The Contribution of Knee Support to Overall Health

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The human knee, a complex and unique structure, plays a significant role in our everyday physical activities. This joint carries the body weight while participating in common actions like walking, bending, and jumping. Yet, this joint is susceptible to injuries and diseases, often leading to pain and difficulty in mobility. This is where knee support comes into play, playing a crucial role in alleviating the pressure from the knee joint, providing much-needed relief, and enhancing overall health.

One of the key functions of a knee brace is the provision of stable and uniform pressure across the knee joint. Human knees are subject to various forces during daily activities, making them vulnerable to injuries and chronic pain conditions. By applying steady pressure, braces ensure the even distribution of these forces, therefore, reducing the likelihood of damage and strain. Such pressure also helps in managing swelling or inflammation from an injury or disease by compressing the area and reducing fluid buildup.

Moreover, the role of braces extends to optimal muscle support. When the knee is in motion, be it during a workout session or just a simple activity like walking or climbing stairs, the surrounding muscles are active and exerting force. In such scenarios, the protector acts as a facilitator, ensuring that these muscles function synchronously and optimally. It bridges the gap between the knee’s strength and any functional efforts, making movements smoother and pain-free.

During everyday activities, the knee is in continual use. Here again, the support helps reduce the load on the knee and the working muscles, decreasing the risk of overuse injuries and ensuring that the joint remains functional, flexible, and healthy, proving that the benefit of braces is not limited to those in recovery or those living with chronic knee conditions. Instead, it’s a supportive device with widespread application that can significantly contribute to maintaining and improving knee joint health. Thus, understanding and acknowledging its importance is the first step towards healthier knees and overall well-being.

Understanding how knee supports work and trying them at https://threo.nz/product/knee-support-for-running-walking-and-cycling-2/ can be of great value when implementing preventive measures for knee health.

Knee pain is a common ailment afflicting many individuals worldwide, drastically affecting their quality of life. Frequently, this pain results from various conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis, tendonitis, and swelling due to injury or other underlying health issues. A knee brace can provide significant relief from discomfort as part of the treatment strategy for these conditions.

A scientific study conducted with patients suffering from knee pain showed a marked decrease in pain levels when wearing knee protectors regularly. The reduction was almost immediate, highlighting their crucial role in providing instant pain relief.

The warmth provided by knee braces enhances circulation within the joint. The resulting boost in blood flow aids in the delivery of essential nutrients to the joint, promoting faster muscle recovery after physical activities or injuries. This warming effect is yet another factor contributing to the pain-relieving function of knee support.

A knee brace is beneficial across a broad spectrum of activities that exert stress on the joints. Sports like baseball, basketball, soccer, and even activities like jogging, walking, cycling, or dancing can cause significant joint strain. It can mitigate this stress, preventing injuries and enabling individuals to perform to their fullest potential.

In conclusion, the knee brace isn’t just a medical accessory but a vital tool aiding in comprehensive health enhancement. It systematically performs multiple roles, from providing stable and constant pressure across your knee joints to offering optimal muscle support during workouts and everyday activities. With the incorporation of leading-edge techniques such as high-precision 3D knitted technology, modern protectors ensure a superior fit, thereby magnifying their benefits.

Given the amazing array of benefits, the use of knee support should not be limited only to those with existing knee conditions or athletes. Even individuals involved in regular physical activities can significantly benefit from these. So, if you are looking to boost your overall health, do consider incorporating it into your routine.

The Truth about Oil Diffusers: Do They Really Improve Air Quality?

Autism cures may be closer as focus turns to early treatment

The Truth about Oil Diffusers: Do They Really Improve Air Quality?

Autism cures may be closer as focus turns to early treatment

African governments are collaborating with innovators to strengthen local health supply chains

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Oil diffusers have increasingly become a staple in many homes due to the host of benefits they offer. These little devices utilize essential oils, releasing their properties into the air in a fine mist. They often serve as tools for relaxation, promoting an overall sense of tranquillity. But do they actually improve indoor air quality? This is a question that has stirred much debate. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the truth about air diffusers, unpacking the evidence, understanding the mechanisms at play, and ultimately revealing the role these devices can play in our quest for optimal indoor air quality.

At its core, an oil diffuser’s primary function is to disperse essential oils into the air, filling your indoor space with the soothing natural fragrances of your chosen oils. It uses a combination of heat, vibration, and airflow to break down the essential oil into tiny particles. These particles are then dispersed in a fine mist, ready to be absorbed into your body through the air you breathe. Some diffusers utilize water as a medium to carry oils into the air, while others use cold air or heat.

When it comes to the types available, the market offers an impressive array. For instance, ultrasonic diffusers use ultrasonic waves to break the oil into a fine mist, while nebulizing diffusers use the power of air and vacuum to maintain the oils’ utmost purity and strength.

Not only do these devices add a lovely aroma to your space, but essential oils also come with a myriad of potential health benefits. It can be selected based on your needs, mood, or even the time of day. Some oils are known to alleviate stress, promote sleep, enhance focus, or manage pain. When used carefully, this diffuser could serve as a holistic approach to maintaining your well-being.

Contrary to popular belief, air diffusers do more than infuse the air with a pleasant aroma. Take tea tree oil or eucalyptus oil, for example. These oils possess superb antimicrobial properties. When released into the air through a diffuser, these oils can actively combat airborne germs and significantly reduce indoor air pollutants. Lemon oil, renowned for its mood-enhancing and immune-boosting properties, is another heavyweight in the arena of air purification.

Beyond just health benefits, certain scents have profound impacts on our emotional well-being too. The soothing aroma of Lavender, for instance, is known to aid sleep and relaxation. Similarly, bright citrus or peppermint scents can be energizing and stimulating. Lastly, it’s worth mentioning the more subtle, therapeutic benefits of essential oils. Oils like Bergamot and Ylang Ylang are known to possess antidepressant and anxiolytic effects. When diffused, these oils can drastically ease feelings of stress and anxiety.

Additionally, the increased humidity from the device can be great for alleviating respiratory issues, especially during the dryer months or in air-conditioned rooms. However, the air diffuser needs to be sized correctly for the room it will be in, and proper ventilation is considered to avoid excessive humidity.

A study published in Atmospheric Environment examined “The effects of evaporating essential oils on indoor air quality“. This study was conducted in a controlled environment where oils were diffused in an office space. The varying compositions were taken into account as it found key compounds of oils like limonene, alpha-pinene, and eucalyptol substantially soared after the diffusion. Interestingly, it also revealed that diffusing certain oils could even affect the level of ozone in the room, varying with different environmental parameters.

While the study found positives in the use of diffusers, it discovered that increased concentrations of these chemical compounds could potentially react with indoor air pollutants such as nitrogen oxide leading to the formation of secondary pollutants. Notably, in the absence of proper ventilation, or when diffused for an extended period, secondary pollutants like formaldehyde could be produced. Therefore, the researchers suggested caution and moderation when using diffusers, especially in small, inadequately ventilated spaces.

The use of diffusers can, in some cases, provoke allergic reactions. These reactions can manifest as skin irritations, headaches, or even respiratory issues in some individuals. This could especially be noted when diffusers are used in excess or in a poorly ventilated space.

Proper dilution of oils is another essential requirement when using these devices. Essential oils in their pure form are incredibly potent, and using them undiluted could lead to various health concerns. For instance, if used excessively, lemon oil – treasured for its uplifting effects – can be irritating and lead to headaches or dizziness. Therefore, these oils should be diluted according to the manufacturer’s instructions before being added to the diffuser.

Lastly, consider your family – including children and pets. Some oils can be harmful to little ones, if not outright toxic. Certain oils like eucalyptus, peppermint, and some citrus-based oils can be harmful to children under a certain age. Additionally, household pets can be particularly sensitive to specific essential oils. It is important to research and ensure the safety of the selected one within your household.

Here, we will explore a few practical steps and guidelines to help you boost your air quality with an oil diffuser, without compromising the safety and well-being of your family.

While the debate rages on, it’s fair to conclude that diffusers can contribute positively to indoor air quality, especially when used thoughtfully with the right essential oils. They dispense a beautiful aroma, contribute to reducing stress, and can mildly improve air quality, making them an excellent addition to your home. However, for anyone dealing with severe allergies or respiratory issues, a dedicated air purifier may prove more effective in maintaining a healthier living environment.

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Fresh insights into the genes that cause the neurological disorder could open new routes for the prevention and perhaps even reversal of symptoms.

By VITTORIA D’ALESSIO

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that has been intensely investigated since the mid-20th century. It’s estimated that ASD affects around 1 in 100 children and mainly boys.

Studies suggest that ASD is closely linked to genetics. The basic challenge is untangling the relationships between the many genes involved and the symptoms.

Genes and symptoms

A focus on these links has the potential to enhance understanding of the condition and treatments for it.

For instance, children born with a rare genetic mutation – on a gene called BCKDK – are more likely to develop impairments that, left untreated, would likely result in lifelong autism. Symptoms can include intellectual disability, epilepsy and a condition – microcephaly – where a baby’s head is smaller than expected.

The faulty gene in question disrupts the way the brain can process essential nutrients known as “branched-chain amino acids” and creates the conditions for delayed neurological development.

‘This got us thinking: now we know what causes this neurodevelopmental disorder, can we reverse it once the brain has developed?’ said Gaia Novarino, a neuroscience professor whose team discovered the BCKDK mutation and its link to autism in 2012. ‘Can we go back in time?’

Award winner

Novarino is a high-profile neuroscientist from Italy who has received numerous awards for her work in the field of autism research, including the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

‘I have always been interested in genetic disorders and was struck by the general lack of understanding of paediatric, neurodevelopmental disorders,’ she said. ‘We know too little about these diseases.’

Because autism shapes the developing brain long before birth, many assume it’s irreversible – a lifelong condition that, at best, can be managed with psychological support paired with speech and physical therapy.

Some people prefer to forgo treatment because they don’t believe autism needs to be cured, regarding it as an integral part of personality.

‘Not everyone wants their ASD, or their child’s ASD, to be treated,’ said Novarino. ‘If symptoms aren’t profound, a person can live with the condition with minimal support and they may come to see their autism as an essential part of who they are.’

In any case, more recent research has led scientists to assess whether some forms of ASD may be treatable – either fully or in part.

Mice tests

Novarino’s team, based at the Institute of Science and Technology in Austria near Vienna, turned to mice for answers under a five-year European research project called REVERSEAUTISM that ended in September 2022.

Backed by EU funding, the researchers genetically engineered mice to be unable to process essential amino acids correctly, similarly to children with the BCKDK genetic mutation.

Amino acids are protein building blocks needed for vital reactions within and between nerve cells. The body can’t make amino acids itself and instead must find them from foods such as meat, fish, grains and nuts.

The team found that rodents with the mutation developed both motor and social difficulties after birth.

‘These mice have behavioural issues,’ said Novarino. ‘They also move in a strange way, with coordination problems.’

REVERSEAUTISM then took this research one step further to see whether, by injecting the missing amino acids directly into the brains of affected mice, their autism-like symptoms could be reversed.

‘The answer was yes,’ said Novarino. ‘Not all symptoms disappeared, but there was considerable improvement in both social behaviour and coordination in mice that received injections. In other words, some signs of the disorder were reversed.’

Study of 21 infants

REVERSEAUTISM’s findings so intrigued Dr Angeles García-Cazorla of Spain that she decided to study whether children with a BCKDK deficiency showed symptom improvements after taking the missing amino acids as a food supplement in conjunction with a high-protein diet.

García-Cazorla is head of Metabolic Diseases Unit at the Hospital Sant Joan de Déu in Barcelona. The missing amino acids are leucine, valine and isoleucine.

The study was based on 21 patients, aged between eight months and 16 months, recruited from centres around the world. The results were very promising.

‘In general, all patients improved, in particular regarding the growth of their head, which means there was a proliferation of neurons,’ said García-Cazorla. ‘They also showed improved motor function. Infants who weren’t able to walk could now walk and infants who couldn’t speak developed some basic language.’

Sooner the better

The earlier treatment was begun, the better the outcomes were.

‘In the three children who started supplementation before the age of two, the evolution was much better and the child who started at eight months did best – she had normal brain development, with no signs of autism, by the age of three,’ said García-Cazorla.

The study was carried out under an EU-initiated health alliance called the European Reference Network for Rare Hereditary Metabolic Disorders (MetabERN), which is led by patients and experts.

If future studies involving a larger cohort of BCKDK-deficient infants validate the results of the MetabERN investigation, García-Cazorla and Novarino hope national health policies will be changed to require all babies to be tested for BCKDK deficiency at birth.

This would form part of the newborn “heel prick” test, which checks up to 25 rare but serious health conditions.

‘One of the challenges in the field of autism is that diagnosis is usually done quite late – rarely before the age of three or four – and at that point it becomes hard to treat,’ said Novarino. ‘Our work shows that starting supplementation early can make a real difference to people’s lives.’

She and her team are pursuing this line of research in a European project called SecretAutism that began in December 2022 and will run through November 2027. They received EU funding to grow brain tissue in the laboratory using human stem cells.

By studying these “organoids”, the researchers hope to gain further insights into what exactly the many different genes associated with autism are doing in the body, the stages at which problems develop and how to interrupt the process.

‘We’re approaching this from many angles, trying to understand how else we can treat patients with ASD,’ said Novarino. ‘It’s very complex research, but that won’t put us off.’

Research in this article was funded by the EU via the European Research Council (ERC). This article was originally published in Horizon, the EU Research and Innovation Magazine.

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Last year, global healthcare consulting firm Salient Advisory surveyed more than 80 companies across four African countries for a report emphasizing the growth of startups digitizing the continent’s health supply chain and distribution and regulatory frameworks governing e-pharmacy activities, TechCrunch’ Tage Kene-Okafor writes.

This time, the firm went deeper into Africa’s health supply chain segment, broadening the scope of its research and making some tweaks. For one, it searched for startups across 54 countries (compared to four from last year) and included companies with verticalized health supply chain offerings.

Tracking nearly 350 innovators across 27 countries, Salient Advisory’s 2023 report establishes that public health supply chains across the continent are embattled and overburned, leaving most Africans with little choice but to source products from private health innovators. The issue, however, is that private health supply is fragmented from manufacturing to distribution, ultimately impacting price, availability and quality (fake and substandard products are more available in open drug markets in Africa than global standard medicine, for instance.) As such, Salient Advisory’s report, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, looks to track innovators leveraging technology to digitize supply chain processes and solve these problems.

“One thing to consider that has happened since the pandemic in Nigeria, and globally to an extent, is several shortages we noticed in supplies like the personal protective equipment (PPE). Those problems existed because of gaps in health supply chains,” Yomi Kazeem, senior consultant for West Africa at Salient Advisory, said on a call with TechCrunch. “And so in light of that, it’s important to take a look at how health startups are using technology to try and improve supply chains on the continent to ensure that individuals in urban areas or in rural communities have better and safer access to health products.”

Salient Advisory findings also show how African governments (about 11 from the research) are working with health supply chain innovators on nearly 50 partnerships, leveraging their tech-enabled solutions to resolve long-term challenges around the availability, accessibility and quality of health products in public health supply chains. Roughly half of the identified partnerships focus on enabling governments to digitize ordering and inventory management to improve efficiency and minimize wastage, highlighting governments’ strong interest in adopting digital order and inventory management solutions.

In an interview with TechCrunch, Kazeem dissects Salient’s findings, touching on the importance of innovators working in partnerships with governments, loopholes that need to be filled despite the commendable efforts, disparities in funding across health supply chain innovation ecosystems and an update on the Investing in Innovation (I3) initiative geared toward female-led startups.

TechCrunch: Salient’s report from last year strictly contained innovators in the private health supply chain segment. But this year’s report includes B2B e-commerce platforms like Copia Global. Why’s that?

Yomi Kazeem: Primarily, the way to think about this is to think about the segments of companies, and the way to categorize them is in what they offer. Despite being an e-commerce company, Copia Global, for instance, was included because over-the-top medication is one of the products it offers in Kenya, where it operates.

Since we’re looking to track startups and innovators that use technology to improve access to medicines, large e-commerce operators, not just Copia, but others like Glovo, Jumia and Konga, also feature. Although health products are not the only thing they distribute and are probably one of their smaller verticals, it’s essential to highlight them because these are significant channels and platforms that could be pivotal to ensure greater and broader access.

What other new categories were introduced in this research?

When you’re thinking about supply chains, you have to think broadly. It’s not just about who’s running an online pharmacy allowing individuals to order products. It includes platforms enabling pharmacies, clinics and hospitals to order products directly from a manufacturer or distributor and getting those products delivered to them, providing retailers with financing and credit solutions. It includes those offering solutions around transport, warehousing and reverse logistics because those are also key supply chain processes and that’s where drone delivery operators like Zipline, which works with governments to deliver essential medical supplies to public health facilities, come in.

The selection also goes beyond this to include other solutions, like those ensuring product protection and visibility, which solves the massive problem of fake and substandard medicines. You have companies like Chekkit building solutions around that. Another interesting subset that we saw, even though there aren’t a lot of these types of companies out there, are those that are involved in supply chain data analytics, trying to figure out what products are being consumed and also helping government agencies in charge of distributing medicines to better plan their demand and understand consumption trends.

Doesn’t the funding raised by these larger companies like Zipline and Glovo skew the numbers reported in the research?

It does. Large U.S. and Europe e-commerce companies and medical drone delivery operators accounted for about 77% of the money raised by the innovators in our research. Although they skew the data a bit because their operations are not just health, it’s something we were super clear and upfront about in the study.

Aside from the intricacies of introducing new innovators to the research, what other exciting trends are worth highlighting from the report?

The more exciting bits lie in core health supply chain startups that are building solutions being adopted by the governments. It’s a huge thing to see in these ecosystems where government agencies or governments, either at national or sub-national levels, are leveraging these solutions to improve public health supply chains. There are several examples of this in Kenya, where Maisha Meds, an inventory management and digital marketplace startup, has partnered with as many as three different county governments in the country, and those county governments are using their inventory management solution in public health facilities.

In terms of real-life impact, for example, by using that technology solution, the public health facilities can manage their stock better or minimize waste because they now have a clever sense of what products are available or when the following stock-up is likely to happen. Without such a tool to give them all that information upfront, they might have many expired products in their inventory without being fully aware of it. So that’s just an example of how these solutions solve real problems for governments. Across the service categories, solutions provided by the order and inventory management category are the most adopted by governments across the continent.

Now, we identified nearly 50 partnerships where governments have or are working with innovators, basically using their solutions to improve the public health and supply chain. This is incredible because one key thing to note is that in the context of health across Africa, if these companies are going to achieve scale, working with large public purchasers is essential to that journey. And so if governments are ordering services from these startups, that’s a pathway to scale. Beyond scale, the benefit to the government or the people is that the benefits of using that technology solution will translate into public health impact.

The report states that these partnerships require support. Is this support from the government or a third party? What’s the context behind this?

Speaking with government officials and startups, the reality of executing partnerships can be challenging, especially regarding funding. For example, a state government asked a startup to source a particular type of product; the order size was worth about $250,000. The startup couldn’t access the credit finance required to fulfill that order because the government would not pay upfront. And so what ended up happening was that the state government had to reduce the size of that order by up to 80%. And in doing that, it cut off essential products, including surgical supplies and consumables.

With that context in mind, our recommendation here is a role for donors and global health agencies to play in designing trade financing solutions and mechanisms and providing that directly to innovators working with large businesses and governments. Those early-stage innovators can access the financing required to fulfill large orders and prove their service’s validity or use case, and can then build the long-term possibility of working together with the government at a level where there’s a better rapport and flow in terms of providing the service and getting paid.

The other thing to point out regarding our recommendations for global health actors is also in continuing to understand the role of grants. So, one of the things we uncovered in the research is that if you look at the funding section, equity is the most common source of funding. But when you disaggregate for companies founded by men and women, you realize that equity is not as equally available to women as it is to men. We have a reality where startups founded by women rely heavily on grants and debt compared to those founded by men. To put this in perspective, of all the money that startups founded by men have raised, 96% is equity, 3% grants and 1% debt. For women, it’s 50% equity, 35% grants and 15% debt.

We spoke with women founders and stakeholders and included an agenda-focused case study in the report where we explored some of the systemic reasons driving the barriers women founders in health supply chain ecosystems face. A few reasons jumped out, like unequal access to funding, embedded gender bias in selection committees and women-led businesses being perceived as riskier when investing compared to men, even though they’re operating businesses at similar levels.

Fundamentally, grants are still critical in terms of creating more equitable innovation ecosystems because, ultimately, there’s an important role to play for companies that women found.

That’s one of the reasons why the $7 million pan-African health tech initiative Investing in Innovation (I3) was launched last year, right? What’s been the progress on that front?

The first year just wrapped up and 31 different startups were selected and got grants. We are now rolling into the second year, where another 30 companies across Africa will also get selected. The initiative reinforces our point because when you look at the funding sources for these innovators, the Investing Innovation Program, launched just last year, is at the top of that list. It’s the most common source of funding for health supply chains on the continent because they participated in 31 deals, essentially providing grants.

And then, of course, the other grant programs like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (investing directly) and a few equity folks, also stand out. Plug and Play Ventures and Launch Africa are at the top of the list in terms of sources of equity funding. But it highlights the role that grants play and the program itself is designed to place an emphasis first on African founders but also, of course, pay particular attention to startups that women found. In the first cohort, about 48% of the companies selected were founded by women founders and I believe that that same intentional thinking is in place for this year; perhaps it might be taken to an increased and higher level.

What lessons about early-stage startups and partnerships with the government does the research drive home?

Companies that are nascent and early typically focus on serving consumers, but as they grow and achieve more maturity, they have a bit more bandwidth to be flexible. And we see greater diversity in who they serve as they mature, which is why we see many partnerships with government. The I3 program is also striving to introduce startups to governments and, in some cases, to other industry stakeholders, including manufacturers. All of that is important to ensure that the startups can go from where they are early or early at the growth stage to establishing themselves and businesses.

The benefit goes both ways, especially working with governments. One thing we’ve often wondered about or looked at is the government’s disposition to innovation. It’s often perceived as adversarial. That’s the thinking. But here, we see governments by themselves seeking solutions and adopting them.

The general feedback when we engage with government actors was that there’s a lot of interest in how governments view partnerships. It’s still early days. And so the hope and expectation is that over the coming months and years, we’ll see many more partnerships. One thing that’s important to emphasize, in addition to scaling startups, is the real-life benefit and impact of governments using technology in public health systems to ensure safer access to quality medicines. That translates to better positive health outcomes for individuals and jobs, which is fantastic in this ecosystem.

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