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Doctor defies terminal cancer diagnosis with breakthrough therapy

Dr Tina Willits was told she had just 24 months to live after being diagnosed with breast cancer, but against all odds she is now in remission. The mother-of-five's disease was "everywhere" with three golf-ball sized tumors in her breast and cancerous masses in her ribs, spine, lymph nodes and legs. "When my cancer was detected, it was pretty past a stage four diagnosis and I was too far gone for a mastectomy," she told the Daily Mail. She was placed on end-of-care chemotherapy and was told to "enjoy the time you have left". That was nearly three years ago. Now, the 53-year-old US mum is in remission thanks to a breakthrough cancer therapy that uses cold gases and the body's own cells to freeze and fight tumors. "I was devastated, but I was also like no, I was not ok with that diagnosis. I felt I had to do something," she recalled. "I was just really determined that I did not want to live my life with this cancer, even if they could stop it progressing, I didn't want that, I just wanted it gone." Dr Willits' cancer was HER2 positive, which account for about 20 percent of all diagnoses, and she had no family history of the disease. She underwent four rounds of chemotherapy before she sought alternative treatment at the Williams Cancer Institute. The institute sent her a list of supplements to begin taking and advised her to avoid sugar, which some researchers believe can help reduce inflammation and slow down the growth of cancer cells. She then underwent a treatment regimen that is not yet fully approved in the US, with cryoablation as the first step. Cryoablation is the process where doctors insert a small metal probe through the skin and into the tumor, extremely cold gasses are then released directly into the mass to kill its cells. In the second phase of her treatment, she received immunotherapy, where eight drugs were administered directly into her tumor, which doctors say can prompt the immune system to recognise cancer cells as a threat and trigger an immune response. Dr Willits told the Dailymail that she was shocked when she got the results from her six-week scan after the treatment. "There were none, no tumors. They were just completely gone," she said. "All the metastasis (cancerous growths outside the breast) had completely healed, and the cancer in my lymph nodes was no longer there." After the treatment she had another four rounds of chemotherapy, and still undergoes PET scans every six months. So far the cancer has not been detected in her body since the treatment, and will need to wait for five years of clear results before she can be declared cancer free. Dr Williams, the founder of the institute, developed the treatment regimen over several years, and believes it could offer a better way to treat cancer. He is currently running a trial of the treatment in hard-to-treat prostate cancer patients, although he did not reveal how long the study had been going on for or how many rounds of treatment the patients had received. Since going into remission Dr Willits has travelled to Honduras and Colorado, tried mountain biking and is training for a 5k marathon for breast cancer awareness. "I wouldn't appreciate life like this if I had not gone through the cancer," she said. "No one on their deathbed says I wish I had worked more or got that job, you all say I wish I had spent more time with my parents and kids or gone to that place I had always wanted to." Images: DailyMail

Caring

Breakthrough study finds genetic link to Parkinson's and ADHD

A major scientific study has found a surprising link between the genes that control brain size and the risk of brain-related conditions. A Queensland Institute of Medical Research Associate Professor Miguel Renteria led an international team of experts who scanned DNA data and MRI scans from 76,000 participants. “Genetic variants associated with larger brain volumes in key brain regions also increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease, while variants linked to smaller brain volumes in key regions are associated with an increased risk of ADHD,” Renteria said. “It brings us closer to answering key questions about how genetics influence brain structure, and how we can potentially treat these conditions in future.” Parkinson’s Australia CEO Olivia Nassaris has celebrated the results of the study, saying the surprising results open the door to future treatment options for Parkinson’s, which currently has no cure or cause. “The more answers we have the closer we are to understanding this condition,” she said. Michael Wiseman, who has been living with Parkinson’s for eight years, said he is pleased more research is being done about the neurodegenerative condition. “I know it’s not going to benefit me in any way, as far as a cure or anything … I just hope they keep going, kicking some goals and finding results because it’s an insidious sort of thing, it’s a passenger I’ll have until I go to the grave.” Image credits: Shutterstock

Caring

"Absolute breakthrough": New hope in search for Motor Neurone Disease cure

Melbourne researchers are one step closer to finding a cure for Motor Neurone Disease, with the help technology and stem cell research. Scientists at The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health have developed a world-first technology that will speed up the drug testing process to help find an effective treatment and maybe even a cure for the disease. New machines at the institute can now help determine whether drugs on the market could be used to treat MND in just weeks, a process which previously took decades. "This is an absolute breakthrough, it's at the cutting edge of technology," Florey MND researcher Professor Brad Turner said. Animal cells were previously used to test the efficacy of MND drugs, but now thanks to more than 100 MND patients who donated their skin cells to the institute, researchers have a library of stem cells to work with. The human stem cells can provide scientists with the full scope of the disease, something that they were previously unable to do with just animal cells. "This is really a game-changer in that we can use their own cells, and we can test drugs directly on their own cells," Florey MND researcher and neurologist Dr Thanuja Dharmadasa said. Large scale screening will commence thanks to a $5 million grant from the Australian Medical Research Future Fund. The research is expected to help people like Phil Camden who has been living with the disease for 10 years. "That's the key to all of us living with MND... we want to do what we can while we can," Camden said. "We know we're not doing it to find a cure for us. We're doing it for those in the future, my grandkids and their children." Scientists believe that medication or a cocktail of drugs tailored specifically to a patient is the way forward when it comes to treating the disease. "Therefore your drug treatments are tailed back to the clinical makeup in the dish and we call that personalised medical treatment," Turner said. Image: Nine News

Caring

Major breakthrough holds the key to diagnosing Alzheimer's

A new study has found that a simple blood test could be key to diagnosing Alzheimer's more quickly and more accurately. The research, published on the Journal of the American Medical Association, was conducted by a team of scientists at Sweden’s Lund University, was based off 1213 patients there with the condition. They found that a blood test could correctly identify whether patients with memory problems had Alzheimer’s 90 per cent of the time – making it “significantly” more accurate than cognitive tests and CAT scans in diagnosing the condition. The test itself measures tau protein 217, which if there is an abnormal build up of both in and around brain cells, may be the cause of the disease. “Increases in p tau-217 concentrations in the blood are quite profound in Alzheimer’s disease,” study co-author, Lund University associate professor and senior consultant neurologist, Dr Sebastian Palmqvist, told CNN. “At the dementia stage of the disease, levels are more than eight times higher compared with elderly (people) without Alzheimer’s.” As part of the study, the p tau-217 test was combined with one testing for another blood biomarker for Alzheimer’s called the amyloid 42/40 ratio. Other doctors have shared their thoughts on the research findings, with Chief science officer of America’s Alzheimer’s Association, Dr Maria Carrillo, telling CNN that doctors would “love to have a blood test that can be used in a primary care physician’s office, functioning like a cholesterol test but for Alzheimer’s”. “The p tau-217 blood test is turning out to be the most specific for Alzheimer’s and the one with the most validity. It seems to be the frontrunner,” she added. Blood tests like this could “change the game in the speed in which we can conduct Alzheimer’s trials and get to the next new medication”. Dr Jason Karlawish, the co-director at the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Memory Centre, said of the research: “Not too long ago measuring pathology in the brain of a living human was considered just impossible.” “This study adds to the revolution that has occurred in our ability to measure what’s going on in the brain of living humans.” Image: Shutterstock

Caring

Major breakthrough solves 44-year-old cold case

A decades-old mystery surrounding a human jawbone found on Umina Beach on the NSW Central Coast has been solved, thanks to advances in DNA analysis techniques. The jawbone, discovered by a dog walker in June 2020, was recently identified as belonging to a teenager who tragically drowned nearly half a century ago. Police announced the breakthrough in a statement on Sunday, revealing that the jawbone belonged to Henry Coleman, a 17-year-old who died in an accidental drowning on the Central Coast in August 1980. The remains, though blackened, were remarkably well-preserved and still contained some teeth when found on the beach. Detectives initially determined the remains were human and male, but extensive traditional inquiries failed to establish an identity. It wasn't until March 2023 that a major breakthrough was made using new DNA analysis technology. This technology, which combines advanced DNA analysis with traditional genealogy, allowed investigators to use commercial DNA databases to identify suspects and unknown remains. The key to solving the case was a genetic link to a possible living relative. A voluntary DNA sample from this relative confirmed the jawbone belonged to Coleman. The young man had been laid to rest in the 1980s, but it was not known at the time that part of his jaw was missing. Detective Inspector Ritchie Sim highlighted the importance of public participation in resolving missing persons cases. "This investigation showcases the importance of DNA testing in missing person cases," he said. "Without the combined efforts of our detectives, scientists, and analysts, we would not have been able to return these remains to their resting place and provide closure to Mr Coleman’s family." Sim went on to urge those who have reported a family member missing to police, and who have the Event number, to provide their DNA at a local police station. "Just like in Mr Coleman’s case, your relationship with the missing person can be several generations apart," he added. Images: 7News

Legal

Huge breakthrough after Aussie couple murdered on overseas holiday

Just days after Australian couple David Fisk and Lucita Cortez were <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/australian-couple-killed-in-the-philippines-identified" target="_blank" rel="noopener">killed</a> in a luxury hotel in the Philippines, the suspected killer has reportedly turned himself in to police. The bodies of 54-year-old David Fisk and his de-facto partner Lucita Barquin Cortez, 55, were found with their hands and feet tied by hotel staff at the Lake Hotel in Tagaytay city, south of Manila, on Wednesday. The body of another woman, Cortez's 30-year-old daughter-in-law Mary who lives in the Philippines, was also found in the room. A week on from their deaths, Tagaytay Police Chief Charles Daven Capagcuan told the Associated Press that police had a breakthrough in the case when a suspect was identified by three hotel staff from CCTV footage. The identification of the suspect eventually led to his home where he decided to surrender, Capagcuan said. On Wednesday, Sunrise reporter Ben Downie shared the new developments. “Philippines police say this morning a man handed himself in over the hotel homicide where the killer carried out an execution-style attack binding his victims, slashing and suffocating them,” Downie said. “Hotel security footage showed the suspect leaving the room, but didn’t capture him entering, leading to the theory the killer had gained access from a window." “This certainly counts as a breakthrough with the surrendered suspect and closure for loved ones.” After hearing the news of the couple's sudden and tragic passing, Fisk's family, based in NSW's Sutherland Shire, issued a statement saying they "pray for answers and the truth in this horrific matter". "The love we have for our Father and Lucita is so dear and this situation is like living a nightmare," the family said. Image credits: GoFundMe / Facebook

Travel Trouble

‘Sleeping on it’ really does help and four other recent sleep research breakthroughs

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dan-denis-158199">Dan Denis</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-york-1344">University of York</a> Twenty-six years. That is roughly <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-34624-8">how much of our lives</a> are spent asleep. Scientists have been trying to explain why we spend so much time sleeping since at least the <a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/alcmaeon/">ancient Greeks</a>, but pinning down the exact functions of sleep has proven to be difficult. During the past decade, there has been a surge of interest from researchers in the nature and function of sleep. New experimental models coupled with advances in technology and analytical techniques are giving us a deeper look inside the sleeping brain. Here are some of the biggest recent breakthroughs in the science of sleep. <h2>1. We know more about lucid dreaming</h2> No longer on the fringes, the neuroscientific study of dreaming has now become mainstream. US researchers in a 2017 study woke their participants up at regular intervals during the night and asked them what was going through their minds prior to the alarm call. Sometimes participants couldn’t recall any dreaming. The study team then looked at what was <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nn.4545">happening in the participant’s brain</a> moments before waking. Participants’ recall of dream content was associated with increased activity in the posterior hot zone, an area of the brain closely <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-05097-x">linked to conscious awareness</a>. Researchers could predict the presence or absence of dream experiences by monitoring this zone in real time. Another exciting development in the study of dreams is research into lucid dreams, in which <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-ability-to-control-dreams-may-help-us-unravel-the-mystery-of-consciousness-52394">you are aware that</a> you are dreaming. A 2021 study established <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(21)00059-2?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982221000592%3Fshowall%3Dtrue">two-way communication</a> between a dreamer and a researcher. In this experiment, participants signalled to the researcher that they were dreaming by moving their eyes in a pre-agreed pattern. The researcher read out maths problems (what is eight minus six?). The dreamer could respond to this question with eye movements. The dreamers were accurate, indicating they had access to high level cognitive functions. The researchers used <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/polysomnography/about/pac-20394877">polysomnography</a>, which monitors bodily functions such as breathing and brain activity during sleep, to confirm that participants were asleep. These discoveries have dream researchers excited about the future of “interactive dreaming”, such as practising a skill or solving a problem in our dreams. <h2>2. Our brain replays memories while we sleep</h2> This year marks the centenary of the first demonstration that <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/1414040?origin=crossref">sleep improves our memory</a>. However, a 2023 review of recent research has shown that memories formed during the day <a href="https://portlandpress.com/emergtoplifesci/article/7/5/487/233796/Neural-reactivation-during-human-sleep">get reactivated</a> while we are sleeping. Researchers discovered this using machine learning techniques to “decode” the contents of the sleeping brain. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-24357-5">A 2021 study</a> found that training algorithms to distinguish between different memories while awake makes it possible to see the same neural patterns re-emerge in the sleeping brain. A different study, also in 2021, found that the more times these patterns re-emerge during sleep, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-23520-2">the bigger the benefit</a> to memory. In other approaches, scientists have been able to reactivate certain memories by <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(19)31035-8?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982219310358%3Fshowall%3Dtrue">replaying sounds</a> associated with the memory in question while the participant was asleep. A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7144680/">2020 meta-analysis of 91 experiments</a> found that when participants’ memory was tested after sleep they remembered more of the stimuli whose sounds were played back during sleep, compared with control stimuli whose sounds were not replayed. Research has also shown that sleep strengthens memory for the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2202657119">most important aspects</a> of an experience, restructures our memories to form <a href="https://www.jneurosci.org/content/40/9/1909">more cohesive narratives</a> and helps us come up with <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0956797619873344">solutions to problems</a> we are stuck on. Science is showing that sleeping on it really does help. <h2>3. Sleep keeps our minds healthy</h2> We all know that a lack of sleep makes us feel bad. Laboratory sleep deprivation studies, where researchers keep willing participants awake throughout the night, have been combined with <a href="https://www.open.edu/openlearn/body-mind/health/health-sciences/how-fmri-works">functional MRI brain scans</a> to paint a detailed picture of the sleep-deprived brain. These studies have shown that a lack of sleep severely disrupts the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nrn.2017.55">connectivity between</a> different brain networks. These changes include a breakdown of connectivity between brain regions <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11682-018-9868-2">responsible for cognitive control</a>, and an amplification of those involved in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(19)30761-4?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982219307614%3Fshowall%3Dtrue">threat and emotional processing</a>. The consequence of this is that the sleep-deprived brain is worse at <a href="https://academic.oup.com/cercor/article/33/5/1610/6573958">learning new information</a>, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/44/6/zsaa289/6053003">poorer at regulating emotions</a>, and unable to <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2167702620951511">suppress intrusive thoughts</a>. Sleep loss may even make you less likely to <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3001733">help other people</a>. These findings may explain why poor sleep quality is so <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsr.13930">ubiquitous in poor mental health</a>. <h2>4. Sleep protects us against neurodegenerative diseases</h2> Although we naturally <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-34624-8">sleep less as we age</a>, mounting evidence suggests that sleep problems earlier in life <a href="https://jnnp.bmj.com/content/91/3/236">increase the risk</a> of dementia. The build-up of β-amyloid, a <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/alzheimers-disease/causes/">metabolic waste product</a>, is one of the mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s disease. Recently, it has become apparent that deep, undisturbed sleep is good for <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aav5447">flushing these toxins</a> out of the brain. Sleep deprivation increases the the rate of build-up of β-amyloid in parts of the brain involved in memory, <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1721694115">such as the hippocampus</a>. A longitudinal study published in 2020 found that sleep problems were associated with a higher rate of β-amyloid accumulation at a follow-up <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(20)31171-4?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982220311714%3Fshowall%3Dtrue">four years later</a>. In a different study, published in 2022, sleep parameters <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/78191">forecasted the rate</a> of cognitive decline in participants over the following two years. <h2>5. We can engineer sleep</h2> The good news is that research is developing treatments to get a better night’s sleep and boost its benefits. For example, the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsr.14035">European Sleep Research Society</a> and the <a href="https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/10.5664/jcsm.8986">American Academy of Sleep Medicine</a> recommend cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). <a href="https://www.cntw.nhs.uk/services/nctalkingtherapies/what-do-nc-talking-therapies-offer/cbt-i-cbt-for-insomnia/">CBT-I works by</a> identifying thoughts, feelings and behaviour that contribute to insomnia, which can then be modified to help promote sleep. In 2022, a CBT-I app became the <a href="https://www.nice.org.uk/news/article/nice-recommends-offering-app-based-treatment-for-people-with-insomnia-instead-of-sleeping-pills">first digital therapy</a> recommended by England’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for treatment on the NHS. These interventions can improve other aspects of our lives as well. A <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1087079221001416?via%3Dihub">2021 meta-analysis</a> of 65 clinical trials found that improving sleep via CBT-I reduced symptoms of depression, anxiety, rumination and stress.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/230484/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dan-denis-158199">Dan Denis</a>, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Senior Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-york-1344">University of York</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/sleeping-on-it-really-does-help-and-four-other-recent-sleep-research-breakthroughs-230484">original article</a>. </div>

Body

"Dad would be stoked": Robert Irwin chokes up over Australia Zoo breakthrough

Robert Irwin has choked up in an emotional video, sharing a major milestone for Australia Zoo that had special meaning to his late father. The wildlife warrior shared the exciting video to Instagram, holding a tiny baby turtle that he was about to release into its enclosure for the first time. Dressed in his Australia Zoo khakis, Irwin explained the moment was “one of the highlights of my entire life, and one of the most special moments ever here at Australia Zoo,” as the turtle is an “Elseya Irwini,” a species of turtle first discovered by Robert’s father Steve Irwin in the early 1990. Some 30 years later, Robert explained that this is the first of this particular species hatched in any zoological facility or captivity, anywhere in the world. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyYGqjfPL11/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyYGqjfPL11/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Robert Irwin (@robertirwinphotography)</a> </div> </blockquote> "This is so surreal. All the stories from dad about how beautiful they are... I don’t get emotional about much,” Irwin said, choking back tears as he released the tiny turtle into its pond. “You tearing up? Your dad would be really proud, mate,” a voice could be hear telling Irwin off-camera. “Dad would be stoked with that... we did it,” he said. The video has racked up hundreds of thousands of views, with people flocking to comments to share how proud Steve would be of his wildfire warrior children. One person wrote, "Steve is looking down and crying tears of joy.. His heart is proud of not only the turtle, but with the fact that his legacy continued with same path he envisioned for his kids." Others were quick to encourage Robert and Bindi Irwin to keep carrying on their father's legacy with their conservation work at the zoo, while others said that they should "Name the baby turtle Steve". Image credits: Instagram

Family & Pets

Italian historian makes major Mona Lisa breakthrough

A small town in Tuscany is revelling in excitement after it was claimed that a bridge in the backdrop of the Mona Lisa belongs to the town. Italian historian Silvano Vinceti determined that the bridge in the background of the most famous portrait in the world is in fact the Romito di Laterina bridge in the province of Arezzo: about 80km southeast of Florence. Leonardo da Vinci painted the masterpiece in Florence in the early 16th century, and ever since, it has been subject to disputes over the inspiration for the portrait. The identity of the woman in the painting - who is widely believed to be Lisa del Giocondo – has triggered as much speculation as the distant backdrop. Past theories have identified the bridge as Ponte Buriano, close to Laterina, as well as Ponte Bobbio in the northern Italian city of Piacenza. Using historical documents and drone images, and by making comparisons between the painting and photographs of the area, Vinceti said he is confident it was “the Etruscan-Roman bridge, Romito”. Vinceti told reporters in Rome that the most telling detail of the bridge’s identity is the number of arches. The bridge in Leonardo’s painting had four arches, as did the Romito. Ponte Buriano, on the other hand, has six arches, while Ponte Bobbio has more than six. Another telltale sign, according to Vinceti, is the fact that the bridge was once a “very busy, functioning bridge”, that provided a shortcut between Florence and Arezzo. Simona Neri, the mayor of Laterina, said Vinceti’s theory had caused a lot of excitement in the town of just over 3,500 people. She said, “We need to try to protect what’s left of the bridge.” Image credits: Getty Images

Art

"Breakthrough moment": Charles and Camilla's "secret son" shares new pics

Simon Dorante-Day, the Australian man who made headlines with his claim to be King Charles and Camilla’s son, has taken to social media to share a side-by-side comparison of himself and his would-be royal family. Simon initially posted a picture of himself at the age of 23 to celebrate his 57th birthday, with many in the comments telling him that he looked just like Prince William in the snap. A short while later, Simon posted the comparison of himself, Charles, and William, all appearing to be around the same age when their respective pictures were taken. As Simon told 7News.com.au, “photo comparisons like this are so important to my case. It’s always a breakthrough moment.” It was more than enough proof for Simon’s supporters, with over a hundred comments soon piling onto the post, all celebrating the resemblance they found between the three. “As soon as I saw your post I couldn't believe how much you and William look alike,” one wrote. “I can't wait till the truth comes out and [you] take your rightful place." “Just remarkable,” said another. “Hopefully this is the year Charles acknowledges you and your dear brothers and their families know that you have always been out there in the world." “I actually thought it was an old photo of William!” confessed one. “When I saw your post earlier where you told us it was your birthday, I initially thought it was a photo of Prince William accompanying it!,” someone else agreed. “The resemblance speaks for itself,” came further belief in the father-of-nine’s claim. <iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FPrinceSimonCharles%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02qKTcpY1aT4Wu7vVSLNCifvzTUXPanmgM9FJ3QTginoABumpKe75q6fGjtyuF1w4al&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="256" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Meanwhile, one follower’s thoughts turned to Camilla, and what must be going through her mind if Simon was actually correct, writing that she “wonder[s] how Camilla feels every year on your real birthday because only she can know how it felt.” It’s a thought that Simon seems to have had as well, with the Australian confessing that while his birthday is “just another one” for him, he often considers what they might be thinking on the big day. “Especially Camilla,” he said, “not like she doesn’t know.” He went on to explain that despite this, it was “their loss” in having nothing to do with him, his wife, or their nine children. However, it isn’t enough to stop him from getting to the bottom of his family tree ‘mystery’, with Simon telling 7News that he has every intention of getting answers from a DNA test. “Supporters and visitors to my Facebook pages are always sending me comparisons,” he noted. “But it’s important for people to know that my belief that Charles and Camilla are my parents isn’t based on photos. “I have a lot of research that backs up my claims, a lot of evidence. And I want people to remember that my case has spent a long time in the courts, trying to find a resolution, and my legal battles are still continuing.” And as he had admitted in the past, it was all about his desire to know who his real parents are. He believed it all stemmed from that search, and “the thought that it could be Charles and Camilla didn’t come into it until much later on - for years I was simply searching for my parents. “But then eventually, all the evidence just kept on coming back to Charles and Camilla.” Images: Facebook

Family & Pets

Olivia Newton-John’s foundation makes cancer breakthrough

Just over two months after her passing, the cancer research foundation Olivia Newton-John founded has made a significant discovery that could affect the treatment of a highly-aggressive pancreatic cancer. The study, led by Professor Matthias Ernst, the director of the ONJ Cancer Research Institute in Melbourne and the head of LA Trobe’s School of Cancer Medicine, investigated potential targets for treating pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). This aggressive form of cancer has a five-year survival rate, with nine out of ten patients still dying of the disease after receiving chemotherapy treatments due to reoccurrence in the same area or metastasis (where cancer spreads to other parts of the body). Approximately 4,260 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year in Australia, with many experiencing few or no symptoms during the early stages. Professor Ernst and his team identified a novel drug target that could make PDAC tumours more responsive to chemotherapy and immunotherapy and published their results in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(22)01329-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cell Reports</a>. They identified a protein called HCK (hematopoietic cell kinase), which has previously been correlated with poor survival rates and has been found in 95 percent of solid tumours, including PDAC. After comparing PDAC tumours to non-cancerous samples, they found that the tumours expressed this protein at a higher rate. They then wanted to determine whether HCK was involved in the growth of tumours and metastasis, by inserting PDAC tumours into normal mice and mice that have had the gene responsible for making HCK removed. In comparison to the normal mice, the mice without the HCK gene had smaller tumours and didn’t develop metastatic lesions. This confirmed that HCK is involved in the progression of this kind of cancer and that preventing the gene from creating HCK proteins could be a potential target for new cancer treatments. The team reported that targeting HCK could help reduce immune suppression caused by the increased levels of cancer cells that reduce the ability of our immune system to identify and fight cancer, making immunotherapy treatments more effective. While he cautioned that the study was still in its early stages, Professor Ernst is hopeful that the ONJ Institute can build on their findings and run clinical trials in the future. “Because we work in the same building as our oncologist colleagues at Austin Health, our discoveries in the laboratory can be quickly translated into patient trials,” he said. Dr Ashleigh Poh, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow from the ONJ Institute added that the findings could have big implications for pancreatic cancer treatment. “The survival rate of pancreatic cancer has not improved over the past few decades,” Dr Poh said. “We hope to eventually translate these findings into the clinic and improve survival outcomes for pancreatic cancer patients.” Images: The ONJ Institute

Caring

Potential breakthrough in Theo Hayez case

Investigators are a step closer to solving the mystery of missing backpacker Theo Hayez, after honing in on WhatsApp messages he exchanged the night he vanished, to gain an insight into what happened. The Belgian teenager disappeared in 2019 from NSW hotspot Byron Bay, with an inquest on Wednesday hearing there had been a 'potential breakthrough' in the case. The development came just hours after Theo's parents suggested 'another person' was involved in their son's disappearance and police offered a $500,000 reward for information. 'I don't want to overstate it, your honour, but we know Theo was engaged in some WhatsApp activity just before 1 am on the 31st of May,' counsel assisting the coroner, Kirsten Edwards said. This activity was prior to a five-hour window when Hayez' mobile phone ceased communicating with the nearest tower. In a bombshell revelation, Ms Edwards said the investigating team had also found a mystery person 'who was communicating with Theo on the 31st of May' but it is not yet known when the two exchanged messages. But WhatsApp messages, very commonly used as the primary messaging app in Europe, are encrypted, making it virtually impossible to find out what the texts said without one of the senders' phones. Earlier on Wednesday, it was revealed the police officer who led the initial search for Mr Hayez was inexperienced, missed vital training and would have conducted the operation 'very differently' with the benefit of hindsight. Speaking at the inquest the same day police announced a $500,000 reward for information on his case. Senior Constable Louis Papworth admitted he had only previously conducted two minor searches before the 18-year-old went missing. Due to the urgency of the search and his inexperience, Papworth told the inquest he had made 'some mistakes.' If he'd had access to location data sourced from Theo's phone on the first two days of the search, it would have looked very different, Papworth said. With the benefit of hindsight, he would also have tried to find out more about Theo's interests and behaviours, to help tailor the search. The data showed Theo had spent seven minutes near cricket nets at a local sporting field, before charting a route through the Arakwal National Park to Cosy Corner Beach. 'If you'd had that access to that information, you would have approached the search in a very different way, and with a lot more intensity?' Ms Edwards asked at the inquest. More volunteers would have been sent to those areas and he would have sent detectives to interview 'vagrants' who were staying near the sporting field. The inquest continues, and is due to hear more new 'significant' evidence in the coming days. Images: Facebook

Travel Trouble

Common ingredient found to encourage aggressive cancer spread

New research has found that a fatty acid found in palm oil and dairy products contributes to the aggressive nature of tumours and allows them to spread. The study from Barcelona’s Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB) saw researchers expose samples of mouth and skin cancers to a diet rich in palmitic acid - a major component of palm oil - before transplanting the sample tumours into mice. Palm oil is the most widely consumed vegetable oil in the world and can be found in food, beauty products, and detergents, according to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/which-everyday-products-contain-palm-oil" target="_blank">World Wildlife Fund</a>. The team found that the tumours had a greater capacity to metastasize - meaning they were more likely to spread to other parts of the body. They also identified that the cancer cells were permanently changed after being exposed to palmitic acid and were able to maintain this improved ability to metastasize months after. When they compared palmitic acid to linoleic acid and oleic acid - found in ingredients such as olive oil and linseed oil - the team discovered that palmitic acid was the only one to have any effect on the tumours. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CWGewZNIOOx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CWGewZNIOOx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by IRBBarcelona (@irbbarcelona)</a> </div> </blockquote> They also found that the fatty acids didn’t increase the risk of developing cancer in the first place. “There is something very special about palmitic acid that makes it an extremely potent promoter of metastasis,” researcher Dr Salvador Aznar-Benitah told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/nov/10/fatty-acid-found-in-palm-oil-linked-to-spread-of-cancer" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>. In previous work, the same team showed that there was a correlation between palmitic acid and increased risks of metastasis. “In 2017, we published a study indicating that palmitic acid correlates with an increased risk of metastasis, but we didn’t know the mechanism responsible for this,” Dr Aznar-Benitah <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.irbbarcelona.org/en/news/scientific/palmitic-acid-promotes-cancer-metastasis-and-leaves-more-aggressive-memory-tumour" target="_blank">explained</a>. In their latest study, published in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04075-0" target="_blank">Nature</a>, they identified that the altered, aggressive cancer cells attracted the attention of the body’s nervous system and led to the construction of a network of neurons around the tumour, which helps the cancer cells to keep growing and spreading. But, the team found that blocking Schwann cells - cells that surround and protect the neurons - could stop the network from developing and prevent metastasis. “This discovery paves the way for research into and the development of therapies that specifically block cancer metastasis, a process that is almost always the cause of death by cancer,” researcher Dr Gloria Pascual said. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Dr. <a href="https://twitter.com/SalvadorAznar3?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SalvadorAznar3</a>: “In this study, we detail the process and reveal the involvement of a metastatic capacity “memory” factor and we point to a therapeutic approach to reverse it. This is promising”. <a href="https://t.co/DW1zOpaIk8">pic.twitter.com/DW1zOpaIk8</a> — IRB Barcelona (@IRBBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/IRBBarcelona/status/1458464584113827845?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2021</a></blockquote> Helen Rippon, the chief executive at Worldwide Cancer Research, praised the work as a “huge breakthrough”. “This discovery is a huge breakthrough in our understanding of how diet and cancer are linked and, perhaps more importantly, how we can use this knowledge to start new cures for cancer,” she <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/acid-found-in-palm-oil-encourages-cancer-spread-new-research-finds-c-4543186" target="_blank">said</a>. Ms Rippon said about 90 percent of cancer deaths across the world can be attributed to metastasis. “Learning more about what makes cancer spread and - importantly - how to stop it is the way forward to reduce those numbers.” Image: Getty Images / @worldwidecancerresearch (Instagram)

Body

Police make major breakthrough in search for missing Victorian campers

Police have made a breakthrough in the case of missing Victorian campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay. Hill and Clay were both aged in their 70s when they disappeared from a remote Wonnangatta campsite on March 20 last year. Their campsite at Dry River Creek Track was discovered burnt out, and Hill’s abandoned Toyota Landcruiser was located nearby. Detectives say they have now ruled out the possibility that the pair staged their disappearance, and believe that it’s most likely they were murdered after an altercation with a stranger. Authorities say a car spotted near the campsite, a dark blue mid-1990s Nissan Patrol with a trailer attached, around the time the pair disappeared could help them crack the case. Victoria Police Detective Inspector Andrew Stampers told 60 Minutes, “Everything seems to point towards this being some sort of confrontation, which has started as an argument maybe.” “But my belief is that the person that carried out this is probably just an ordinary member of the community, who’s operating in a normal job, but carrying this significant load on their mind.” He said that police have received reports that a vehicle attempted to leave the valley late on the night the pair vanished. Witnesses say the vehicle was forced to make a complicated turn back in the direction it came because of a closed gate. Stampers continued, “That same vehicle is also spotted on two cameras at the top of Mount Hotham, consistent with where a vehicle would exit the valley given the closure of the Myrtleford gate. “We understand that initially, given the confusion around COVID-19 and state-wide lockdowns that people may have been reluctant to come forward, or that someone may simply have missed our repeated appeals for information.” Authorities also revealed that charred camping chairs, a burnt-out battery, and a bucket used for Hill’s gas canister were located inside the pair’s burnt tent. They believe it’s unlikely that these items would have been put there by the missing pair. “It certainly builds that picture for us that potentially someone was trying to cover their tracks.” Stampers encouraged anyone who recognises the car or who may have more information to speak to police. “If you are the driver of this blue Nissan Patrol, or you know who is, we would urge you to come forward – if nothing else, so we can eliminate you from our inquiries and move forward. “Both families are still desperate for answers about what happened to Russell and Carol and why, and I know our investigators are doing all they can to try and get those answers for them.”

Legal

Cleo Smith search: Police announce potential breakthrough

Western Australia Police announced a potential breakthrough in the disappearance of Cleo Smith on Sunday, telling the public that they are now looking for a smaller passenger vehicle that was spotted in a crucial 30-minute window the night Cleo disappeared. The driver may not be a person of interest, but the timing is crucial – roughly 90 minutes after she was last seen at 1.30 am on Saturday October 16, in a tent she was sharing with her parents at the Blowholes campsite in Macleod, north of Carnarvon. The "smaller vehicle, probably a passenger vehicle" was seen driving south towards Carnarvon between 3 am and 3.30am, according to Detective Superintendent Rod Wilde. "What we're hoping for is the persons that were in that vehicle to come forward and make themselves known," Mr Wilde said. He clarified that those in the vehicle are not considered suspects, and that the police “just want to establish who they were and what they were doing at that time". He declined to speculate as to whether Cleo was in the vehicle in question at the time. The sighting was reported by two people who were travelling along the North West Coastal Highway, who were only able to provide a limited description of the vehicle. Mr Wilde added that if Cleo had been abducted, she was likely still within Western Australia as a result of the tight border restrictions Premier Mark McGowan has implemented against COVID-19. Mr Wilde said it was “more than likely [Cleo’s disappearance] was a chance event”, and added that there was “no evidence that Cleo was stalked at all”. Police have been searching the Smith family home in Carnarvon for clues since Cleo disappeared on October 16. Premier Mark McGowan <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/no-hesitation-wa-premier-announces-huge-reward-in-cleo-smith-search" target="_blank">announced</a> a $1 million reward for information relating to Cleo’s disappearance last Thursday, saying, “We want to ensure police have everything they need to solve this case and that’s why my government has no hesitation in supporting police with this reward offer.” Image: Facebook

News

Major breakthrough in search for Brian Laundrie

A major breakthrough has occurred in the case of Brian Laundrie, who disappeared from his house in Florida in early September. The investigation into Brian, whose fiancée Gabby Petito was found dead in Wyoming last month, has uncovered new details about his earlier movements, as well as traces of human activity in a nature reserve that has been the key area of the search. Police found the <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/they-were-here-dog-the-bounty-hunter-confirms-new-laundrie-lead" target="_blank">remnants of a campsite</a> that appeared to be used recently in Florida’s Carlton Reserve, a sprawling 24,565-acre wilderness near Laundrie’s family home that has been closed to visitors, a source close to the family told <a rel="noopener" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/07/us/gabby-petito-brian-laundrie-update-thursday/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> on Wednesday. Chris Laundrie, Brian's father, joined law enforcement and went to the reserve to help them look on Thursday morning. “Chris was asked to point out any favorite trails or spots that Brian may have used in the preserve. Although Chris and Roberta Laundrie provided this information verbally 3 weeks ago it is now thought that on-site assistance may be better,” the family's attorney Steven Bertolino said. The North Port Police Department also confirmed that a notice was placed on a seemingly abandoned vehicle that belonged to the Laundrie family close to the reserve on September 14th. Brian originally told his family that he was heading to reserve the last time they saw him. The ongoing search for Brian comes as law enforcement try to piece together the events that led to the death of 22-year-old Gabby Petito. Gabby and Brian had been travelling across the United States in a 'van life' trip that they were documenting on social media. Gabby was officially reported missing on September 11th: 10 days after Brian returned home from Florida without her. In the days following, <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/tragedy-unfolding-body-confirmed-as-missing-woman-gabby-petito" target="_blank">Gabby's body was found</a> in a national park in Wyoming, and the coroner determined she died by homicide. Brian originally refused to speak with police when questioned, and then went missing himself. Brian is now the <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/new-witnesses-in-gabby-petito-homicide-as-fbi-issue-warrant" target="_blank">subject of a federal warrant</a> as a key person of interest in Gabby's case, as well as for unauthorised use of another person’s debit card. He was last seen on September 13th by his family, and has been missing for 25 days. Image credits: Facebook / Instagram @gabspetito

News

Breakthrough discovery links deadly disease with "eye twitch"

Victorian researchers have made a ground-breaking discovery in what could help diagnose Australia’s most deadly mental illness. The Swinburne Anorexia Nervosa Research Group found that anorexia nervosa, commonly referred to as anorexia, can possibly be diagnosed by an eye twitch. The twitch, paired with anxiety, create a biomarker for the illness. A biomarker is a measurable characteristic in the body, such as heart rate or blood sugar levels, and none have ever been used to diagnose mental illness before. Head researcher Dr Andrea Phillipou, who has been researching the illness since 2012, said they initially stumbled on the discovery. “It was an accidental finding, it happened when I was chatting with a patient while doing eye-tracking and I noticed her eyes were jerking a little bit,” she told news.com.au “We had all this data from the tracking and were able to link the eye tracking to a part of the brain.” As research progressed, Dr Phollipou and her team found that a combination of a type of twitching eye movement called ‘square wave jerks’ together with anxiety is a promising two-element biomarker for anorexia. These eye jerks were found in people currently with the illness, survivors and sisters of people with anorexia nervosa. The finding in sisters is critical as it shows there is likely a genetic link. Anorexia has the highest death rate of any mental illness. It also has extrememly low recovery rates with just 50% of patients completely bouncing back. Alongside the weight-loss, suffers often have heart, organ and brain issues. Dr Phillipou is hopeful this research will allow early detection of the illness. “Being able to detect the twitcing eye movement as a screening tool, via an iPad or phone, would be extremely beneficial for GPs or in clinics where there is a suspected diagnosis,” she said. “We are hoping this research helps identify people at risk, early in the development and we are hopeful that the research plains the biology behind the illness – that which parts of the brain are contributing.” There are more than one million Australians who suffer from eating disorders. Of those, 4% have anorexia nervosa and 80% of those are women. One young Australian woman, Imogen Barnes, documented her recovery from the illness on social media. Her Instagram page, im_powering, has 50,000 followers, she discusses the illness in hope of transforming “pain into power.”

Body

Curing the incurable: A new breakthrough in childhood cancer

Scientists are on the cusp of a medical breakthrough that could help in the treatment of an aggressive brain cancer. Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, or DIPG, is the most aggressive childhood cancer with a <a href="https://www.ccia.org.au/blog/dipg-shining-a-light-on-the-deadliest-childhood-cancer">current survival rate of 0%</a>. DIPG primarily occurs in children aged four to eleven years old and grows in the brainstem, meaning that it cannot be removed via surgery. On average, 20 Australian children are diagnosed with DIPG each year and have an average survival time of nine to twelve months after diagnosis. But now a new drug offers hope to patients diagnosed with the disease. Scientists at Children’s Cancer Institute have developed a new anti-cancer drug from antimalarial drug quinacrine. When tested on animals that were growing DIPG tumours, they found that the drug stopped tumour growth and, when combined with a second drug, panobinostat, increased survival time. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNn7JQHAOCy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNn7JQHAOCy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Children's Cancer Institute (@childrenscancerinstitute)</a> </div> </blockquote> Associate Professor David Ziegler from <a href="https://www.ccia.org.au/blog/australian-researchers-find-new-way-to-target-deadly-childhood-cancer">Children’s Cancer Institute</a> said, “Over the years, many different types of treatments have been tried for DIPG, but none so far have proven effective in clinical trials of children with the disease.” Speaking to Sunrise, he said the development was “a fantastic and exciting breakthrough.” “This is one of the worst cancers to affect either children or adults and until now we’ve had no effective treatments,” he continued. “We’re at the point where we’ve found a drug that looks really effective and is actually finally promising some hope.” Ziegler will lead human trials of the drug in top children’s hospitals in the United States and Australia “by the end of this year”. “We’re working as quickly as possible to bring this to kids who desperately need it,” Ziegler said.

Body

Incredible breakthrough in breast cancer treatment

An incredible new study from an Aussie scientist has discovered that bee venom is effective in killing aggressive breast cancer cells. Results revealed the venom – from honeybees sourced in Western Australia, England and Ireland – rapidly destroyed triple-negative breast cancer and HER2-enriched breast cancer cells. The scientist behind the research, Dr Ciara Duffy, said a specific concentration of honeybee venom could kill 100 per cent of cancer cells. She said the treatment had minimal effects on normal cells. “The venom was extremely potent,” she said. Dr Duffy, from the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and The University of Western Australia, used the venom from 312 bees to test the effect on the clinical subtypes of breast cancer, including types with limited treatment options. The key ingredient was the compound melittin, naturally occurring in the venom, which Dr Duffy said can be reproduced synthetically. “We found that melittin can completely destroy cancer cell membranes within 60 minutes,” she said. “No-one had previously compared the effects of honeybee venom or melittin across all of the different subtypes of breast cancer and normal cells.” She said melittin in honeybee venom also had another remarkable effect: within 20 minutes, melittin was able to substantially reduce the chemical messages of cancer cells that are essential to cancer cell growth and cell division. “We looked at how honeybee venom and melittin affect the cancer signalling pathways, the chemical messages that are fundamental for cancer cell growth and reproduction, and we found that very quickly these signalling pathways were shut down,” she said. Western Australia’s chief scientist, Professor Peter Klinken, said it was an “incredibly exciting observation”. “It provides another wonderful example of where compounds in nature can be used to treat human diseases,” he said. Dr Duffy’s research was conducted as part of her PhD. “I began with collecting Perth honeybee venom,” she said. “Perth bees are some of the healthiest in the world. “The bees were put to sleep with carbon dioxide and kept on ice before the venom barb was pulled out from the abdomen of the bee and the venom extracted by careful dissection.” IMAGE: Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research

Body

Alzheimer’s breakthrough discovery

Australian researchers are optimistic as they believe they have discovered a treatment that could revise the impacts of memory loss in people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. The Macquarie University Dementia Research Centre study builds on previous research that found an enzyme in the brain could modify a protein so it prevents the development of Alzheimer’s symptoms. The latest research went further by finding the gene responsible for the enzyme that could help restore or improve memory in mice suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s disease. The study also suggests the gene therapy, which involves genetic material being introduced to cells to help replace abnormal genes, may also be helpful for those who are in their 40s and 50s and suffer from dementia. Researchers have discovered gene therapy is safe when given in high doses and for a long period of time. Dr Arne Ittner, one of the leaders of the study, says a better understanding is required of what happens to the molecules in the brain during dementia. "Our work delivers a very powerful piece in this puzzle," he said in a statement. His brother and co-research leader, Professor Lars Ittner, said he was ecstatic to see a decade worth of research transition into clinical development that could benefit those living with dementia. "This provides hope as there is a lot of therapy out there focused on prevention but not much for those already affected by the disease," he said. The two researchers said the possible success of this new therapy could be within reach in five to 10 years.

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Doctor defies terminal cancer diagnosis with breakthrough therapy

Breakthrough study finds genetic link to Parkinson's and ADHD

"Absolute breakthrough": New hope in search for Motor Neurone Disease cure

Major breakthrough holds the key to diagnosing Alzheimer's

Major breakthrough solves 44-year-old cold case

Huge breakthrough after Aussie couple murdered on overseas holiday

‘Sleeping on it’ really does help and four other recent sleep research breakthroughs

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Olivia Newton-John’s foundation makes cancer breakthrough

Potential breakthrough in Theo Hayez case

Common ingredient found to encourage aggressive cancer spread

Police make major breakthrough in search for missing Victorian campers

Cleo Smith search: Police announce potential breakthrough

Major breakthrough in search for Brian Laundrie

Breakthrough discovery links deadly disease with "eye twitch"

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Incredible breakthrough in breast cancer treatment

Alzheimer’s breakthrough discovery

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