Posted on Rheumatoid arthritis

AI facilitates the identification of subtypes of rheumatoid arthritis.

A machine-learning tool developed by investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine and Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) can differentiate between subtypes of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), potentially improving care for the complex condition.

Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence

The study, published on August 29 in Nature Communications, demonstrates that artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies can accurately and swiftly subtype pathology samples from patients with RA.

“Our tool automates the analysis of pathology slides, which may one day lead to more precise and efficient disease diagnosis and personalized treatment for RA,” said Dr. Fei Wang, a professor of population health sciences and the founding director of the Institute of AI for Digital Health (AIDH) in the Department of Population Health Sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine. “It shows that machine learning can potentially transform pathological assessment of many diseases.”

Several machine-learning tools are being developed for the automatic analysis of pathology slides in oncology. Dr Wang and his colleagues are expanding the use of this technology in other clinical specialities.

Automating a Slow Process

In the most recent study, Dr. Wang collaborated with Dr. Richard Bell and Dr. Lionel Ivashkiv to automate the process of categorizing RA tissue samples into three subtypes. This may assist clinicians in selecting the most effective therapy for individual patients.

Pathologists currently manually classify arthritis subtypes using a rubric to identify cell and tissue characteristics in biopsy samples from human patients. This process is slow, adds to the cost of research, and may lead to inconsistencies between pathologists.

“It’s the analytical bottleneck of pathology research,” Dr. Bell said. “It is very time-consuming and tedious.”

The team initially trained its algorithm on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) samples from one group of mice, refining its capability to differentiate tissue and cell types in the sample and categorize them by subtype. They verified the tool’s effectiveness using a separate set of samples. The tool provided new findings regarding the impact of treatments on the mice, showing reduced cartilage degradation within six weeks of administering commonly used RA treatments.

They then used the tool on patient biopsy samples from the Accelerating Medicines Partnership Rheumatoid Arthritis research consortium and demonstrated its ability to accurately and quickly analyze human clinical samples. The researchers are currently validating the tool with more patient samples and figuring out the most effective way to integrate this new tool into pathologists’ workflows.

A Step Toward Personalized Medicine

“It’s the first step toward more personalized RA care,” Dr. Bell said. “If you can build an algorithm that identifies a patient’s subtype, you’ll be able to get patients the treatments they need more quickly.”

The technology could offer new insights into the disease by identifying unexpected tissue changes that humans might overlook. By reducing the time it takes for pathologists to subtype, the tool may also lower costs and improve the effectiveness of clinical trials for testing treatments on patients with different RA subtypes.

“By integrating pathology slides with clinical information, this tool demonstrates AI’s growing impact in advancing personalized medicine,” said Dr. Rainu Kaushal, senior associate dean for clinical research and chair of the Department of Population Health Sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine. “This research is particularly exciting as it opens new pathways for detection and treatment, making significant strides in how we understand and care for people with rheumatoid arthritis.”

The team is working on developing similar tools to evaluate osteoarthritis, disc degeneration, and tendinopathy. Additionally, Dr. Wang’s team is looking into defining disease subtypes using broader biomedical information. For instance, they have recently shown that machine learning can differentiate three subtypes of Parkinson’s disease. “We hope that our research will encourage more computational research in developing machine learning tools for a wider range of diseases,” said Dr. Wang.

“This work represents a significant advancement in analyzing RA tissues that can be applied to benefit patients,” stated Dr. Ivashkiv.

Posted on Autism

“Autism Spectrum: Tips for Teachers”

Autism Spectrum : Tips For Teachers : Nip in the Bud - YouTube


This film provides tips for teachers who may have a child in their class with an Autism diagnosis.

2 Comments Posted on Autism

“Autism and Parenting: Our readers share their tips for parenting autistic children !”

“We have been running a series called “Autism and Parenting” to provide the autism community with a forum to share parenting ideas for children on the spectrum. Yesterday, we asked our followers a simple question: “What is your best autism tip that you would like to share with our readers?” We received nearly 500 responses in less than 24 hours and wanted to share some with you.”

Please share your own ideas and suggestions in the comments section below!

Jamie’s comment, “Nobody is more of an expert on your child than you, ” gained the most likes, while Justina’s was, “Never underestimate the intelligence of autistic people!”

Adrian had a simple but important message for fathers of children with autism: “Dad, get involved. Yeah, you may have a demanding job, but not only does being involved benefit your child, but it benefits you as well. You are also your child’s advocate. Please make a commitment to attend as many Dr appointments, therapy sessions, and parent invites your child may have at his/her school as possible. You owe it to your child to be just as active as the mom is when it comes to ensuring your child gets the best care that he/she can. The burden of raising an autistic child shouldn’t fall squarely on the mom alone. Step up!!”

“Never beat yourself up or call yourself a bad parent. From experience, you will have easy days and not-so-good days. Have patience and get rest when you can. Get as much help and therapy for your child. Was Karen’s important message.

Tonya recommended “PATIENCE! It is very frustrating at times to be a parent or caregiver to someone on the spectrum. It is really easy to lose your patience with them at times, but you have to remember that they didn’t choose to be this way!” Sara suggested “ACCEPTANCE. Each child just wants to know they are loved and safe. Don’t try to change who they are; try to be more like them.”

Kyle said “Don’t shelter your child. Allow them to find their place in this world rather than protect them from it.”

On a practical note, Sherleen said, “Triple lock the doors or install alarms if you have an escape artist.” Amy shared, “Use first this, “then”….. that works well for my daughter.”

Another said, ” Always remember they will see and feel the world in their own way ! And it’s okay to be different !” Yet another reader said, “Always be prepared and have a good routine to avoid a meltdown.”

Dana suggested this, and I have to say I agree: “Make them live normally. Teach them right from wrong. Demand appropriate behaviour. Teach them to play and imagine. Colour therapy, speech therapy, and behaviour therapy. Autism doesn’t mean, no holds barred. My son 22 had full blown Autism. He’s a high-function Aspie now. Start each day with a clean slate.”

I’d like to end by quoting way more than on reader with a statement which gets my full support “Choose your battles!!”.

So what is your tip?

Why not share it in the comments section below?

I really appreciate any help you can provide.

colleensaddress Researchers around the world have done a great deal of work for the autistic child. But, just like we all know, they are in bits and pieces like a puzzle, and it’s up to us to put them together. My granddaughter is just now beginning to make eye contact and to say her first words after 4 years. Having studied root possibilities, we focused on eliminating toxins such as glyphosate-based herbicides used in GMO practices, overly-processed foods (refined sugars and starches) and chlorine. All of which are now directly linked to the development of autism in clinical studies.  We have been introducing organic foods and natural supplements. We see a difference, her therapists see a difference.
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PHOTO LADY I’m not a parent of autism, but I had an experience today that really threw me for a loop. I’m a youth sports photographer and while taking pictures today I noticed a young boy having a meltdown. He was kicking and punching his mother and throwing his bat towards one of my fellow photographers. My first thought was not autism, I just thought he was a brat and I was concerned hat he was going to damage one of our cameras. While trying to line his team up “tallest to shortest”, he was hitting and grabbing the hat off his teammate. He was crying and I was thinking his mom might pull him out of the group shot since he was so upset, but she didn’t? She just crouched down behind him, trying to hold him up as he flopped around swinging his arms. I went with it and took 3-4 pictures, but then tried to adjust the children to get a better photographic arrangement. I saw that the boy was again about to punch the teammate next to him and I put my hand between the boys to block the blow. The mom of the abusive boy started screaming at me, “How dare I grab her child with autism!” I told her I was sorry, it was a protective reflex. I just couldn’t stand by and watch the other child be smacked again (side-note: I never grabbed the boy. I just blocked the other boy from being punched yet again). She said she didn’t accept my apology. I apologized again and said it was wrong of me to intervene. She stormed off angry and screaming, “She couldn’t stand by and watch me grab her autistic child “. I in actuality do not feel as though I was wrong. Had I known he was autistic before I took the picture, I don’t think my reaction would have been any different. Why should he get a pass to be violent to another child? I’m asking you, the autism community, shouldn’t she have not forced him to be in the picture if it was upsetting him so? I feel very unsettled that she was so angry with me and so unconcerned for the welfare of the other children on the team. There are challenger sports leagues for special needs children. I’ve photographed many and have been praised for my patience and compassion, while attempting to get the best photograph possible. Any thoughts about this would be appreciated. I do not profess to know what you deal with day to day. I raised three healthy children, I’m an elementary school teacher, and a freelance youth sports photographer. I love all children and just want to be better educated on an appropriate response should I ever be in this situation again.
Posted on Mental health

Remember: just 10 minutes of mindfulness every day boosts well-being and helps combat depression.

Mindfulness meditation may ease fatigue, depression in multiple sclerosis
Mindfulness meditation may ease fatigue, depression

In a recent study published in the British Journal of Health Psychology, researchers from the Universities of Bath and Southampton have revealed that engaging in just 10 minutes of mindfulness practice daily can enhance well-being, alleviate depression and anxiety, and boost motivation to make positive lifestyle changes, such as adopting healthier exercise, eating, and sleeping habits.

The research enrolled 1247 adults from 91 countries. It demonstrates that brief daily mindfulness sessions, delivered through a free mobile app called Medito, can have profound benefits.

Most participants had no prior experience with mindfulness. They were randomly assigned to either a month-long mindfulness routine or a control condition, which involved listening to excerpts from Alice in Wonderland. The daily mindfulness sessions included relaxation exercises, intention-setting, body scans, breath-focused attention, and self-reflection.

Before beginning the 30 days of mindfulness training and after completing it, the participants filled out surveys about their mental health. The results were remarkable. Participants who used the mindfulness app reported the following changes:

  • Reduced Depression by 19.2% more than the control group.
  • Improved Well-being by 6.9% more.
  • Decreased Anxiety by 12.6% more.
  • Attitudes to Health got more Positive by 7.1% over the control group.
  • Behavioural Intentions to look after Health increased by 6.5% beyond control.

The positive effects of mindfulness were largely maintained after 30 days. In survey follow-ups one month later (Day 61), the mindfulness group showed sustained improvements in their well-being, depression, and attitudes and even reported better sleep quality.

In their feedback, participants highlighted numerous benefits from the mindfulness practice:

“Awareness, self-control, gratitude, I am more patient, and I take more joy from the present moment.”

“Clear mind. Feeling like everything’s under control and I’ll be able to do what I set my mind to.”

“After completing these meditation sessions, I have gained a better understanding of the function of my mind. They have helped me gain insight into many things and have shown me a different lens through which to view the world. Words that come to mind: helpful, insightful, and motivational.”

Excitingly, this trial was one of the first to show that mindfulness’s well-being and mental health benefits could arise from the changes to lifestyle behaviors it encourages. This highlights the potential of mindfulness practice for promoting healthier living, such as encouraging regular exercise. The research team is eager to explore this further.

Posted on Cancer, Diabetes

Individuals with type 2 diabetes at higher risk of certain cancers could be identified through a simple blood test.

Higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 found to be associated with higher risk of a range of cancers; a healthy lifestyle and good blood sugar control could cut inflammation and cancer risk
Higher levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 are associated with a higher risk of various cancers. Adopting a healthy lifestyle and maintaining good blood sugar control may reduce inflammation and the risk of developing cancer.

At this year’s Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Madrid from September 9th to 13th, it will be discussed that a simple blood test could help identify individuals with type 2 diabetes who are at higher risk of certain cancers. People with type 2 diabetes are known to have a higher risk of developing cancers related to obesity, such as breast, kidney, womb, thyroid, ovarian, colorectal, pancreatic, and gastrointestinal cancers, as well as multiple myeloma. It is believed that chronic low-grade inflammation, which is common in both obesity and type 2 diabetes, plays a significant role in the development of cancer in these conditions.

Mathilde Dahlin Bennetsen and colleagues from the Steno Diabetes Center Odense explored whether differences in levels of proinflammatory cytokines could help identify individuals with type 2 diabetes at higher risk of certain cancers. This could lead to more targeted monitoring, early detection, and personalized treatment.

The study involved 6,466 members of the Danish Centre for Strategic Research in Diabetes (DD2) cohort, who were newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. At the start of the study, levels of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were measured.

The participants were divided into three groups based on their IL-6 levels: the lowest third (IL6 < 0.94 pg/ml), the middle third (0.94-1.58 pg/ml) and the highest third (>1.58 pg/ml). They were then followed for a median of 8.8 years, during which 327 developed an obesity-related cancer. Higher levels of IL-6 at baseline were associated with a greater risk of developing an obesity-related cancer.

When the results were adjusted for age, sex, diabetes duration, alcohol consumption, waist circumference, physical activity, HbA1c (a measure of how well blood sugar is controlled), triglyceride levels, use of lipid-lowering drugs and use of diabetes medication, those in the highest group had a 51% higher risk of developing an OR cancer compared with those in the lowest group.TNF-alpha and hsCRP were only weakly associated with OR cancers compared to IL-6.

Taking smoking status into account did not alter the results. Additionally, when the researchers included baseline IL-6 levels along with other known risk factors for obesity-related cancers, it resulted in a slight but significant improvement in the ability to predict whether an individual would develop one of these cancers.

The inclusion of TNF-alpha or hsCRP did not enhance the predictive models, while higher IL-6 levels were found to be associated with the development of OR cancers in patients recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Ms. Bennetsen suggested that a simple blood test in the future could help identify those at higher risk of these cancers. However, additional research is necessary to determine if such testing would improve early detection and management of these cancers.

Ms Bennetsen adds: “Understanding that higher levels of inflammation can indicate a greater risk of certain cancers highlights the importance of regular check-ups and effective diabetes management.“Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and adhering to treatment plans can potentially help manage inflammation and reduce cancer risk.”