i-STAT(R) CHEM 8+ cartridge, a new diagnostic test used to assess the basic metabolic status of patients in emergency rooms, clinics, surgical suites and other critical care facilities. It presents lab-quality results within two minutes for blood sugar, electrolyte balance and kidney function using just a few drops of blood. This will help health care professionals to make on-the-spot diagnosis and treatment decisions for their patients at the bedside. The technology is also expected to eventually be available in doctor's offices. **** AGING HAIR AND COSMETICS
Did you ever have a digestive disorder where the tests were worse than the problem?
SmartPill Corporation, Buffalo, NY, expects to start selling a pill within weeks that captures biomedical data from within your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. When ingested, the SmartPill pH.p Capsule senses pH (acidity) and pressure from within your GI tract, enabling gastroenterologists and researchers to more accurately diagnose and understand GI motility disorders such as gastroparesis, or delayed emptying of the stomach, the company says. The data is then wirelessly transmitted to a small receiver worn on a belt clip.
The device provides a non-invasive alternative to the traditional diagnostic standard, gastric emptying scintigraphy, which exposes a patient to radiation through a series of gamma scans, the company added. You also don't have to swallow anything attached to a line.
A new way to understand bald spots and other autoimmune problems reportedly has been advanced by the combination of two promising technologies---Whatman/Schleicher & Schuell FAST® Slides and the Protagen AG UNIclone human protein expression library. The two together target autoantigens---misguided self-made immune cells that contribute to conditions such as alopecia areata in which the body forms antibodies against some hair follicles. Alopecia areata involves sudden smooth, circular patches of hair loss. The promising results of the study concerning "bald spots", published in Molecular and Cellular Proteomics, is available online at http://www.mcponline.org.
Autoimmune diseases such as diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis afflict between five and seven percent of the world's population. An autoimmune disease arises if you have an overactive immune response to substances and tissues normally present in your body. Because autoimmune diseases affect multiple body systems, their symptoms are often misleading. As such, autoimmune diseases remain among the most poorly understood and poorly recognized illnesses. Ultimately, innovations in this area will lead to significant advances in patient diagnosis and treatment.
SDS, Inc. (SDS) of Framingham, MA, is developing rapid tests for infectious diseases that collect, process, and analyze samples in a few simple steps, using self- contained, disposable devices. The company has recently received FDA approval for its rapid antibody test for Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori), a bacteria believed to cause up to 80% of peptic ulcers and gastric cancers. Roughly a third of the population in the United States is estimated to have been exposed to the bacteria. SDS HemaoStrip™ capillary blood sampler presents the results for H.Pylori in only 15 minutes. The company uses the same technology for a rapid test for HIV infection.
For all those who watch TV CSI actors take cheek swabs to solve crimes, the news is that such samples can be used for early diagnosis of medical conditions. SDS has developed the OmnioSwab®, a patented, ejectable-head swab which can obtain a sample from the inside of the cheek for genetic testing, eliminating the need for drawing blood. OmnioSal® is another SDS patented device for the collection, storage, and shipment of oral fluid (saliva). Saliva collected with OmnioSal® has been used to test for HIV and hepatitis infection, drugs of abuse, and cotenine, a biomarker of exposure to ETS (environmental tobacco smoke)
One of the ingredients being promoted involves SPFs to protect again the rays of the sun. If it ages your skin, the theory goes; the sun will age your hair. France's Ales Group has launched a complete line incorporating an anti-aging shampoo and an antiaging serum for over 30s with problem hair.
L'Oreal claims it Regnium Re-Densifying Anti-Aging Shampoo "re-vitalizes the capillary fibers and penetrates hair, leaving it enriched."
Combining reflections on luxury, Alterna's Caviar Rapid Repair Spray is a "hair styling produce incorporating an anti-age control complex into its formulation, as well as vitamins, essential oils and microsilicones." (Silicones are derived from sand).
Since hair is essentially dead when it appears on your scalp, bringing it to youthful "life" would, indeed, be a miracle.
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