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Italian historian makes major Mona Lisa breakthrough

<p dir="ltr">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. </p> <p dir="ltr">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. </p> <p dir="ltr">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. </p> <p dir="ltr">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.</p> <p dir="ltr">Past theories have identified the bridge as Ponte Buriano, close to Laterina, as well as Ponte Bobbio in the northern Italian city of Piacenza.</p> <p dir="ltr">Using historical documents and drone images, and by making comparisons between the painting and photographs of the area, Vinceti said he is confident it was “the Etruscan-Roman bridge,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”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Vinceti told reporters in Rome that the most telling detail of the bridge’s identity is the number of arches. </p> <p dir="ltr">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.</p> <p dir="ltr">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.</p> <p dir="ltr">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. </p> <p dir="ltr">She said, “We need to try to protect what’s left of the bridge.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Art

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

<p>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. </p> <p>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. </p> <p>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. </p> <p>As Simon told <em>7News.com.au</em>, “photo comparisons like this are so important to my case. It’s always a breakthrough moment.”</p> <p>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.</p> <p>“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. </p> <p>“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.</p> <p>“I actually thought it was an old photo of William!” confessed one. </p> <p>“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. </p> <p>“The resemblance speaks for itself,” came further belief in the father-of-nine’s claim. </p> <p><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></p> <p>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.” </p> <p>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.</p> <p>“Especially Camilla,” he said, “not like she doesn’t know.” </p> <p>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 <em>7News</em> that he has every intention of getting answers from a DNA test. </p> <p>“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.</p> <p>“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.”</p> <p>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.</p> <p>“But then eventually, all the evidence just kept on coming back to Charles and Camilla.”</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Olivia Newton-John’s foundation makes cancer breakthrough

<p dir="ltr">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.</p> <p dir="ltr">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).</p> <p dir="ltr">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).</p> <p dir="ltr">Approximately 4,260 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year in Australia, with many experiencing few or no symptoms during the early stages.</p> <p dir="ltr">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 <em><a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(22)01329-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cell Reports</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">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.</p> <p dir="ltr">After comparing PDAC tumours to non-cancerous samples, they found that the tumours expressed this protein at a higher rate.</p> <p dir="ltr">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.</p> <p dir="ltr">In comparison to the normal mice, the mice without the HCK gene had smaller tumours and didn’t develop metastatic lesions. </p> <p dir="ltr">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.</p> <p dir="ltr">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.</p> <p dir="ltr">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. </p> <p dir="ltr">“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.</p> <p dir="ltr">Dr Ashleigh Poh, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow from the ONJ Institute added that the findings could have big implications for pancreatic cancer treatment.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The survival rate of pancreatic cancer has not improved over the past few decades,” Dr Poh said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We hope to eventually translate these findings into the clinic and improve survival outcomes for pancreatic cancer patients.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-ab3ceb5a-7fff-1dce-ba56-1a7edeb562a8"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: The ONJ Institute</em></p>

Caring

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Potential breakthrough in Theo Hayez case

<p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>'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.</p> <p>This activity was prior to a five-hour window when Hayez' mobile phone ceased communicating with the nearest tower.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.<br />Due to the urgency of the search and his inexperience, Papworth told the inquest he had made 'some mistakes.'</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>'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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>The inquest continues, and is due to hear more new 'significant' evidence in the coming days.</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Common ingredient found to encourage aggressive cancer spread

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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 </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/which-everyday-products-contain-palm-oil" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">World Wildlife Fund</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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.</span></p> <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&amp;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&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by IRBBarcelona (@irbbarcelona)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They also found that the fatty acids didn’t increase the risk of developing cancer in the first place.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“There is something very special about palmitic acid that makes it an extremely potent promoter of metastasis,” researcher Dr Salvador Aznar-Benitah told </span><em><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"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Guardian</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In previous work, the same team showed that there was a correlation between palmitic acid and increased risks of metastasis.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“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 </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.irbbarcelona.org/en/news/scientific/palmitic-acid-promotes-cancer-metastasis-and-leaves-more-aggressive-memory-tumour" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">explained</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In their latest study, published in </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04075-0" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nature</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, 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.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, the team found that blocking Schwann cells - cells that surround and protect the neurons - could stop the network from developing and prevent metastasis.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“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.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">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></p> — IRB Barcelona (@IRBBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/IRBBarcelona/status/1458464584113827845?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Helen Rippon, the chief executive at Worldwide Cancer Research, praised the work as a “huge breakthrough”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“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 </span><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"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ms Rippon said about 90 percent of cancer deaths across the world can be attributed to metastasis.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Learning more about what makes cancer spread and - importantly - how to stop it is the way forward to reduce those numbers.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images / @worldwidecancerresearch (Instagram)</span></em></p>

Body

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"My name is Cleo": Missing Cleo Smith FOUND alive and well

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After vanishing from a campsite 19 days ago, Cleo Smith has been found “alive and well” in a locked house in Western Australia.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After breaking into the Carnarvan home at about 1am on Wednesday, police found the little girl in one of the rooms.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Cleo is alive and well,” Deputy Commissioner Coll Blanch </span><a href="https://7news.com.au/news/wa/missing-four-year-old-girl-cleo-smith-found-alive-and-well-c-4408856"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in a statement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“They found little Cleo in one of the rooms.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“One of the officers picked her up in his arms and asked her, ‘What’s your name?’.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“She said, ‘My name is Cleo’.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She was reunited with her family a short while later.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This is the outcome we all hoped and prayed for,” Blanch said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s the outcome we’ve achieved because of some incredible police work.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I want to thank Cleo’s parents, the Western Australian community and the many volunteers.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“And of course, I want to thank my colleagues in the Western Australia Police Force.”</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">They found her?! Extraordinary. I’m not even her mum and I’m crying with happiness ❤️ Incredible job WA police <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cleo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cleo</a></p> — Rachel Smith (@rachsmithjourno) <a href="https://twitter.com/rachsmithjourno/status/1455635193767755777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Carnarvon man has been taken into custody and is currently being questioned by detectives.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cleo first disappeared while her family was camping at the Blowholes campsite near Carnarvon.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since then, police have searched the family’s home, reviewed CCTV footage, scoured the dark web, and enlisted the assistance of volunteers and interstate and US authorities.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A $1 million reward was previously announced by the WA government for any information leading to Cleo’s location.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845286/cleo2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/239247dccc8b447a8151348375558a5a" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: 7News</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Criminologist Xxanthe Mallett said the news was a “miracle” as “it’s highly unusual to find an abducted child alive and well after so long”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’ve got to say that I have been expecting the worst, we’re up to day 19 now,” she told </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sunrise </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">on Wednesday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, she believes the man currently being questioned is likely linked to Cleo and her family.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We always felt that this was something targeted,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I imagine that they will know Cleo, there will be some link to Cleo and that’s how they will have tracked them down.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: 7News</span></em></p>

News

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Major breakthrough in search for Brian Laundrie

<p>A major breakthrough has occurred in the case of Brian Laundrie, who disappeared from his house in Florida in early September.</p> <p>The investigation into Brian, <span>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. </span></p> <p><span>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.</span></p> <p><span>Chris Laundrie, Brian's father, joined law enforcement and went to the reserve to </span>help them look on Thursday morning.</p> <p><span>“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.</span></p> <p><span>The North Port Police Department also confirmed that a notice was placed on a seemingly abandoned </span>vehicle that belonged to the Laundrie family close to the reserve on September 14th.</p> <p>Brian originally told his family that he was heading to reserve the last time they saw him.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Gabby and Brian had been travelling across the United States in a 'van life' trip that they were documenting on social media.</p> <p>Gabby was officially reported missing on September 11th: 10 days after Brian returned home from Florida without her.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Brian originally refused to speak with police when questioned, and then went missing himself.</p> <p>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 <span>for unauthorised use of another person’s debit card.</span></p> <p>He was last seen on September 13th by his family, and has been missing for 25 days.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook / Instagram @gabspetito</em></p>

News

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Curing the incurable: A new breakthrough in childhood cancer

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Scientists are on the cusp of a medical breakthrough that could help in the treatment of an aggressive brain cancer.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, or DIPG, is the most aggressive childhood cancer with a </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.ccia.org.au/blog/dipg-shining-a-light-on-the-deadliest-childhood-cancer"><span style="font-weight: 400;">current survival rate of 0%</span></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">. 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.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But now a new drug offers hope to patients diagnosed with the disease.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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.</span></p> <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&amp;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&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Children's Cancer Institute (@childrenscancerinstitute)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Associate Professor David Ziegler from </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.ccia.org.au/blog/australian-researchers-find-new-way-to-target-deadly-childhood-cancer"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Children’s Cancer Institute</span></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> 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.”</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Speaking to Sunrise, he said the development was “a fantastic and exciting breakthrough.”</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This is one of the worst cancers to affect either children or adults and until now we’ve had no effective treatments,” he continued.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’re at the point where we’ve found a drug that looks really effective and is actually finally promising some hope.”</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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”.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’re working as quickly as possible to bring this to kids who desperately need it,” Ziegler said.</span></p>

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Incredible breakthrough in breast cancer treatment

<p>An incredible new study from an Aussie scientist has discovered that bee venom is effective in killing aggressive breast cancer cells.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>The scientist behind the research, Dr Ciara Duffy, said a specific concentration of honeybee venom could kill 100 per cent of cancer cells.</p> <p>She said the treatment had minimal effects on normal cells.</p> <p>“The venom was extremely potent,” she said.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>The key ingredient was the compound melittin, naturally occurring in the venom, which Dr Duffy said can be reproduced synthetically.</p> <p>“We found that melittin can completely destroy cancer cell membranes within 60 minutes,” she said.</p> <p>“No-one had previously compared the effects of honeybee venom or melittin across all of the different subtypes of breast cancer and normal cells.”</p> <p>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.</p> <p>“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.</p> <p>Western Australia’s chief scientist, Professor Peter Klinken, said it was an “incredibly exciting observation”.</p> <p>“It provides another wonderful example of where compounds in nature can be used to treat human diseases,” he said.</p> <p>Dr Duffy’s research was conducted as part of her PhD.</p> <p>“I began with collecting Perth honeybee venom,” she said.</p> <p>“Perth bees are some of the healthiest in the world.</p> <p>“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.”</p> <p><strong>IMAGE:</strong> Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research</p>

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Alzheimer’s breakthrough discovery

<p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Researchers have discovered gene therapy is safe when given in high doses and for a long period of time.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>"Our work delivers a very powerful piece in this puzzle," he said in a statement.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>"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.</p> <p>The two researchers said the possible success of this new therapy could be within reach in five to 10 years.</p>

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Breakthrough treatment for glaucoma sufferers

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>An eye implant that's smaller than a grain of sand has the potential to revolutionise the treatment of glaucoma, which is a leading cause of blindness. </p> <p>The implant measures just 0.2mm by 1mm and is a tiny polyester plug that gradually releases bimatoprost.</p> <p>This is a drug that's already found in eye drops that are often prescribed to patients to treat glaucoma. </p> <p>With more than seven in ten patients failing to use the drops properly, this highly reduces the benefit of the drug and others suffer from side-effects of the eye drops.</p> <p>It is hoped that the implant will improve treatment as well as slow down the progression of the disease.</p> <p>Glaucoma is most common in people in their 70s and 80s and is often caused by fluid building up in the front part of the eye.</p> <p>This increases pressure in the eye and squeezes the optic nerve, killing some of the fibres needed to transmit information to the brain and leads to a loss of vision.</p> <p>The implant's benefits last for around eight months, with a patient only being able to be fitted for one.</p> <p>It is hoped in the future that they are able to have replacements when needed.</p> <p>"Anything that makes it easier for people to manage glaucoma is a good thing," says Daniel Hardiman-McCartney, clinical adviser for the College of Optometrists.</p> <p>"Implants are a possible option, but recent research suggests that a pressure-lowering laser treatment called selective laser trabeculoplasty may be even more helpful."</p> </div> </div> </div>

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“Major breakthrough”: Scientists find new drug to save COVID-19 patients’ lives

<p>A cheap and widely accessible steroid called dexamethasone has become the first drug that has been shown to save lives among COVID-19 patients.</p> <p>Scientists have hailed it as a “major breakthrough” after trials showed that the drug reduced death rates by around a third of the most severely ill COVID-19 patients admitted to hospital.</p> <p>Dexamethasone is used to reduce inflammation in other diseases and the success of the drug suggest that it should immediately become standard care in patients with severe cases of the pandemic disease.</p> <p>“This is a result that shows that if patients who have COVID-19 and are on ventilators or are on oxygen are given dexamethasone, it will save lives, and it will do so at a remarkably low cost,” said Martin Landray, an Oxford University professor co-leading the trial.</p> <p>“It’s going to be very hard for any drug really to replace this, given that for less than STG50 ($A90) you can treat eight patients and save a life,” he told reporters in an online briefing.</p> <p>Co-lead investigator Peter Horby said that dexamethasone was “the only drug that’s so far shown to reduce mortality and it reduces it significantly”.</p> <p>“It is a major breakthrough,” he said.</p> <p>“Dexamethasone is inexpensive, on the shelf, and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide.”</p> <p>There are currently no approved treatments or vaccines for COVID-19, a disease that has killed more than 431,000 globally.</p> <p>“The survival benefit is clear and large in those patients who are sick enough to require oxygen treatment, so dexamethasone should now become standard of care in these patients,” Horby said.</p>

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Breakthrough drug touted as new hope against coronavirus

<p>A US biotech firm has increased production of an experimental drug that has been touted by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the most promising treatment for the coronavirus.</p> <p>Gilead Sciences said it had also ramped up manufacturing of its antiviral medicine remdesivir to increase its supplies “as rapidly as possible”, as the first clinical trial of the drug in COVID-19 patients is due to report its findings next month.</p> <p>In February, Gilead announced human clinical trials across multiple countries for the treatment, which has been cited by public health officials as the most promising therapy to date to fight the new coronavirus strain.</p> <p>“There is only one drug right now that we think may have real efficacy and that’s remdesivir,” said WHO assistant director-general Bruce Aylward during a press conference in Beijing late February.</p> <p>Timothy Sheahan, virologist at the University of North Carolina told <em><a href="https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/world/hopes-rise-over-experimental-drugs-effectiveness-against-coronavirus/ar-BB10ZO4S?li=AAgfYrC">The Guardian</a> </em>the drug could “help make people’s disease less severe, save lives for those hospitalised, and be used prophylactically for hospital workers and perhaps even in the community to limit spread out there”.</p> <p>At the time of writing, a total of 113,702 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported globally, with the death toll reaching 4,012. The WHO said Monday that of over 80,0000 people who have been infected by the coronavirus in China, more than 70 per cent have recovered and been released from hospitals.</p> <p>“We need to remember that with decisive early action we can slow down the virus and prevent infections,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Among those who are infected, most will recover.”</p>

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New breakthrough test detects Alzheimer’s decades earlier

<p>A simple new blood test can now pinpoint Alzheimer’s disease up to 20 years before any symptoms appear, in a significant breakthrough in the fight against dementia.  </p> <p>Pioneered by Australian and Japanese researchers, the blood test measures levels of beta-amyloid –  known as the “Alzheimer’s protein” – in the brain. The protein begins to build up from the age of 50, years before symptoms often appear, and is a strong indicator that a person will get the disease.</p> <p>The world’s first accurate blood test will make diagnosis much easier, cheaper and more accessible. Currently, most patients only get diagnosed with Alzheimer’s once symptoms appear.</p> <p>Lead researcher Professor Colin Master, from the University of Melbourne, said the blood test can now be a part of a routine health check and screen people for their risk of developing Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia.</p> <p>“I can see ... people having a regular check-up every five years after the age of 55, 60 to determine whether they are on the Alzheimer’s pathway or not,” he said.</p> <p>“The test itself has an accuracy of greater than 90 per cent at predicting people who are at risk of developing Alzheimer’s because they have a build-up of this abnormal protein in the brain,” Professor Master said.</p> <p>However, Professor Masters acknowledges many people might not want to know they one day may suffer from the disease.</p> <p>"Most people probably wouldn't want to have this test unless there's a specific therapy, but many others would take the view that they want to plan ahead by five or 10 years," Professor Masters said.</p> <p>"If the test is negative, there's a 95 per cent chance that you're not going to develop Alzheimer's within the foreseeable future – that means within 10 or 15 years."</p> <p>However, the professor said it will still early days and the blood test will now be used to find people suitable for clinical trials, before hopefully expanding to be used by the wider population.</p> <p>"Always in this type of medical science research, it's always good to have a diagnosis first and then a treatment follows," he said.</p> <p>"Once you can diagnose the condition accurately and specifically, then it makes it so much easier to work on developing a specific therapy."</p> <p> </p>

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Breakthrough for Alzheimer’s sufferers

<p>New research has found that doses of a drug designed to treat epilepsy may restore normal brain activity in people with mild Alzheimer’s disease.</p> <p>The anti-epilepsy drug Levetiracetam is being tested by researchers to see if it helps with disrupted electrical activity in the brain, which has been seen in both epilepsy and dementia.  </p> <p>There’s been increasing evidence in the past decades that seizure-like activity in the brain, experienced by people with epilepsy, also occurs in dementia patients. This is not always seen by doctors, as it is subclinical – it does not always result in a seizure and can only be seen on a brain scan.</p> <p>"In the field of Alzheimer's disease research, there has been a major search for drugs to slow its progression," said Daniel Press, lead researcher and an Instructor of Neurology in the Cognitive Neurology Unit at BIDMC and an Associate Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School.</p> <p>"If this abnormal electrical activity is leading to more damage, then suppressing it could potentially slow the progression of the disease."</p> <p>The study at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre took a small group of patients in a three-stage trial. Each visit, their brain was scanned to measure electrical activity, before being injected with either an inactive placebo or the anti-seizure drug.</p> <p>The drug was administered in two quantities - the lower dose (2.5mg/kg) or higher dose (7.5 mg/kg). Neither patients nor medical professionals knew who was receiving which. </p> <p>After the injection, the participants underwent more scans and a cognitive test.</p> <p>The researchers found that in the patients who had been given the drug it did normalise abnormal brain waves and electrical activity, but they added that it had not improved cognitive function.</p> <p>Press said: “It’s too early to use the drug widely, but we’re preparing for a larger, longer study.”</p>

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Scientists create breakthrough pain relief patch

<p>If you’ve ever experienced chronic pain, arthritis or even nursed a hangover, this news is for you. British scientists have just released a breakthrough in pain relief that might revolutionise the way we medicate: a wearable patch.</p> <p>Researchers from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom have created a wearable device that takes a lot of the guess work and risk out of self-administered pain relief. The device is similar to a nicotine patch. It’s clear and adhesive so it can be discretely worn by users.</p> <p>The real benefit of the patch is its ability to deliver slow release ibuprofen. “[It is] a transparent adhesive patch that can consistently deliver a prolonged high dose of the painkiller ibuprofen directly through the skin," researchers said in a statement. It releases a steady dose over the course of 12 hours, combatting the danger of overdoses associated with pain relief pills.</p> <p>The patch can hold a large amount of the drug, roughly five to ten times that of other medical patches. It’s flexible and easy to remove.</p> <p>So, is this the end of the common pain relief pill? Not yet, but it might be in a few years, say researchers. "Our first products will be over-the-counter pain relief patches and through partnering we would expect to have the first of those products on the market in around two years," says Nigel Davis, CEO of Medherant, the university's commercial arm.</p> <p>Here’s to a pain-free future. </p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/hearing/2015/12/gene-therapy-breakthrough-hearing-loss/">Gene therapy breakthrough for treatment of hearing loss</a></em></strong></p> <p><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/hearing/2015/11/what-to-tell-loves-ones-about-hearing-loss/">What you should tell loved ones about your hearing loss</a></em></strong></p> <p><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/hearing/2015/11/history-of-hearing-aids/">What people did before hearing aids</a></em></strong></p>

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Gene therapy breakthrough for treatment of hearing loss

<p><em><strong>Audiologist Joan McKechnie from HearingDirect explains the latest gene therapy breakthroughs that could change the way hearing loss is treated in the future.</strong></em> </p> <p>Hearing loss is particularly prevalent in older people and by the age of 70, three in four will have some sort of hearing loss. Thankfully, there are some medical breakthroughs occurring in the field of gene therapy that may lead to a new treatment for hearing loss. </p> <p><strong>What is gene therapy?</strong></p> <p>Genes are like an instruction manual for the human body.  They determine what an organism looks like, how it survives and how it behaves in its environment.  Human genes reside in long strands of DNA called chromosomes, of which we have 23. Each gene carries instructions for a particular part of the body to look and behave a certain way. For example, a gene might tell your eyes to be blue. </p> <p>Gene therapy inserts new genes into a patient’s cells, usually to replace an abnormal gene and treat an illness.  Scientists can also alter how a gene works within the human body to change its behaviour.</p> <p><strong>How gene therapy helps with hearing loss</strong></p> <p>The Stanford Initiative to Cure Hearing loss suggests that 70 per cent of the common forms of sensorineural hearing loss are caused by mutations in three genes.  However, researchers at Harvard University believe that as many as 70 genes can cause deafness when mutated.  If scientists could replace or modify those genes, many forms of hearing loss would become treatable. </p> <p>Scientists have already made some positive steps in treating hearing loss that has been caused by a genetic mutation.  Researchers from the Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital managed to partially restore the hearing of mice by removing a mutated gene called transmembrane channel–like 1 (TMC1).  The Harvard researchers estimate that the TMC1 gene mutation causes between 4 to 8 per cent of all cases of deafness in humans.  If the gene mutation can be removed from human patients it could help restore the hearing of millions of people.</p> <p>Researchers have also discovered a gene that plays a role in the regrowth of the hair-like nerve-endings within the cochlea.  If researchers can re-activate the Atoh1 gene, they may be able to treat the hearing loss of millions of people who have sensorineural hearing loss.</p> <p>A drug that may be capable of doing just that is already in clinical trials.  Biotechnology company Genvec has partnered with Novartis to test the drug, named CGF-166.  The trial began in October of 2014 and is expected to finish in 2017.  If the trial has positive results, there may be a mainstream treatment for many forms of hearing loss within the decade.”</p> <p><em>Written by Audiologist Joan McKechnie from UK-based HearingDirect.com.</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/hearing/2015/11/what-to-tell-loves-ones-about-hearing-loss/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>What you should tell loved ones about your hearing loss</strong></em></span></a></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/hearing/2015/11/history-of-hearing-aids/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>What people did before hearing aids</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/hearing/2015/11/hearing-comics-collection/">Hearing comics that will make you laugh</a></strong></em></span></p>

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The breakthrough that can reverse sun damage

<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447968647113_116431"> <div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447968647113_116513"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">As a country that loves to be outdoors, it’s no surprise that New Zealand's rate of skin cancer are among the highest in the world.  But, in a landmark Australian study, researchers have found that cutting the melanoma rate could be possible with a simple vitamin.</span></div> <div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447968647113_116520"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></div> <div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447968647113_116509"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Nicotinamide is a form of vitamin B3 that’s available in supplement form. It works by accelerating the repair of DNA damage caused by harmful UV rays, and in turn reducing the incidence of skin spots. What’s more, it’s inexpensive and readily available at many pharmacies.</span></div> <div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447968647113_116506"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></div> <div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447968647113_116523"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">New research by the University of Sydney has found that when taken as a supplement, this vitamin can lower the risk of developing non-melanoma skin cancer by 23 per cent. The year-long study involved 386 people, who averaged 66 years old and had had two or more skin cancers in the last five years. Those who took 500 milligrams of nicotinamide twice a day experienced the dramatic results.</span></div> <div><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></div> <div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447968647113_116504"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Dr Michel Freeman, Principal Dermatologist at The Skin Centre Suite has been prescribing the vitamin for two years and says these new results are in-line with his patient experience. “I’m seeing approximately a one third reduction in sun-related cancers and pre-cancers in my patients when nicotinamide is taken daily,” he told Over60.</span></div> <div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447968647113_116525"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></div> <div><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Dr Freeman believes nicotinamide won’t just impact patients, but given this new research should have big implications on the healthcare system. “This could potentially save the health system a significant amount of money,” he says. </span></div> <div><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></div> <div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447968647113_116548"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">So, is this supplement right for you? Dr Freeman says people with a history of skin cancer who still spend a lot of time outdoors are the ideal candidates.</span></div> <div><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></div> <div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447968647113_116551"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">In recognition of National Skin Cancer Action Week, here are four ways to be sun smart this summer:</span></strong></div> <div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447968647113_116553"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></div> <div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447968647113_116556"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">1.      Avoid outdoor activities during high UV periods during the middle of the day.</span></div> <div><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">2.      Apply a broad-spectrum, high SPF sunscreen every day. Look for foundations or moisturisers that contain sunscreen to add to your routine.  </span></div> <div><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">3.      Opt for a hat and sunglasses when possible. Time spent in the car is an often overlooked activity that involves sun exposure.</span></div> <div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447968647113_116560"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">4.      Set reminders to have regular skin checks with your dermatologist or GP. Consult a medical professional if you believe you might benefit from a health supplement such as nicotinamide.   </span></div> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><strong> </strong></span></p> </div>

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