Experiencing daytime sleepiness is something that is usually perceived as a minor inconvenience, but for older adults, it could be an early warning sign of Dementia. This neurodegenerative disease leads to the progressive decline of brain cells. This eventually

affects memory, cognition, and personality, making everyday tasks more difficult. As one of the fastest-growing neurological disorders across the world, dementia poses a significant health threat to ageing populations.

Is Dementia Linked To Poor Sleep?

For this study, researchers followed 445 older adults (average age 76) over three years, aiming to determine whether poor sleep could increase the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which often leads to dementia. At the start, none of the participants had MCI, but by the end of the study, 36 individuals had developed the condition.

The researchers discovered that participants with poor sleep were more likely to develop MCI compared to those who slept well. However, when depression symptoms were taken into account, the link between poor sleep and MCI became less pronounced, suggesting that while sleep issues are a concern, mental health also plays a key role in dementia risk.

To assess sleep quality, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used, evaluating factors such as sleep duration, disturbances, and daytime alertness. Among these, "daytime dysfunction"—defined as excessive sleepiness and low energy during the day—was most strongly associated with an increased risk of MCI. Those experiencing daytime dysfunction were more than three times as likely to develop MCI as those who didn’t report such symptoms.

There are many types of dementia:

Dementia is not a specific disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is an overall term that describes a decline in mental ability that interferes with daily life. People with dementia often have symptoms like trouble remembering, thinking, or making everyday decisions. These symptoms tend to get worse over time.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, and it mostly affects the elderly. Each form of dementia has a different cause. Though dementia mostly affects older adults, it is not a part of normal ageing. An estimated 6.7 million older adults have Alzheimer's disease in the United States. That number is expected to double by 2060, as per data from the CDC.

In 2022, 3.8% of men and 4.2% women in US were diagnosed with dementia. The percentage of people increase with age from 1.7% for those aged 65-74 to 13.1% for those aged 85 and older. Alzheimer's accounts for 60 to 80% of all dementia cases and it is most prevalent in California, Florida, and Texas, as these states have the highest number of people.

The Delhi High Court has turned down a Japanese company’s attempt to secure a patent for a cancer detection technique that relies on nematodes, or roundworms, ruling that it falls under diagnostic processes that cannot be patented under Indian law, regardless of how novel or non-invasive it may be.

Hirotsu Bio Science approached the High Court after India’s Controller of Designs and Patents rejected its patent application in August 2023, stating that the invention did not meet the criteria laid out in the Patents Act, 1970. In a detailed 25-page judgment delivered on Saturday, Justice Tejas Karia reaffirmed Section 3(i) of the Act, which clearly bars the patenting of diagnostic methods.

What Is the Nematode-Based Cancer Detection Method?

The nematode-based cancer detection method is a research-stage technique that uses microscopic roundworms, known as nematodes, to detect the presence of cancer. These organisms possess a highly developed sense of smell, allowing them to pick up on specific chemical cues released by cancer cells in bodily samples such as urine, breath, or tissue, as per Science Direct.

Laboratory experiments have shown that certain nematodes tend to move towards samples taken from individuals with cancer while avoiding those from healthy people. The underlying idea is that cancer changes the body’s chemical profile, creating odour patterns that these worms can detect, sometimes even at an early stage.

Scientists have looked at this approach as a potentially affordable and non-invasive screening option. However, it remains a concept under study and has not yet been accepted as a reliable medical test or used in routine clinical care.

Delhi HC Upholds Patent Rejection of Nematode-Based Cancer Detection Method

At the centre of the case was a patent application titled “Cancer detection method using the sense of smell of nematode.” Nematodes, often referred to as roundworms, are among the most widespread life forms on the planet and can be found in environments ranging from soil to living organisms.

The Japanese company aimed to patent a technology based on the biological response of Caenorhabditis elegans, a species of nematode recognised for its advanced olfactory abilities.

The firm explained that its invention relies on the chemotaxis of these worms, meaning their tendency to move towards or away from certain scents, which would serve as a biological signal for the presence of cancer.

According to the company, the nematodes showed avoidance behaviour when exposed to urine from healthy individuals, while being drawn towards urine samples from cancer patients. It claimed the method demonstrated complete accuracy during testing and could detect several cancers, including gastric, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers, even at very early stages.

Is This Process Patentable in India?

The main legal question was whether the method qualified as a non-patentable “diagnostic process” under Section 3(i) of the Patents Act, 1970. This provision excludes from patent protection any process related to medicinal, surgical, curative, preventive, diagnostic, or therapeutic treatment of humans.

Hirotsu Bio Science Inc challenged the rejection by the Controller of Designs and Patents in the High Court, arguing that their invention should be seen as a “detection” method rather than a “diagnostic” one. The company maintained that the process was carried out entirely in a laboratory setting, using samples such as urine or tissue, and did not involve any direct medical procedure or clinical decision-making on the human body.

Health officials have issued a recall for the Live It Up Super Greens supplement powder after 45 people across 21 states were found suffering from salmonella across the US.

The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an official recall on January 14 for the Live it Up Original and Wild Berry Super Greens dietary supplement powder flavors.

The affected products with expiration dates from August 2026 and January 2028 have been affected by this recall and include:

• Live it Up Super Greens, NET WT 8.5 oz (240g) with UPC 860013190804.
• Live it Up Super Greens, 30 – 0.28oz (8g) sticks, NET WT. 8.47 oz (240g) with UPC 850077468063
• Live it Up Super Greens, Wild Berry, NET WT 8.5OZ (240g), with UPC 860013190811
• Live it Up Super Greens, Wild Berry, 30 – 0.32oz (9g) Sticks, NET WT. 9.52oz (270g), with UPC 850077468070

Authorities has advised consumers to not eat, sell or serve the affected Live it Up-brand products and to contact the company for returns.

Additionally, officials are asking people to wash items and surfaces that may have touched the recalled super greens supplement powders using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.

Of the 45 illnesses, 12 resulted in hospitalizations, according to the FDA. No deaths linked to the recall have been reported.

What Is Salmonella?

Apart from this, other symptoms include:

• Fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Chills
• Headache
• Blood in the stool

Most people develop symptoms within 8 to 72 hours after exposure while most healthy people recover within a few days to a week without specific treatment. However, in some cases, diarrhea can cause severe dehydration and requires prompt medical attention.

While anyone can contract salmonella, children younger than five, elderly and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop severe infections.

Is Salmonella Life-Threatening?

Life-threatening complications may develop if the infection spreads beyond the intestines to other organs. The risk of getting salmonella infection is higher with travel to countries without clean drinking water and proper sewage disposal.

While most people do not require medical attention for salmonella infection, those at high risk may need a health care provider if the infection lasts more than a few days, is associated with high fever or bloody stools and appears to be causing dehydration, with signs such as such as urinating less than usual, dark-colored urine as well as having a dry mouth and tongue.

Scientists have created a straightforward DNA blood test that can help predict how effectively people with breast cancer will respond to treatment. Each year, more than two million individuals worldwide are diagnosed with the condition, making it the most common cancer globally. While treatment options have advanced over the years, doctors still face challenges in identifying which therapies will work best for each patient.

Researchers have now developed a liquid biopsy that can indicate how likely a patient is to benefit from a particular treatment, even before therapy starts. This development could mark a major shift in care, as it may allow patients to move sooner to better options and avoid treatments that are unlikely to help, improving their chances of recovery. Below, we look closely at the study that explains how this blood test works.

New Blood Test Can Predict Breast Cancer Treatment

People with breast cancer could soon benefit from a new blood test that predicts treatment response before therapy begins, offering hope for better outcomes and improved quality of life. Scientists have designed a liquid biopsy that examines small fragments of cancer DNA circulating in the bloodstream. This allows doctors to see which treatments are most likely to be effective for each patient. Reported in the journal Clinical Cancer, the test could help clinicians steer away from ineffective therapies, shift patients to more suitable options earlier, and personalise treatment decisions much sooner.

How Does Breast Cancer Spread?

Breast cancer develops when cells in the breast begin to grow abnormally and form a dangerous lump. It most often starts in the milk ducts or milk-producing glands and can spread to other areas of the body if it is not treated early. The disease occurs when changes in breast cells cause them to multiply uncontrollably. These changes may be inherited or develop over time. Known risk factors include increasing age, a family history of breast cancer, hormonal factors, excess weight, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity. In some cases, no clear cause can be identified.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), breast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide.

What Does The Research Reveal?

The research, led by scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research, examined patients with advanced breast cancer. Blood samples were used to measure levels of circulating tumour DNA, which is genetic material released into the bloodstream by cancer cells, both before treatment began and again after four weeks.

Researchers then analysed how these ctDNA levels related to patient outcomes, including tumour response to treatment and the length of time the cancer remained controlled. The findings showed a clear association between low ctDNA levels and better responses to treatment. Patients who had low or undetectable ctDNA either at the start of therapy or after just one cycle were far more likely to respond positively.

Participants were split into two groups based on cancer type and genetic mutations. The first group included patients with mutations such as ESR1, HER2, AKT1, AKT or PTEN, who were treated with targeted therapies designed to match their specific genetic changes.

The second group involved patients with triple-negative breast cancer, a particularly aggressive form that lacks targetable mutations. These patients were treated with a combination of the PARP inhibitor olaparib and the ATR inhibitor ceralasertib.

Among those with triple-negative breast cancer, patients who had low ctDNA levels before treatment saw longer periods where the disease did not worsen, averaging 10.2 months compared with 4.4 months in patients with higher ctDNA levels.

Treatment response rates were also notably higher. Tumours shrank or disappeared in 40 per cent of patients with low ctDNA, compared with only 9.7 per cent of those with higher levels.

In patients receiving targeted therapies, a similar but less pronounced pattern was seen before treatment began. However, results after four weeks were particularly strong. Patients whose ctDNA levels dropped to undetectable levels experienced far better outcomes, with cancer control lasting 10.6 months compared with 3.5 months in those whose ctDNA remained detectable.

In the triple-negative group, patients whose ctDNA disappeared after four weeks had their disease kept under control for 12 months, compared with 4.3 months for those whose ctDNA stayed detectable. Treatment response in this group rose sharply to 85.7 per cent, versus 11.4 per cent among patients with detectable ctDNA.