Latest news with #adolescent
The Guardian
3 days ago
- The Guardian
‘Let's get your story straight' – the words that made my mum an ally, and a human
When my parents told me they were splitting up, I was 15 and furious. It was an abstract, all-consuming kind of anger, alien to the hitherto conscientious, happy kid I had been. With the upset turbocharged by adolescent angst, I resolved to behave as badly as I could: if they were going to tear my life apart, well, I'd muck in. In hindsight, my rebellions were pretty gentle – probably testament to how safe and stable things remained, even if I felt adrift. Nonetheless, I bravely cycled through teen cliches, beginning by escalating my casual smoking to the compulsive level of someone who had been promised a reward for every dog-end. That'll show 'em! Alcohol, too, felt like sparkly mischief – I did my best to down some whenever the opportunity presented itself, staying out late and generally being as difficult to interact with as possible. But with my cosmopolitan parents barely batting an eyelid between them, I knew I needed to up the stakes – and as soon as it occurred to me, shoplifting seemed the perfect balm for my flailing little soul. Breaking age restrictions (booze, fags) was one thing, but the actual law? How glamorous! And now I came to think of it, there were plenty of trinkets I coveted. Call them cosmic recompense for the turbulence I'd endured – I did. I don't remember the first thing I stole, but I do remember the thrill of walking successfully around the block with it still on me – no one had stopped me, and now it was mine. Could it really be so easy? For a while, it was – until my proficiency was roundly undermined. When I arrived home from school one afternoon (pockets probably clinking with tat nicked from the high street), my mum was waiting for me. 'I had a call today, from a police officer,' she said, as my blood ran cold. 'He wants to come round this evening – apparently you walked out of Boots with some lipstick?' Oh God, of course I had: straight after picking up a prescription, thereby handing over my name, address and – evidently – home phone number in the process. D'oh. A therapist might say this was the moment I had been waiting for – that I'd been acting out, subconsciously desperate to be caught – but in the moment, I was terrified. For all my swagger, I was still a kid, and this was the worst thing I'd ever done. I braced for my mother's commensurate fury. What she actually said would define our relationship for years to come: 'We've still got half an hour before he gets here, so let's get your story straight. Did you put it in your pocket? Could you say you forgot you had it on you?' With all my stupid, rebellious chickens coming home to roost, feeling more out of control than I ever had, it was the kindest thing anyone could have said to me. Certainly, I didn't deserve it – my mum would have had every right to blow up, but she knew I needed an ally rather than an adversary at that moment. Very soon, I found out how. After we'd dealt with the police officer – tears, promises never to do it again (honest, officer!), let off with a warning – my mum told me about her own light-fingered era, embarked on at a similar age during her parents' divorce. She laughed bleakly, telling me how she and her friends would egg each other on, stealing bigger and bigger things that they had to wear or carry out of a shop rather than hide up their sleeves. Notice me! Catch me! Parent me! No one did. Not her, at least. Looking back, I see she took a risk in sharing her story – I could easily have taken it as tacit permission to carry on, especially considering what a brat I was becoming. But somehow, imagining my mum as a reckless teenager clarified my understanding of myself: the older I get, the more I realise how wise (and generous) she was to invite me to do so, soliciting sympathy for errant teenage girls across generations. I never did shoplift again, but this isn't a story about learning the consequences of my actions or anything so dull. Rather, I wanted to be seen, and got more than I bargained for. Everyone has a moment when they realise their parents are just people who had children, instead of two-dimensional archetypes. While that revelation can be painful, I count myself very lucky that mine about my mother was offered with measured kindness, held up like a mirror when I needed it most. Emily Watkins is a freelance writer based in London
The Star
23-06-2025
- Health
- The Star
Too good to be true ADHD videos on TikTok are often misleading, US study finds.
On TikTok, misinformation about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be tricky to spot, according to a new study, published this month in the scientic journal PLOS One (published by Public Library of Science, based in California, the United States), found that fewer than 50% of the claims made in some of the most popular ADHD videos on TikTok offered information that matched diagnostic criteria or professional treatment recommendations for the disorder. And, the researchers found, even study participants who had already been diagnosed with ADHD had trouble discerning which information was most reliable. About half of the TikTok creators included in the study were using the platform to sell products, such as fidget spinners, or services like coaching. None of them were licensed mental health professionals. The lack of nuance is concerning, said Vasileia Karasavva, a doctoral student in clinical psychology at Canada's University of British Columbia in Vancouver and the lead author of the study. If TikTok creators talk about difficulty concentrating, she added, they don't typically mention that the symptom is not specific to ADHD or that it could also be a manifestation of a different mental disorder, like depression or anxiety. Just because a video or post goes viral doesn't mean it is accurate. "The last thing we want to do is discourage people from expressing how they're feeling, what they're experiencing and finding community online," Karasavva said. "At the same time, it might be that you self-diagnose with something that doesn't apply to you, and then you don't get the help that you actually need." Karasavva's results echo those of a 2022 study that also analysed 100 popular TikTok videos about ADHD and found that half of them were misleading. "The data are alarming," said Stephen P. Hinshaw, a professor of psychology and an expert in ADHD at the University of California, Berkeley, who was not involved in either study. The themes of the videos might easily resonate with viewers, he added, but "accurate diagnosis takes access, time and money." In Karasavva's study, the researchers began by selecting the 100 most viewed videos on a single day in January 2023 and asked two licensed clinical psychologists to review each video. The psychologists were called to assess whether the videos accurately captured the symptoms of adult or adolescent ADHD that are characterised in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is used by medical professionals in the US to diagnose and classify mental health conditions. If a video's claim didn't match up with the manual, the psychologists then established whether the symptoms in the video better reflected a different type of disorder or something that anyone, including those without ADHD, might experience. Finally, they rated on a scale of one to five whether they would recommend the video to help educate other people about ADHD. One limitation of the study was that it did not rely on a large panel of experts to evaluate the videos. The researchers then asked more than 840 undergraduate students to rate the videos using the same scale used by the psychologists. The study participants who were the most frequent consumers of ADHD-related TikTok content were more likely than the other participants to recommend the top five most reputable videos. But they were also more likely to recommend the bottom five videos. And that was true regardless of whether they had been diagnosed with ADHD or not. Karasavva said this could be because the TikTok algorithm serves videos that are similar to those a person has already watched - and as we come across the same information again and again, it's tempting to think that "all these people can't be wrong." "In the end, you might come to believe things that don't really match up with the science," she said. Notably, the students in the study also vastly overestimated how many people actually had ADHD. In an email, TikTok said that it strongly encourages people to seek professional medical advice if they are in need of support and that the platform directs users to reliable resources when they search for ADHD-related content. The information on TikTok "doesn't always tell you the full story, and it can also lead the loudest voices to be overrepresented,' said Margaret Sibley, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle who was not involved in the study. "People might not be discerning about what aspect of their experience is ADHD versus something else." - ©2025 The New York Times
The Hindu
29-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Nutrition bars to be given to adolescent girls to address anaemia
The Telangana government, on Thursday, launched a scheme to provide nutrition bars, made of peanuts and millets, to address anaemia among adolescent girls (14-18 years). Each bar consists of 600 calories, 18-20 grams of protein and necessary micronutrients. Anaemia can result in weakness, diminished physical and mental capacity, maternal mortality, increased morbidity from infectious diseases, perinatal mortality, premature delivery, low birth weight, and (in children) impaired cognitive performance, motor development, and scholastic achievement, according to National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 report. Women and Child Welfare Minister Danasari Anasuya launched the scheme titled Indiramma Amrutham on a pilot project basis, which would be implemented in Kumram Bheem Asifabad, Bhadradri Kothagudem and Jayashankar Bhupalapally districts, where there are more cases of anaemia. The scheme was designed in consultation with the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN). It would benefit 50,269 girls: 23,399 in Bhadradri Kothagudem, 18,230 in Asifabad and 8,640 in Jayashankar Bhupalapally. Depending on the feedback, it would be extended to other districts. Two free packets would be given to each through Anganwadi centres, and each packet will have 15 nutrition bars. 'Anaemia is a condition that is marked by low levels of haemoglobin in blood. Iron deficiency is estimated to be responsible for about half of all anaemia globally, but anaemia can also be caused by malaria, hookworms and other helminths, other nutritional deficiencies, chronic infections, and genetic conditions,' according to the NFHS report. Prevalence in Telangana According to the report, 58% of women in Telangana have anaemia. It was particularly high among rural women, women aged 15-19, and Scheduled Tribe women. More than two-thirds (70%) of children aged 6-59 months are anaemic. Some parents consult dieticians with a complaint that though iron rich foods were given, the mineral is deficient in their children. Dietitian Shubhangi Surana, founder, Rainbow Nutrition Clinic in Secunderabad, said that what people have along with the foods plays a role in absorption of iron. 'Incorporate Vitamin C when eating Iron. It always helps. Lemon, Guava, Tamarind, Tomatoes - to an extent - are sources of vitamin C. Calcium is antagonist to iron. So avoid Calcium rich foods with iron,' said Ms. Surana. Abitha Chilkuri, dietician and nutritionist, said that coffee and tea with milk contains toxins that bind with dietary iron and make it unavailable for absorption. 'They should be avoided for at least an hour before, during or immediately after a meal,' she said. Ms. Surana said that Calcium (for bone development), Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Iodine, fiber are other nutritional requirements for the girls in the age group. In order to achieve optimum growth, bone mass, muscle mass and overall good health without any vitamin and mineral deficiencies and to improve longevity adolescents must consume food that is rich in calcium such as finger millet(ragi), green leafy vegetables like amaranth, sesame seeds, milk and milk products, said Ms. Abitha.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Belite Bio Reports First Quarter 2025 Financial Results and Provides Corporate Update
Following a pre-specified interim analysis, an independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) recommended the pivotal Phase 3 trial (DRAGON) of Tinlarebant in adolescent Stargardt disease (STGD1) patients proceed without any modification; trial completion expected Q4 2025 (including a three-month follow-up period) DSMB also recommended the Company submit the interim data for further regulatory review for drug approval A pivotal global Phase 3 trial (PHOENIX) of Tinlarebant in geographic atrophy (GA) patients is ongoing with 464 of targeted 500 subjects enrolled Raised $15 million in gross proceeds in a registered direct offering on February 5, 2025 Conference call and webcast on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. ET SAN DIEGO, May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Belite Bio, Inc (NASDAQ: BLTE), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical drug development company focused on advancing novel therapeutics targeting degenerative retinal diseases that have significant unmet medical needs, today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025, and provided a business update. 'We continue to advance the clinical development of Tinlarebant, reaching a major milestone with the favorable interim analysis of our Phase 3 DRAGON trial earlier this year,' said Dr. Tom Lin, Chairman and CEO of Belite Bio. 'We are excited by the encouraging feedback from the DSMB on the safety and efficacy outcomes in DRAGON as we work toward trial completion by the end of 2025. We are focused on maintaining strong execution across our late-stage clinical programs as we aim to deliver new treatment options for people living with degenerative retinal diseases, where there is significant unmet need.' First Quarter 2025 Business Highlights and Upcoming Milestones: Clinical Highlights Tinlarebant is an oral, once-daily, potent retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) antagonist that decreases RBP4 levels in the blood and reduces vitamin A (retinol) delivery to the eye without disrupting systemic retinol delivery to other tissues. Vitamin A is critical for normal vision but can accumulate as toxic byproducts (bisretinoids) in individuals affected with STGD1 and GA, the advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), leading to retinal cell death and loss of vision. Stargardt disease (STGD1): Accumulation of cytotoxic bisretinoids compounds has been implicated in the onset and progression of STGD1, for which there are no approved treatments. Tinlarebant has been granted Fast Track and Rare Pediatric Disease Designations in the U.S.; Orphan Drug Designation in the U.S., Europe, and Japan; and Sakigake (Pioneer Drug) Designation in Japan for the treatment of STGD1. DRAGON Trial: Ongoing, 24-month, randomized (2:1, active: placebo), double-masked, placebo-controlled, global, multi-center, pivotal Phase 3 trial in adolescent STGD1 patients Following a pre-specified interim analysis, an independent DSMB recommended trial continuation without modifications, maintaining a sample size of 104 subjects In addition, the DSMB recommended submitting the data for further regulatory review for drug approval Primary efficacy endpoint is the growth rate of atrophic lesions; safety and tolerability will also be assessed Trial completion expected by Q4 2025 (including a three-month follow-up period) DRAGON II Trial: Combination of a Phase 1b open-label trial to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of Tinlarebant in adolescent Japanese STGD1 patients and a Phase 2/3, 24-month, randomized (1:1, active: placebo), double-masked, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial in adolescent STGD1 patients Enrolled 16 subjects in the Phase 2/3 trial, with a target enrollment of approximately 60 subjects, aged 12 to 20 years old, including approximately 10 Japanese subjects; data from the Japanese subjects is intended to facilitate a future new drug application in Japan Primary efficacy endpoint is the growth rate of atrophic lesions; safety and tolerability will also be assessed Geographic Atrophy (GA): GA is a chronic degenerative disease of the retina that leads to blindness in the elderly. Accumulation of cytotoxic vitamin A byproducts (bisretinoids) has been implicated in the progression of GA. There are currently no FDA-approved, orally administered treatments for GA. PHOENIX Trial: Ongoing, 24-month, randomized (2:1, active: placebo), double-masked, placebo-controlled, global, multi-center, pivotal Phase 3 trial in GA patients 464 of the targeted 500 subjects have been enrolled to date Primary efficacy endpoint is the growth rate of atrophic lesions; safety and tolerability will also be assessed Company expects to conduct an interim analysis Corporate Highlights In February 2025, Belite completed a registered direct offering priced at the market, raising gross proceeds of $15 million, with the potential for additional proceeds of approximately $15 million from the exercise of five-year warrants issued in the offering. First Quarter 2025 Financial Results: Current Assets: As of March 31, 2025, the Company had $157.4 million in cash, liquidity funds, time deposits, and U.S treasury bills. R&D Expenses: For the three months ended March 31, 2025, research and development expenses were $9.4 million compared to $6.8 million for the same period in 2024. The increase in research and development expenses was primarily attributable to (i) share-based compensation granted in the third quarter of 2024 and first quarter of 2025, (ii) slightly higher clinical trial expenses related to the PHOENIX trial. G&A Expenses: For the three months ended March 31, 2025, general and administrative expenses were $6.1 million compared to $1.6 million for the same period in 2024. The increase resulted primarily from an increase in share-based compensation granted in the third quarter of 2024 and first quarter of 2025. Other Income: For the three months ended March 31, 2025, other income was $1.2 million compared to $0.5 million for the same period in 2024. The increase in other income was attributable to accrued interest from time deposits and U.S. treasury bills. Net Loss: For the three months ended March 31, 2025, the Company reported a net loss of $14.3 million, compared to a net loss of $7.9 million for the same period in 2024. Webcast Information Belite Bio will host a webcast on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss the Company's financial results and provide a business update. To join the webcast, please visit A replay will be available for approximately 90 days following the event at the Company's Investor Relations website at About Belite Bio Belite Bio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical drug development company focused on advancing novel therapeutics targeting degenerative retinal diseases that have significant unmet medical need, such as Stargardt disease type 1 (STGD1) and Geographic Atrophy (GA) in advanced dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), in addition to specific metabolic diseases. Belite's lead candidate, Tinlarebant, an oral therapy intended to reduce the accumulation of toxins in the eye, is currently being evaluated in a Phase 3 study (DRAGON) and a Phase 2/3 study (DRAGON II) in adolescent STGD1 patients and a Phase 3 study (PHOENIX) in patients with GA. For more information, follow us on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook or visit us at Important Cautions Regarding Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements about future expectations and plans, as well as other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts. These statements include but are not limited to statements regarding the potential implications of clinical data for patients, and Belite Bio's advancement of, and anticipated preclinical activities, clinical development, regulatory milestones, and commercialization of its product candidates, and any other statements containing the words 'expect', 'hope' and similar expressions. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including but not limited to Belite Bio's ability to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of its drug candidates; the clinical results for its drug candidates, which may not support further development or regulatory approval; the timing to complete relevant clinical trials and/or to receive the interim/final data of such clinical trials; the content and timing of decisions made by the relevant regulatory authorities regarding regulatory approval of Belite Bio's drug candidates; the potential efficacy of Tinlarebant, as well as those risks more fully discussed in the 'Risk Factors' section in Belite Bio's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Belite Bio, and Belite Bio undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. BELITE BIO, INC UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (Amounts in thousands of US Dollars, except share and per share amounts) For the Three MonthsEnded March 31, 2024 2025 Expenses Research and development 6,765 9,396 General and administrative 1,563 6,121 Total operating expenses 8,328 15,517 Loss from operations (8,328 ) (15,517 ) Other income: Total other income, net 463 1,240 Loss before income tax (7,865 ) (14,277 ) Income tax expense 6 - Net loss (7,871 ) (14,277 ) Other comprehensive income (loss) Foreign currency translation adjustments, net of nil tax (96 ) 18 Total comprehensive loss (7,967 ) (14,259 ) Weighted average number of ordinary shares used in per share calculation: - Basic and Diluted 29,677,173 32,084,106 Net loss per ordinary share - Basic and Diluted $ (0.27 ) $ (0.45 ) BELITE BIO, INC UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Amounts in thousands of US Dollars, except share amounts) December 31, March 31, 2024 2025 Current assets $ 147,073 $ 159,287 Other assets 5,059 4,914 TOTAL ASSETS $ 152,132 $ 164,201 TOTAL LIABILITIES $ 6,311 $ 6,131 TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY 145,821 158,070 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY $ 152,132 $ 164,201 Ordinary shares authorized 400,000,000 400,000,000 Ordinary shares issued 31,857,802 32,595,001 Ordinary shares outstanding 31,826,549 32,544,784 Media and Investor Relations Contact: Jennifer Wu ir@ Julie Fallon belite@ in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Oxygen detected in most distant galaxy: 'astonished' astronomers
Oxygen has been detected in the most distant galaxy ever discovered, surprised astronomers said Thursday, offering further evidence that stars in the early universe matured far quicker than had been thought possible. The galaxy JADES-GS-z14-0, which was discovered by the James Webb Space Telescope last year, is so far away that its light took 13.4 billion years to reach Earth. This means the galaxy can also reveal what the universe was like in its infancy, when it was just 300 million years old -- two percent of its current age. Since coming online in 2022, the powerful Webb telescope has discovered that galaxies in the young universe were much brighter, more advanced and more numerous than scientists had expected. These discoveries have been so startling they have raised doubts about whether something important is missing in our understanding of the universe. For the latest research, two international teams led by Dutch and Italian astronomers probed the JADES-GS-z14-0 galaxy using the ALMA radio telescope in Chile's Atacama desert. They detected traces of oxygen, according to the European Southern Observatory, confirming hints previously spotted by the Webb telescope. During this period known as the cosmic dawn, newly born galaxies were thought to only have young stars, which mostly contain light elements like hydrogen and helium. Only later were they supposed to get heavier stuff such as oxygen. But the two new studies found that JADES-GS-z14-0 has around 10 times more heavy elements than had been anticipated. "It is like finding an adolescent where you would only expect babies," said Sander Schouws of Leiden Observatory, the first author of a Dutch-led study to be published in The Astrophysical Journal. "The results show the galaxy has formed very rapidly and is also maturing rapidly, adding to a growing body of evidence that the formation of galaxies happens much faster than was expected," he said in a statement. Astrophysicist Stefano Carniani, lead author of the Italian-led paper to be published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, said he was "astonished by the unexpected results". "The evidence that a galaxy is already mature in the infant universe raises questions about when and how galaxies formed." pcl-dl/phz
