You do not feel well. You’ve had a throbbing headache, dizziness, and vomiting all week after your previous few meals.

You visit your GP to get answers and sit as he shines a light in your eyes, orders a blood test and asks for imaging tests.

Everything your GP has done relies on light. These are only a number of the optical technologies which might be having a huge effect on the best way we diagnose diseases.

1. On-site testing

Point-of-care diagnostics allow doctors to test patients on-site and get answers in minutes, slightly than sending samples to a lab for evaluation.

A “flashlight” utilized by a family doctor to look contained in the eye (so-called ophthalmoscope) is an excellent example. This allows doctors to detect abnormal blood flow in the attention, deformation of the cornea (the outermost transparent layer of the attention), or swelling of the optic discs (the circular section in the back of the attention where the nerve connection to the brain begins). Swollen discs are an indication of increased pressure inside the top (or, within the worst case scenario, a brain tumor) which may be attributable to causing your headaches.

Invention lasers and LEDs has made many other miniaturized technologies available on the bedside or within the clinic, slightly than within the laboratory.

A famous example is pulse oximetry, during which a clip attached to the finger provides information concerning the level of blood oxygenation. He does this through measuring different reactions of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood to different colours of light.

Pulse oximetry is utilized in hospitals (and sometimes at home) to monitor the health of the respiratory system and heart. In hospitals, additionally it is a precious detection tool heart defects in infants.

2. Looking at molecules

Now let’s return to this blood test. Analyzing a small amount of blood allows you to diagnose many various diseases.

A tool called an automatic “complete blood count analyzer” that checks overall health indicators. This device directs focused beams of light through blood samples stored in small glass tubes. It counts the variety of blood cells, determines their specific type and provides the extent of hemoglobin (a protein in red blood cells that distributes oxygen within the body). Within minutes this machine can deliver snapshot general health.

To obtain more specific disease markers, blood serum is separated from heavier cells by centrifugation in a rotating instrument called a centrifuge. The serum is then subjected to special chemical stains and enzyme tests that change color depending on the presence of certain molecules, which could also be an indication of disease.

These color changes can’t be detected with the naked eye. However, a beam of light from an instrument called a spectrometer can detect small amounts of those substances within the blood and determine whether and at what concentrations biomarkers of diseases are present.

3. Medical imaging

Let’s look again on the medical images ordered by your GP. The development of fiber optic technology, which became famous for transforming high-speed digital communications (comparable to NBN), allows light to enter the body. Result? High resolution optical imaging.

A typical example is endoscopeduring which fibers with a small camera on the top are inserted into natural body openings (comparable to the mouth or anus) to examine the intestines or respiratory tract.

Surgeons can use the identical technology through tiny incisions to view the within the body on a video screen during surgery laparoscopic surgery (also generally known as keyhole surgery) to diagnose and treat diseases.

What concerning the future?

Advances in nanotechnology and a greater understanding of how light interacts with our tissues are leading to latest light-based tools that help diagnose disease. These include:

• nanomaterials (materials on a particularly small scale, many 1000’s of times smaller than the width of a human hair). They are utilized in next-generation sensors and latest diagnostic tests

• wearable optical biosensors nail size will be taken into consideration in devices comparable to watches, contact lenses and finger bands. These devices enable non-invasive measurement of sweat, tears and saliva in real time

• AI tools to analyze how blood serum scatters infrared light. This enabled scientists to construct extensive database scatter patterns to detect any cancer

• a kind of non-invasive imaging, the so-called optical coherence tomography for more detailed imaging of the attention, heart and skin

• fiber optic technology that enables a small microscope to be introduced into the body the tip of the needle.

So the following time you see your primary care doctor who performs (or orders) certain tests, chances are high that a minimum of certainly one of those tests will depend upon light to diagnose the disease.

In a world where just one in five children receives the physical activity they need to thrive, girls in Japan face an excellent harder battle.

The country ranks a surprising 118th out of 146 countries in terms of gender parity and ranks last amongst advanced economies. But Nike is decided to change that narrative with a daring recent initiative that puts the ability of transformation directly in the hands of coaches.

The sports giant has entered into cooperation Laureus Sport for good create a breakthrough research-backed coaching guide designed specifically for coaches in Japan. The aim of this comprehensive resource is to overcome the deep-rooted social and cultural barriers which have historically kept girls from participating in sports.

The program has already received significant support from major Japanese sports organizations, including the Yomiuri Giants skilled baseball team and the Japan Basketball Association. “We feel the need to change the environment around girls in sports, starting with baseball,” says Toru Kunimatsu, representative director and president of Yomiuri Giants. “This toolkit will help raise awareness of the gender-related barriers girls face and ensure a safe environment for all girls participating in sport.”

Nike’s commitment to this initiative is deep, as evidenced by the recent Coach the Dream summit in Tokyo – the biggest event of its kind ever held in Japan. From October 16-20, the summit brought together 50 local sports leaders for intensive training in the brand new coaching guide and trauma-informed coaching practices.

“Japan holds a special place in Nike’s history, with a collaboration spanning over 50 years,” explains Vanessa Garcia-Brito, vp, chief impact officer at NIKE, Inc. “During this time, we have seen great progress for women in sport, but we know that girls still face barriers to participation.”

The initiative can also be based on success Play Academy with Naomi Osakawhich began in Tokyo five years ago. Tennis icon Osaka herself emphasizes the crucial role of high-quality coaching: “Play Academy aims to change girls’ lives through play and sport, and we cannot achieve this without great coaches,” she says. “It has been a pleasure to work with Nike to inspire the next generation to realize their potential through the power of movement.”

This latest initiative in Japan is a component of Nike’s broader global commitment to removing barriers for women in sports, which incorporates partnerships with greater than 100 organizations around the globe. Through initiatives akin to these, Nike continues to show its commitment to ensuring that every one young people, especially girls, have access to an inclusive and supportive sports environment that may help them achieve their full potential.

In all accounts of 17th-century witchcraft trials in Europe and North America, physical features alone were considered undeniable evidence of witchcraft. It was believed that the devil marked the bodies of witches with symbolic, material signs – comparable to unusual growths or blemishes. This led to a routine body inspection in witch trials. The discovery of such marks was considered strong medical and scientific evidence of witchcraft and sometimes sealed the victim’s fate.

Here are just a few of the anatomical features that have historically been used to discover someone as a witch:

Are you a lady?

While men were sometimes accused of witchcraft, historical witch hunts overwhelmingly targeted at women – especially women who led an independent lifestyle (e.g. widows and spinsters) or who were open and didn’t conform to social norms. Historians estimate so over 75% of the accused witchcraft in the sixteenth and 17th centuries were women.

Religious teachings at the time reinforced the idea that women were morally weaker and that is why more prone to temptation and sin.

By this standard, if you happen to discover as a lady today, you might be one of roughly 3.95 billion potential “witches.”

How old are you?

Age was one other factor in the witch trials. Older womenespecially those past childbearing age often suspected of witchcraft – especially if she was a widow, owned property or lived alone.

Records suggest that over half of those accused of witchcraft in Scotland between 1563 and 1736 were so over 40 years. At that time, the average life expectancy was approx 32 years old.

Currently, there are roughly 1.4 billion women throughout the world over 40by historical standards, many more could have come under similar suspicion.

Do you may have an additional nipple?

The “witch’s pacifier” was a typical feature that witch hunters used to discover someone as a witch. This extra nipple was believed to be utilized by witches to feed their so-called demonic familiars – it was often imagined to be small animals or pixies. Witch hunters would examine the chest or torso for any abnormalities and classify it as a witch’s nipple.

In fact extra nipples (or polythelia) are mild. They form during early embryonic development and in some people don’t disappear completely.

Another feature sometimes confused with an additional nipple was the clitoris. Historical records suggest that women were sometimes convicted based on the size of this body part. Often mentioned in pamphlets of the time, describing the process of identifying the “witch’s nipple”. little performance situated near a lady’s “foundation” or “private place” – euphemisms for female genitalia.

It is estimated that about 5% of the world’s population has no less than one extra nipple. They appear more often on the left side of the chest and are more common in men. Harry Styles, who spoke openly about ownership 4 nipplesperhaps in the 17th century he would have been much less inclined to share these details about himself.

Do you may have a birthmark?

In the 17th century, any type of mole or skin discoloration might be called a “devil’s mark”. Matthew Hopkins, the infamous “Witchfinder General,” wondered some unusual placea freckle or birthmark is an indication of a pact with the devil. Witch hunters often pricked these marks with pins, believing that the mark of a real devil wouldn’t bleed or cause pain.

About 80% of people today they’re born with some form of birthmark – making it a surprisingly common trait of so-called witches.

Pigmented moles, comparable to moles or cafe au lait spots (flat, light moles), are brought on by clusters of pigment cells that are created during development. Vascular types, comparable to port wine stains (that are flat and red or purple in color), result from deformation of tiny blood vessels near the surface of the skin. Port wine spots appear in only about 0.3% of children – but they do exist it occurs twice as often in girls.

Do you may have moles or moles in your skin?

Where possible, moles and skin tags were also observed traces of the devil. Witch hunters also tested moles by attempting to cut or puncture them. As with moles, in the event that they didn’t bleed, it meant the person was bleeding considered a witch.

Today we all know that moles are only there clusters of pigment cellswhile skin tags are small, harmless growths that form when the skin rubs against itself. However, in the 17th century, these innocent signs spelled disaster.

Do you may have an additional digit?

Polydactyly, or an additional toe or finger, is one other rare but suspicious condition. The extra digit was seen as a supernatural aberration – supposedly increasing the witch’s power “gift” from the devil.

In fact, polydactyly is a harmless genetic mutation – affecting approx one in 500-1000 births. But in the past, this rare trait made those that had it take notice of it witch-hunting associations.

Do you may have red hair?

Red hair, an unusual feature, was considered ominous in some regions – especially Europe. Some theories suggest that red hair is rare and related to a fiery temperament or pagan origins contributed to its stigmatization. The famous Malleus Maleficarum (“The Hammer of Witches”), a treatise on witchcraft from 1468, people warned against redheads as potential witcheslinking them to “tempting powers” and “wild spirits”.

Today, lower than 2% of the world’s population has red hair – although about 6% of people have the genetics of red hair. However, in the 17th century, this unusual feature could have increased suspicions that someone was a witch.

So you might be a witch?

If you did not have any of these traits, you’ll probably be protected from the witch hunters of early modern times. However, if you happen to had a number of of these anatomical features, you could have been suspected.

Fortunately, all the British witchcraft laws were in place repealed in 1951 – which suggests that these common features are actually just anatomical quirks and nothing more.