Smartphones may improve accuracy of medical devices across skin tones

As concern grows over racial bias in common medical tools like pulse oximeters, a new study shows that smartphones may offer a simple, accessible way to help correct the problem. Researchers at Brown University and Morgan State University have developed a method for using smartphone cameras to objectively measure skin tone, a factor known to affect the accuracy of pulse oximetry—the technique that monitors oxygen levels through the skin.

Early mitochondrial impairment and myelin loss tied to multiple sclerosis brain damage

Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects an estimated 2.3 million people worldwide. Approximately 80% of people with MS have inflammation in the cerebellum, the part of the brain that helps control movement and balance, potentially leading to tremors, poor coordination, and trouble with motor control. These problems often persist and can worsen over time, as the cerebellum gradually loses healthy brain tissue.

Integrative exome sequencing and machine learning identify new genes contributing to systemic sclerosis risk

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a severe autoimmune disease with complex genetic causes. Some genetic contributors have been identified, but others remain unknown, which has impeded development of targeted treatments. In a new study published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and collaborating institutions used complementary approaches that integrate exome sequencing and evolutionary action machine learning to identify protein changes and their associated mechanisms in SSc.

Immune tolerance to gut microbes is initiated by a key bacterial sensor, researchers discover

Thousands of bacterial and other microbial species live in the human gut, supporting healthy digestion, immunity, metabolism and other functions. Precisely how these microbes are protected from immune attack has been unclear, but now a study led by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators has found that this immune “tolerance” to gut microbes depends on an ancient bacterial-sensing protein called STING—normally considered a trigger for inflammation. The surprising result could lead to new treatments for inflammatory bowel disease and other conditions involving gut inflammation.