Dandruff Diagnosis

New York. A simple eye examination combined with powerful artificial intelligence (AI) machine learning technology could provide early detection of Parkinson's disease, say researchers. Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder of the central nervous system that affects millions of people worldwide. Diagnosis is typically based on symptoms like tremors, muscle stiffness and impaired balance -- an approach that has significant limitations. "The issue with that method is that patients usually develop symptoms only after prolonged progression with significant injury to dopamine brain neurons," said study lead author Maximillian Diaz from the University of Florida in the US. "This means that we are diagnosing patients late in the disease process," Diaz added. In the new study, the research team deployed a type of AI called support vector machine (SVM) learning that has been around since 1989. Using pictures of the back of the eye from both patients with Parkinson's disease and control participants, they trained the SVM to detect signs on the images suggestive of disease. The results indicated that the machine learning networks can classify Parkinson's disease based on retina vasculature, with the key features being smaller blood vessels. The proposed methods further support the idea that changes in brain physiology can be observed in the eye. "The single most important finding of this study was that a brain disease was diagnosed with a basic picture of the eye," Diaz said. "This is very different from traditional approaches where to find a problem with the brain you look at different brain images," Diaz added. The research team noted that those traditional imaging approaches with MRI, CT and nuclear medicine techniques can be very costly. In contrast, the new approach uses basic photography with equipment commonly available in eye clinics to get an image. The images can even be captured by a smartphone with a special lens. "The approach may also have applications in identifying other diseases that affect the structure of the brain, such as Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis," Diaz noted. (IANS)

London, Nov 2 (IANS) The UK's Prince William had contracted the novel coronavirus in April, just days after his father Prince Charles and Prime Minister Boris Johnson were also diagnosed with the disease, but chose to keep it a secret in an effort to avoid alarming the country, a media report said.According to the Sun newspaper report published on Sunday, the 38-year-old Duke of Cambridge had told an observer at an engagement that "there were important things going on and I didn't want to worry anyone".The Duke was treated by palace doctors, and followed government guidelines by isolating at the family home Anmer Hall, in Norfolk, the report said."William was hit pretty hard by the virus - it really knocked him for six," a source told the Sun newspaper."At one stage he was struggling to breathe, so obviously everyone around him was pretty panicked."After seeing medics and testing positive - which was obviously quite a shock given how fit and healthy he is - William was determined it should be business as usual though."He was determined to fulfil his engagements," the source added.The source further said that after the news Prince Charles and Johnson's diagnoses broke, William was concerned that informing the country about his own plight would send everyone into panic mode. "The Queen delivered her 'We Will Meet Again' address, and he just didn't want to worry people. He felt there were more important things going on in the country."But as a result of his own experiences, he realises absolutely anyone can catch this awful disease - and knows how imperative it is that we all take this second lockdown seriously," the source told the Sun newspaper.Prince Charles isolated for two weeks in March with mild symptoms, while Johnson spent three nights in ICU after being hospitalised on April 5. The Kensington Palace was yet to officially comment on the development.--IANSksk/

<br>If that version is correct, it means Trump was Covid positive on Wednesday morning (September 30). Here's the thing: Americans were informed of Trump's illness only after midnight on Thursday (October 1). At 12:54 a.m. on October 2, Trump tweeted that he and the First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive.This is swiftly becoming the 'who knew what and when did they know it?' story in parallel with being the political bombshell that it already is.All of Trump's engagements between the hours of Wednesday morning and Friday night are now under intense scrutiny because of the timeline mismatch between Trump and Conley's versions.Shortly before noon on Saturday, Conley delivered a sunny, upbeat report on Trump's health, saying he's "doing very well", "not on supplemental oxygen right now" and has been "fever free" for the last 24 hours.Minutes after that briefing, a person familiar with Trump's medical condition informed a White House pool reporter that Trump needed supplemental oxygen at the White House on Friday before he was hospitalised.A White House chopper transported Trump to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Friday evening.Trump's doctors did not confirm if the President had been on oxygen following his Covid-19 diagnosis. They only said that Trump was not on oxygen "at this moment" in the hospital.Conley reported that the hospital plans to complete a five-day treatment course for remdesivir. Trump has already got the first dose.The "big plan for today" is for Trump to "eat, drink and stay hydrated".Conley said that Trump was brought into the Walter Reed hospital "as a precautionary measure" so that he could get "state-of-the-art monitoring"."At this time, the team and I are extremely happy with the progress the President has made since Thursday. He had mild cough and some nasal congestion and fatigue, all of which are now resolving and improving," Conley said.Trump's cardiac function, kidney function and liver function are all "normal", his medical team at the Walter Reed said."And the President this morning is not on oxygen, not having difficulty breathing or walking around the White House medical unit upstairs," it said.Conley said Trump's blood oxygen level is 96 per cent, which is in the normal range.Trump has been treated with two experimental drugs, given intravenously. On Friday, Trump received a single dose of a drug made by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, which helps turbocharge the system with antibodies to help the immune system fight back.On Friday night, Trump was put on a five-day course of remdesivir, a Gilead Sciences drug that has been found to help shorten the course of Covid treatment."We're maximising all the aspects of his care, attacking the virus in multiple ways. I didn't want to hold anything back, if there was any possibility it would add value to his care," Conley said. Meanwhile, Trump's Twitter thumb is back in the zone. Shortly after Conley's briefing, Trump tweeted: "Nurses and ALL at the GREAT Walter Reed Medical Center, and others from likewise incredible institutions who have joined them, are AMAZING!!! Tremendous progress has been made over the last 6 months in fighting this PLAGUE. With their help, I am feeling well!"As on date, three Republican Senators -- Ron Johnson, Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina -- have tested positive for coronavirus.--IANS<br>nikhila/arm

<br>Earlier on Friday, his doctor Sean Conley said that Trump was being treated with an experimental medications produced by the biotech company, Regeneron, that has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for Covid-19.In a video recorded of him standing up and speaking informally at the White House, Trump said: "I'm going to Walter Reed Hospital. I think I'm doing very well, but we're going to make sure that things work out the first lady is doing very well.""Out of an abundance of caution, and at the recommendation of his physician and medical experts, the President will be working from the presidential offices at Walter Reed (hospital) for the next few days," his Spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany said on Friday evening.Trump's wife, Melania, who also tested positive for the coronavirus is staying on at the White House.Trump, who is a 74-year-old man and overweight at 124 kg, has three high-risk factors for the coronavirus, with which he was diagnosed on Thursday.McEnany said that "President Trump remains in good spirits, has mild symptoms, and has been working throughout the day."Trump appeared fit enough to walk unaided to the helicopter that took him to the Walter Reed medical centre where presidents usually are treated and has facilities for them to continue working.Trump's campaign plans have been cancelled for the coming days, Campaign Senior Adviser Corey Lewandowski told CBS News.Till recently, Democratic Party candidate Joe Biden had been conducting a low-key campaign prompting Trump to ridicule him as "Basement Biden" because he was usingAvdeo facilites set up in the basement to get his message out.But now, Trump will have to campaign from a hospital while Biden is out running carefully arranged public events with coronavirus precautions.At a campaign event in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Biden said he and his wife Jill were offering prayers for Trump and the First Lady.Then he said, "This is not a matter of politics. It's a bracing reminder to all of us that we have to take this virus seriously."While Trump has been dismissive of the Covid-19 precautions like wearing masks and even ridiculed Biden for his big masks, the Democrat has been an advocate of following medical guidance.Exhorting Trump supporters to also wear masks, he said that according to experts wearing masks for 100 days could save 100,000 lives.Biden, who had shared a stage during Tuesday's debate with Trump, said that he had taken two Covid-19 tests that came negative before embarking on Friday's campaign.The Hill quoted two anonymous sources in the Biden campaign as saying that they will not be running negative ads against Trump for now.A Biden ally was quoted by The Hill, a political and legislative media, as saying, "The VP (Vice President Biden) can't say 'God Bless this family' and then trash him in ads."Conley said in a memo released by the White House that as "a precautionary measure he received a single eight gram dose of Regeneron's polyclonal antibody cocktail""He completed the infusion without incident," Conley said about using the experimental medication.Regeneron had reported on Tuesday that its medication had shown positive results in 275 patients during trials.Trump has been advocating the use of medicines not fully approved by the FDA for treating Covid-19.He also received other medicines including aspirin, zinc, a natural hormone melatonin, vitamin D and the antacid famotidine, the doctor said.It did not appear that he received hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), which he had taken as a preventive around the time his valet became infected with the coronavirus in May and got India to send a huge consignment for use as a cure or prophylactic.A senator who said he spoke to Trump indicated that he was "very engaged" in political affairs.Senate Judicial Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham tweeted, "The president was in good spirits this morning when I spoke with him and very engaged in the upcoming hearing regarding Supreme Court nominee, Judge Amy Barrett."That was one of the key issue facing Trump, who has to get the conservative judge to confirmed by the Senate to serve on the supreme court.The other is the Covid-19 relief package for businesses, individuals, public institutions and state and local governments on which the Republicans and Democrats are deeply divided.Pelosi has said that in the changed scenario a compromise seemed within reach. She asked airlines to hold off on threatened furloughs because a deal to help them was likely.The Democratic Party-controlled House of Representatives passed a $2.2 trillion stimulus package, which faces opposition in the Republican-controlled Senate.The markets generally shrugged off Trump's ailment. After having been down by 450 points, the Dow Jones Index closed down only 134 points or 0.5 per cent. S&P was down 1 per cent and the NASDAQ 2.2 per cent, not unusual market volatility.Trump tweeted early Friday morning that he and his wife had tested positive for coronavirus.On Thursday, his Counselor Hope Hicks who had travelled with him on Tuesday and Friday on Air Force One had tested positive for the disease.Members of Trump's family who had undergone tests were found to be uninfected, as also senior officials including Vice President Mike Pence, who is next in line the line of succession.While Democratic Party's top leaders, who had borne the brunt of Trump's ridicule and personal attacks, took the high road with an outpouring of the sympathy, according to a poll taken on Friday by Morning Consult 40 per cent of Democrats were "happy" about Trump's COVID-19 diagnosis, while 55 per cent of Republicans were "sad."The Walter Reed hospital, which has among the best equipment and experts is usually the first stop for military personnel wounded in wars abroad.(Arul Louis can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter at @arulouis)--IANS<br>al/pgh<br>