Kawasaki Medical School

Patients with a specific form of chronic indigestion react differently to images of food, compared to healthy control subjects or patients with irritable bowel syndrome OKAYAMA, Japan, Sept. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Patients with a type of chronic indigestion called functional dyspepsia experience abdominal discomfort without having obvious physiological or biochemical causes. The condition shares similarities with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Researchers at the Kawasaki Medical School in Japan have used brain signals gathered from the surface of the head to suggest that patients with functional dyspepsia experience mental distress simply by watching images of food they dislike. Continue Reading Monitoring participants’ brain activity while viewing food images. Patients with functional dyspepsia experience mental stress watching images of food. Image credit: Ryo Katsumata Patients with functional dyspepsia showed lower scores for food images but had similar scores for animal images, compared to healthy patients. Functional dyspepsia and IBS are examples of disorders of gut–brain interaction (DGBI), which can have a long-term negative impact on patients' social and mental health, leading to decreased quality of life and reduced productivity at work. Each condition affects between 2% and 3% of the population of Japan. "Our research reveals that the patients' suffering in functional dyspepsia is real, despite other people often having a lack of empathy for this condition, as there is no evidence of what could be causing their problem," says clinical researcher Ryo Katsumata of the Kawasaki Medical School team. Patients' preferences for food were analyzed, revealing significantly reduced preference for fatty foods in the group with functional dyspepsia. Participants' brain activity while viewing food images was then detected using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). This uses an array of scalp-mounted detectors to assess brain activity by monitoring the levels of oxygen-carrying hemoglobin in the outer layer of the brain called the cerebral cortex. Increased oxygen delivery by hemoglobin is presumed to reflect increased brain activity in the regions involved. The study compared the brain activity of patients with functional dyspepsia or IBS with the activity of healthy control subjects. When presented with images of a variety of foods, patients with functional dyspepsia had significantly higher brain activity in the left anterior part of the cortex than those with IBS or healthy controls. No significant difference was detected between the response of patients with IBS and the healthy control subjects, leading the researchers to draw conclusions only about functional dyspepsia. The researchers interpret their results as evidence of a strong reaction of mental stress in the patients with functional dyspepsia when viewing any type of food, but especially foods they dislike. It certainly provides convincing evidence of different reactions to viewing food images in their brains. The researchers conclude that this supports the reality of patients' symptoms and contradicts alternative views that can lead to lack of empathy for patient suffering. "We now hope to advance this research by using artificial intelligence to construct an fNIRS process that can support the diagnosis of functional dyspepsia," says Katsumata. "We also hope to investigate IBS further." For more information, contact: Associate Professor Ryo Katsumata Email: [email protected] Kawasaki Medical School Website: Reference: Katsumata, R., Hosokawa, T., Manabe, N. et al. Brain activity in response to food images in patients with irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia. J Gastroenterol (2023). Photo 1: Photo 2: SOURCE Kawasaki Medical School

Simple at-home device to increase sensitivity in breast self examsEarly detection of breast cancer saves livesBreast Cancer accounts for 1 in 3 new cases of cancer in women annually IRVINE, Calif., July 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Biomerica, Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRA) (the “Company”) today announced that under a General Merchandise Supplier Agreement with Walmart, the Company’s Aware® Breast Self Exam device will now be sold in Walmart’s retail system. Biomerica has now shipped its first orders of the Aware® product to Walmart, and Walmart will initially begin selling the product through its online sales channel in the USA (https://www.walmart.com/ip/seort/395477102). Biomerica is also in the final phase of working with Walmart to stock and sell the Aware® product in Walmart stores in the U.S. Additionally, the Company is in negotiations with other partners for distribution of the Aware® Breast Self Exam product in markets outside of the U.S. Breast Cancer is the most common cancer among women. Unfortunately, every woman is potentially at risk, as over 70% of women diagnosed have no family history of breast cancer. Currently, there is no way to prevent breast cancer, so detecting the disease early is key to effective treatment. Early detection significantly improves the chances that breast cancer can diagnosed and treated successfully. Survival rates are as high as 99% when the cancer is found early and is still localized in the breast. However, if the cancer has spread to the regional lymph nodes, the 5-year survival rate is 86%. [1,2] About 80% of breast cancers are detected because women themselves notice changes in their breasts, highlighting the important role that each woman can play in her own health. However, a Breast Self Examination (BSE) is not a replacement for regular medical visits and periodic ultrasound or mammography. All three steps are important to finding breast cancer early. The relevance of early detection cannot be overemphasized. The Biomerica FDA cleared Aware® Breast Self Exam device is a revolutionary way for women to enhance tactile sensitivity to changes or irregularities in breast tissue, making breast self-exams easy and convenient. The Aware® device can facilitate an effective self-exam and can serve as a reminder to perform a breast self-exam every month. In a study performed by Kawasaki Medical University Hospital using the Aware® device, the study concluded that the Aware® device was “a highly effective instrument for the early detection of breast changes.” The study included 832 patients with breast cancer, fibroma, mastitis and non-tumorous conditions. [3] Zack Irani, Chief Executive Officer of Biomerica, commented, “Successful treatment of breast cancer is significantly enhanced by early detection. Our unique product provides a tool to assist women in potentially detecting breast abnormalities early. As one of the largest retail corporations in the world, Walmart provides unmatched visibility and distribution for this potentially life-saving product. We look forward to supporting Walmart in the product roll-out, ensuring that as many women as possible have access to this product.” For further information about the Aware® Breast Self Exam Product, please visit https://AwareBSE.com About Biomerica (NASDAQ: BMRA) Biomerica, Inc. (www.biomerica.com) is a global biomedical technology company that develops, patents, manufactures and markets advanced diagnostic and therapeutic products used at the point of care (in home and in physicians’ offices) and in hospital/clinical laboratories for detection and/or treatment of medical conditions and diseases. The Company’s products are designed to enhance the health and well-being of people, while reducing total healthcare costs. Biomerica’s primarily focus is on gastrointestinal and inflammatory diseases where the Company has multiple diagnostic and therapeutic products in development. https://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/guide/breast-cancer-survival-rates. Accessed 08 July 2022https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/breast-cancer/statistics. Accessed 08 July 2022Sonoo H, Sai T, Maesaki S (1992) Breast self-examination (in Japanese). Geka (Surgery) 54:574–581. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements. Certain information included in this press release (as well as information included in oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by Biomerica) contains statements that are forward-looking, such as statements relating to the efficacy of the Company’s Aware® Breast Self Exam device and other tests, FDA clearance of the Company’s products, possible online and/or in-store offering and sale of the Aware® Breast Self Exam device at Walmart and other potential distributors and retailers, the rapidity of testing results, negotiations with international distribution partners, uniqueness of the Company’s products, test result accuracy of products, pricing of the Company’s test kits, demand for domestic or international orders, potential revenues from the sale of current or future products, availability of the Company’s Aware® Breast Self Exam device and other test kits, and patent protection on any of the Company’s products or technologies. Such forward-looking information involves important risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect anticipated results in the future, including, without limitation: results of studies testing the efficacy of the Company’s tests and other products; regulatory approvals necessary prior to commercialization any of the Company’s products; availability of the Company’s test kits and other products; capacity, resource and other constraints on our suppliers; dependence on our third party manufacturers; dependence on international shipping carriers; governmental import/export regulations; demand for our various tests and other products; competition from other similar products and from competitors that have significantly more financial and other resources available to them; governmental virus control regulations that make it difficult or impossible for the company to maintain current operations; the Company’s ability to comply with current and future regulations in the countries where our products are made and sold and the Company’s ability to obtain patent protection on any aspects of its rapid test technologies. Accordingly, such results may differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of Biomerica. Additionally, potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, fluctuations in the Company's operating results due to its business model and expansion plans, downturns in international and or national economies, the Company's ability to raise additional capital, the competitive environment in which the Company will be competing, and the Company's dependence on strategic relationships. The Company is under no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date of this release. Corporate Contact: John Nesbett /Jennifer BelodeauIMS Investor Relations203.972.9200biomerica@imsinvestorrelations.com Source: Biomerica, Inc.