Google phone cameras will read heart, breathing rates with AI help

Cameras on Google Pixel smartphones will be able to measure heart and breathing rates starting next month, in one of the first applications of Alphabet Inc's artificial intelligence technology to its wellness services.

Health programs available on Google Play's store and Apple Inc's App Store for years have provided the same functionality. But a study in 2017 found accuracy varied and adoption of the apps remains low.

Google Health leaders told reporters earlier this week they had advanced the AI powering the measurements and plan to detail its method and clinical trial in an academic paper in the coming weeks. The company expects to roll out the feature to other Android smartphones at an unspecified time, it said in a blog post on Thursday, but plans for iPhones are unclear.

Apple's Watch, Google's Fitbit and other wearables have greatly expanded the reach of continuous heart rate sensing technologies to a much larger population.

The smartphone camera approach is more ad hoc - users who want to take a pulse place their finger over the lens, which catches subtle color changes that correspond to blood flow. Respiration is calculated from video of upper torso movements.

Google Health product manager Jack Po said that the company wanted to give an alternative to manual pulse checks for smartphone owners who only want to monitor their condition occasionally but cannot afford a wearable.

Po said the technology, which can mistake heart rates by about 2 percent, requires further testing before it could be used in medical settings.

The new feature will be available as an update to the Google Fit app.

Google consolidated its health services about two years ago, aiming to better compete with Apple, Samsung Electronics Co and other mobile technology companies that have invested heavily in marketing wellness offerings.

-reuters-

A heart for frontliners

The exterior of a hotel in Jakarta shows rooms illuminated to form a heart, a way of thanking and supporting people tackling the spread of COVID-19, especially the country’s medical workers, Friday. The country so far has 5,923 recorded cases of the virus, making it the country with the highest number of infections in Southeast Asia. 

-reuters-

How much chocolate is good for you? New study finds out

New research has added to tentative evidence that eating chocolate in modest quantities may be good for the heart, its investigators said on Tuesday.

Scientists in Britain looked at data from nearly 21,000 people who filled out questionnaires about their lifestyle, and had their health monitored for more than 11 years.

Their average daily consumption was seven grams (0.25 ounces) of chocolate, ranging from none to 100g.

The top fifth of chocolate-eaters were 12 percent less likely to develop heart disease and 23 percent less likely to suffer a stroke compared to the bottom fifth of consumers, the researchers found.

The study, published in the British journal Heart, noted that most consumers of the confectionary ate milk chocolate, not dark chocolate which famously has a higher percentage of protective molecules called flavonoids.

"This may indicate that not only flavonoids, but also other compounds, possibly related to milk constituents, such as calcium and fatty acids, may provide an explanation for the observed association," it said.

The team, headed by Phyo Myint of the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, admitted the probe had limitations.

The study was observational, meaning it could not show cause and effect, merely an association which may be circumstantial.

Another question mark was to be found in "reverse causation": participants who knew they had cardiovascular problems may have followed a healthier diet and eaten less chocolate.

The team also did a review of other published studies, covering more than 130,000 people in total, and said they had found a similarly beneficial association with regular chocolate consumption.

"Cumulative evidence suggests that higher chocolate intake is associated with a lower risk of future cardiovascular events," it said.

"There does not appear to be any evidence to say that chocolate should be avoided in those who are concerned about cardiovascular risk."

A couple of squares of chocolate are around 16g, and an average bar of chocolate about 50g.

Commentators not involved in the research were cautious, noting too much chocolate can lead to weight gain, which is bad for the heart.

"You can't draw a medical conclusion from this study," said Arnaud Cocaul, a nutritionist at the Pitie Salpetriere Hospital in Paris.

"People who refrain from eating chocolate are not necessarily those who eat the most balanced diet."

Added Tim Chico, a cardiologist at the University of Sheffield in northern England: "I would not advise my patients to increase their chocolate intake based on this research, particularly if they are overweight," in remarks to Britain's Science Media Centre (SMC).

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Valentine-themed spam to rise four-fold this year – McAfee

MANILA, Phiippines — Internet users smitten by the love bug this Valentine’s Day need to be wary about being carried away by their emotions as security software firm McAfee warns that cyber criminals could be on the prowl on hearts–and eventually, pockets–this season of love.

According to a recent threat bulletin from McAfee, the amount of Valentine-themed spam messages is expected to “quadruple globally, as we approach the holiday, based on previous years of spam volumes.”

“This means that the bad guys are trying to take advantage of our open hearts with romance-related scams designed to trick you out of your information and money, or get you to click on dangerous links,” McAfee said.

These suspicious messages could come in the form of unsolicited mail advertising Valentine gifts; Valentine e-cards; online dating scams; romance-related malware; and phishing sites found on search engines, the antivirus provider said.

“One of the reasons we’re seeing an influx in this kind of spam is because scammers are using a technique called ‘snowshoe spamming’ in which they spread spam across multiple Internet addresses to evade spam filters,” it cautioned.

Should users receive any of the messages stated above, McAfee said they should be judicious enough to verify the source of the message, as in the case of e-cards.

“If you click on a link in a phony e-card, you could wind up accidentally downloading malware onto your device,” it pointed out.

The company also warned users who are looking for potential gifts to give to their loved ones through search engines to be extra vigilant, since scammers are always on the prowl and could trick users into giving up their credit card information.

“You may, for instance, come across a dangerous website while doing a search for ‘Valentine’s Day jewelry’,” it said. “Attracted by the site’s low prices, you may enter your credit card number and personal information and then get sweet nothings in return.”

But cyber criminals could also come in the form of an unsuspecting potential flame found on one of the myriad of online dating sites, McAfee said, pretending to be a sweet talker seemingly interested in forging romantic involvements online.

For these types of crooks, McAfee reiterates an age-old advice to “be suspicious of anyone who claims to fall in love too fast,” because they may actually be after your wallet, if not out to break your heart.

“Do an online search on any potential suitor to see if what they’ve said about themselves is true. Cross-reference the information you have against sites like LinkedIn or Spoke,” it added.

source: interaksyon.com

Amazing Health Benefits Of Eggs

MANILA, Philippines — For many decades now, physicians, food experts, nutritionists, heart/health associations have been divided in their opinions as to whether eggs are healthy or unhealthy foods. Because of this, many people avoid eating eggs – just to be on the safe side. Today, this is no longer the situation. Today, the amazing health benefits of eggs are now claimed, acclaimed and publicized.

Ever since I was a child, I have always believed the egg is one of God’s perfect foods to man. Why? Because I see my father eating four (4) cooked eggs (hard-boiled or sunny side up) as part of his breakfast every morning. My father died at the age of 95.

Let me share some amazing information on the nutritive and health benefits of eggs taken from Internet generated reports, books and other publications:

• Do you know that there are two (2) kinds of cholesterol, dietary (found in food) and blood (found in our bloodstream; also known as serum cholesterol). Do you also know that it is a misconception that dietary cholesterol becomes blood cholesterol as soon as we ingest an egg. Actually, our bodies manufacture the majority of our blood cholesterol;

• Do you know that studies have shown that it’s the saturated fat-rich foods that usually accompany eggs (like cheese bacon, sausage) and how eggs are often prepared (like frying in plenty of butter or salty ingredients) that are the culprits in raising the blood cholesterol and the risk of heart disease – and not eating eggs per se.

• Do you know that eggs are super beneficial for the eyes. More particularly, eating eggs lower the risk of developing cataracts and prevent age-related muscular degeneration… because of the vision-protective carotenoid content of the eggs specifically lutein and zeaxanthin. Eggs contain bigger amounts of carotenoid than green vegetables;

• Do you know that eggs promote healthy hair, nails, and skin because of the rich sulphur content of eggs as well as the vitamin and mineral content of eggs;

• Do you know that one egg contains all the nine (9) essential amino acids and six (6) grams of high quality protein. Do you also know that eggs are one of the best dietary sources of naturally occurring vitamin D other than milk. Finally, eggs contain folate which help prevent birth defects and cardiovascular disease;

• Do you know that there is no significant link between heart disease and eating eggs. This is the result of a study by the Harvard School of Public Health. In another study, eating eggs may in fact help prevent blood clots, stroke and heart attacks;

• Do you know that an egg yolk contains about 300 micrograms of choline, an important nutrient that aids in regulating the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system;

• Do you know that storing eggs in the refrigerator will keep them fresh for about one (1) month. It is best to keep eggs in their original carton or in a covered container so that the eggs will not absorb odors or lose any moisture. Eggs should not be stored in the refrigerator door since this exposes the eggs to too much heat every time the refrigerator is opened and closed.

• Eggs are one of the food types belonging to the major allergens as follows: (1) wheat; (2) cow’s milk; (3) hen’s eggs; 4) fish; (5) crustacean shellfish (including shrimp, prawns, lobster and crab); (6) tree nuts (including cashews, almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts and chestnuts); (7) peanuts; and (8) soy foods.

Food allergy symptoms vary from one person to another and may include skin rashes, hives, itching, and eczema; swelling of lips, tongue, or throat; tingling in the mouth; wheezing or nasal congestion; trouble breathing; and dizziness or lightheadedness and can also include fatigue, depression, chronic headache, chronic bowel problems (such as diarrhea or constipation), and insomnia.

• Do you know that eggs also protect us from cancer, especially breast cancer.

Today, thanks to continuous researches on the health benefits of eggs – we should not feel guilty anymore eating eggs. We should not give up eating eggs. Instead, we should enjoy it. Yes, the so-called cholesterol scare has been rebutted by many studies, reports and researches showing that eating eggs is healthy.

Have a joyful day!

source: mb.com.ph