Source: The National
Security & Justice
State Action Signals Change in Tackling Longstanding Illegal Land Grabs in Jbeil District
For years, the serene villages of Jbeil's highlands have been far from peaceful. Ghabat, a Maronite village nestled between the predominantly Shiite towns of Afqa and Lassa, has become a focal point of growing tensions due to territorial disputes.
Friday, December 20, 2024
Mawlawi Ensures Strict Monitoring for Wanted Syrian Regime Figures at Beirut Airport
Caretaker Minister of Interior, Bassam Mawlawi, conducted an inspection tour of Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut to review the security arrangements and measures implemented by the Airport Security Apparatus ahead of the holiday season.
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Opinion
Lebanon After the Assads
The United States has important equities in Lebanon, including a desire for a generally friendly government’s economic and political stability; security cooperation; long-standing relations with the large Christian community in Lebanon and Lebanese diaspora in the United States; and ultimately peace between Israel and Lebanon within a broader regional settlement. Achieving these objectives will require navigating a tumultuous period in the country’s history following a war between Hezbollah and Israel that has devastated a large part of the country, exacerbating Lebanon’s already challenging economic conditions. But perhaps the most important dynamic will be how a likely Sunni-dominated state of uncertain composition in Syria will differ in its intentions toward Lebanon from the previous Alawite-led minoritarian Assad regime.
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Europe’s Syrian Dilemma
The news of the sudden and unexpected demise of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria has met a mixed response in Europe. The jubilation that a murderous dictator and close ally of Russia and Iran has fallen is not just good for the Syrian people but serves as a morale booster for Eastern Europeans wondering whether Russia can be defeated
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Sports
Cristiano Ronaldo Unveils New Private Jet Worth $73 Million
Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the richest global athletes, has unveiled his upgraded private jet reportedly worth $73 million. With its top-notch design, exceptional speed and range of 7500 nautical miles, the Gulfstream G650 is among the fastest jets in the world.
Monday, December 16, 2024
Guardiola Accepts Man City May Need to Sign More Players to Cope with Schedule
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes he will need a bigger squad to handle soccer’s ever-expanding fixture schedule.
Saturday, December 14, 2024
Wednesday 24 January 2024 12:53:15
New Alzheimer's Test Can Detect Disease Years Before Symptoms Develop
A new blood test has been developed to detect Alzheimer's disease, with the method appearing to be as accurate and less painful than the “gold standard” tests.
The blood test measures levels of a protein called p-tau217, which signals changes in the brain associated with the development of the disease that begin up to 15 years before symptoms start.
Experts say the findings have the potential to “revolutionise” diagnosis for people with suspected Alzheimer's.
The study, which included about 800 people across three countries, used the presence of the protein to predict the patients who were likely, intermediate and unlikely to have Alzheimer's with as much accuracy as established methods including lumbar puncture.
The study was led by Dr Nicholas Ashton of the University of Gothenburg and was published in the Jama Neurology journal.
Experts say 2 per cent of people receive a diagnosis of Alzheimer's using a lumbar puncture or PET scan. However, there are not enough PET scanners to screen for the disease at the rate required, which means many people wait years for a diagnosis.
Researchers will now study whether the result stands in populations in the real world, including clinics where people visit with concerns about their memory.
If it proves successful, experts say the test may be widely available in three to five years.
Dr Richard Oakley, associate director of research and innovation at the Alzheimer's Society, said: "This study is a hugely welcome step in the right direction as it shows that blood tests can be just as accurate as more invasive and expensive tests at predicting if someone has features of Alzheimer's disease in their brain.
"Furthermore, it suggests results from these tests could be clear enough to not require further follow-up investigations for some people living with Alzheimer's disease, which could speed up the diagnosis pathway significantly in future.
"However, we still need to see more research across different communities to understand how effective these blood tests are across everyone who lives with Alzheimer's disease."
Dr Sheona Scales, director of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said the results suggest the new test was superior to other tests under development.
“This adds to a growing body of evidence that this particular test has huge potential to revolutionise diagnosis for people with suspected Alzheimer's,” she said.
But Dr Scales added that a clearer picture is needed of how these types of blood tests perform day-to-day in real-world healthcare systems.
David Curtis, honorary professor at the Genetics Institute at University College London, said: “Everybody over 50 could be routinely screened every few years, in much the same way as they are now screened for high cholesterol.
“It is possible that currently available treatments for Alzheimer's disease would work better in those diagnosed early in this way.
“However, I think the real hope is that better treatments can also be developed.
“The combination of a simple screening test with an effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease would have a dramatic impact for individuals and for society.”
