Louise Brown, the world's first "test-tube baby", turns 40 on Wednesday, July 25
Her parents, the railroad worker John Brown and his wife Lesley, have been trying for nine years to conceive unsuccessfully to meet him. Oldham obstetrician, Dr. Patrick Steptoe and his research partner, Dr. Robert Edwards, physiologist at Cambridge in 1977.
Steptoe and Edwards were working with Jean Purdy in the experimental field of in vitro fertilization (IVF) ) and successfully implanted an embryo Mrs. Brown – from a petri dish, rather than a specimen – on November 10 of this year, making headlines around the world
Nine months later Late, a healthy little girl named Louise Joy Brown was born by planned Caesarean section at the Oldham and District General Hospital, weighing five pounds and 12 ounces.
Public reaction to this revolutionary fertility treatment and the "baby of the century" has been decidedly mixed, however.
Tabloid hacks questioned the advent of "Frankenbabies" and sent enough paparazzi to Oldham to provoke a bomb threat, causing the evacuation of the hospital.
Institutional corridors lined up with police officers when John Brown first arrived with his daughter
When the new family arrived in Bristol together, 100 journalists blocked the streets. The curious local children were also in force, including seven-year-old Wesley Mullinder, who would become a nightclub bouncer and Louise's husband, their marriage in 2004 assisted by Dr. Edwards.
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would later write in his memoirs, Louise Brown, My Life as the World's First Test Tube Baby (2015): "My birth seemed to bring out the worst of all journalists.
The Vatican has expressed concern at the announcement of this news, Cardinal Albino Luciano (who will soon be pope John Paul I) telling the press from his hospital bed in 1978 that he had no right to sentence parents for wanting their own child, but he warned that doctors, like the sorcerer's apprentice, might end up struggling to contain the consequences of their actions.
He also argued that In the following months, the Browns received enormous amounts of letters and parcels from interested persons, much of which was retained by Ms. Brown as memories
. Consulting gynecologist Patrick Steptoe (seated left) and physiologist Dr. Robert Edwards (seated on the far left) address the press at the General Hospital. Oldham July 25, 1978 (PA)
Part was warm and congratulated, the rest hated mail from a particularly vicious band, like Louise, now an expedition employee, Take That fan and mother of two, has since recalled in her autobiography .
"Inside, Mom found a small jewelry-style box with the words" Test Tube Baby "printed on a sticker with a picture of some" She thought it might be a another gift from a company eager to be associated with my birth, but when she opened it there was red liquid that seemed to have been spilled and a letter neatly folded. "
also contained a broken glass test tube and a plastic fetus.
"It was threatening and scary and considering the time that people had to take to put this thing together and send it to around the world to a three-month-old baby., I would say a completely sick act by
"Imagine how disturbing it was to mom … For a moment she was even more cautious when she m & # He took the landau.
"[There was] many Catholic objections – and apparently I can read things with my mind and teleport things," she recalls.
Health News in Pictures
1 / 50 Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults are at greater risk for heart disease, according to the study
at the South Florida Baptist Health Clinic in Miami focused on seven areas of controllable heart health and found that these minority groups were particularly likely to be smokers and to have poorly controlled blood sugar levels
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2/50 The potholes are making us fat, watchdog NHS puts on guard
New Guidance by the National Institute for Health and Wellness Excellence (NICE), the body that determines what treatment the NHS should fund, says lax remedies and car-dominated streets contributed to the obesity epidemic by preventing the memb
PA
3/50 New menopausal medications relieve women of "debilitating" hot flashes
A new class of treatments for postmenopausal women is able to In a few days, the number of debilitating hot flushes has reached three quarters, according to one test.
The drug used in the trial belongs to a group known as NKB antagonists (blockers), which have been developed as a treatment for schizophrenia, but have been "sitting on an unused shelf", according to Professor Waljit Dhillo, Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism
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4/50 Doctors should prescribe more antidepressants for people with mental health problems, according to a study
Researchers at the University of 39 Oxford discovered that more than one million additional people would suffer from mental health problems to be prescribed drugs and criticized the "ideological" reasons that doctors use to avoid doing so.
5/50 A student dies of flu after an NHS board to stay home and avoid A & E
flu urged people not to delay going to A & E's They are worried about their symptoms. Melissa Whiteley, an 18-year-old engineering student from Hanford in Stoke-on-Trent, fell ill at Christmas and died at the hospital a month later.
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6/50 Negative Vaginal Mesh Implants
The government is committed to examining tens of thousands of cases where harmful vaginal breast implants have been administered to women
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7/50 Jeremy Hunt announces "zero suicide ambition" for the NHS
The NHS will be asked to go further to prevent the death of patients in its care as part of of a "zero suicide ambition" launched today.
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8/50 Human trials start with cancer therapy that primes the immune system to kill tumors
Human trials began with a new anti-cancer therapy that can prime the immune system to eradicate tumors. The treatment, which works similarly to a vaccine, is a combination of two existing drugs, of which small amounts are injected into the solid mass of a tumor.
The NHS reviews thousands of cervical cancer smears after women gave erroneous results
Thousands of cervical cancer screening results are underway women have incorrectly received the all-clear. A number of women have already been instructed to contact their physician as a result of the identification of "procedural problems" in the service provided by the Pathology First Laboratory
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10 / 50 by scientists
Most patients with breast cancer do not die from their initial tumor, but from secondary malignancies (metastases), where cancer cells can enter the bloodstream and survive to invade new sites. Asparagine, a molecule with the name of asparagus where it has been identified in large quantities, has proven to be an essential ingredient for tumor cells to acquire these migratory properties.
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11/50 The record number of nursing and midwifery positions is currently being announced by the NHS, with more than 34,000 positions currently vacant, according to the latest data. The demand for nurses increased by 19% between July and September 2017 compared to the same period two years ago.
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12/50 Malnutrition deaths in hospitals in England and Wales reach their highest level in a decade
The number of people dying at the # The hospital's malnutrition has reached its highest level in a decade, according to figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). Death certificates from England and Wales show that malnutrition was the leading cause of 66 deaths in 2016.
13/50 Fertility is a breakthrough as an egg lab-grown for the first time
Eggs with the potential to become fertilized embryos were grown in the laboratory for the first time in a breakthrough that could unlock future fertility treatments.
14/50 Cannabis extract could provide a "new class of treatment" for psychosis
CBD has a largely opposite effect to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main component active cannabis and substance causes paranoia and anxiety
Getty
15/50 Baby's health suffers from being born near fracking sites, finds important study
Living Mothers within one kilometer of a fracturing site are 25% more likely to have a child born at a low birth weight, which increases his risk of asthma, ADHD and dementia. other problems
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16/50 More than 75,000 petitions asking Richard Branson's Virgin Care to hand over NHS
Mr Branson's company sued the NHS last year after losing a GBP 82 million contract to provide health services to x children from Surrey, citing concerns about the "serious flaws" of the contract
PA
17/50 Plus t Eight hundred fewer nurses undergoing training in England the first year after the removal of the NHS
The number of people accepted to study nursing in England fell by 3 percent in 2017, while accepted numbers in Wales and Scotland increased. 8,60% and 8% respectively
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18/50 Historical study links conservative austerity to 120,000 deaths
The paper reveals that there were 45 000 more deaths in the first four years of the Tories' reign. efficiency gains only if funding had been maintained at pre-election levels.
On this trajectory that could reach nearly 200,000 additional deaths by the end of 2020, even with the additional funding that has been earmarked for public sector services this year.
Reuters
19/50 Risks
Commuting times can be boring, but new research shows that it can also have a negative effect on your health and work performance. Longer trips also appear to have a significant impact on mental well-being, with a 33% chance of experiencing depression
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20/50 You can not be fit and fat [19659023ItisnotpossibletobeoverweightandhealthyamajornewstudyhasconcludedThestudyof35millionBritonsrevealedthateven"metabolicallyhealthy"obesepeoplestillrunahigherriskofheartdiseaseorstrokethanthosewhoareofnormalheight
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21/50 Sleep Deprivation
When you feel particularly exhausted, it can certainly have the impression of lacking cerebral abilities. Now, a new study has suggested that this could be because chronic sleep deprivation can actually cause the brain to eat itself
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22/50 Exercise class offering naps of 45 minutes
a new health and fitness class that essentially consists of a group of people napping for 45 minutes. The fitness group was encouraged to launch the "napercise" class after the research revealed that 86 percent of parents said they were tired. The class is therefore primarily intended for parents, but you do not need to have children to participate
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23/50 The Basic Right to Health must be removed after Brexit, warn lawyers
Tobacco and alcohol companies could win more easily in court cases such as the recent battle for cigarette packages, if the Charter of Fundamental Rights of EU is abandoned, said a lawyer and a professor of public health
. / 50 "Thousands of people die for fear of non-existent statin side effects
A major new study of the side effects of cholesterol-lowering medication suggests that common symptoms such as muscle pain and weakness are not caused by the drugs themselves
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25/50 Babies born to fathers under 25 years old have a higher risk of autism
A new study has shown that babies born to fathers under age 25 are at higher risk of developing autism and other social disorders. The study, conducted by the Seaver Autism Research and Treatment Center at Mount Sinai, revealed that these children are in fact more advanced than their peers as infants, but then fall behind when they reach their peak. adolescence.
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26/50 Cycling for Work "Could Halve the Risk of Cancer and Heart Disease"
Commuters who exchange their car or bus ride a bike to reduce by almost half, new research suggests – but activists have warned that there is still an "urgent need" to improve road conditions for cyclists.
Cycling at work is associated with a lower risk of developing cancer by 45 per cent and cardiovascular disease by 46 per cent, according to a study of a quarter of a million people.
Researchers at the University of Glasgow have found that walking at work also brings health benefits, but not to the same degree as cycling.
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27/50 Ketamine helps patients with severe depression Doctors say
Ketamine helps patients with severe depression "when nothing else works" say doctors
28/50 Play Tetris at the hospital after trauma could prevent PTSD
victims waiting for treatment in the emergency department and accidents of any kind. a hospital. They asked half of the patients to briefly remember the incident, then to play the classic video game, the others had a written activity to complete. The researchers, from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and Oxford University, found that patients who had played Tetris reported fewer intrusive memories, known as flashbacks, in the week following
Rex
29/50 The measles epidemic spreads in Europe while parents avoid vaccinations, warns WHO
Major epidemics of measles are spread in Europe despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine, warned the World Health Organization.
Anti-vaccine movements are thought to have contributed to low rates of immunization against highly contagious disease in countries such as Italy and Romania, both of which have experienced a recent spike in infections. . Zsuzsanna Jakab, the WHO Regional Director for Europe, said he was "particularly concerned that measles cases are climbing up in Europe" while he said he was "worried about the fact that measles cases are climbing in Europe". they had been down for years.
Vaping backed up as a healthier alternative to nicotine to cigarette after last study
Vaping was given an energetic boost by health experts after the first long-term study of its effects in ex -fumeurs.
After six months, people who switched from the actual cigarette to the electronic cigarette had far fewer toxins and carcinogens in their bodies than the regular smokers, scientists discovered.
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31/50 A common method of cooking rice can leave traces of arsenic in foods, warn scientists
Millions of people put themselves in danger while cooking their rice incorrectly.
Recent experiments show that a common method of cooking rice – simply boiling it in a saucepan until the water is expelled – can expose those who eat it to traces of it. poisoned arsenic, which contaminates rice during its growth due to industrial toxins and pesticides
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32/50 A contraceptive gel that creates an effective "reversible vasectomy" in monkeys
An injectable contraceptive gel that acts as a "reversible vasectomy" is offered to men after successful trials on monkeys.
Vasalgel is injected into the vas deferens, the small canal between the testes and the urethra. It has so far been found to prevent 100 percent of the designs
Vasalgel
33/50 Shift work and heavy lifting can reduce women's fertility, according to a recent study
Women who work nights or make irregular changes may experience a decline of fertility.
According to researchers at Harvard University, shift and night workers have fewer eggs capable of turning into healthy embryos than those who work regularly during the day.
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34/50 Breakfast cereals for children contain "consistently high" sugar levels since 1992 despite producer claims
Major pressure group issued a new warning regarding dangerously high amounts of sugar in breakfast cereals, especially those designed for children, and stated that levels have barely been cut at all in the last two and a half decades
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35/50 Fight Against Pancreatic Cancer Takes Monumental
Scientists have made a "monumental leap forward" in the treatment of pancreatic cancer after discovering that the "pancreatic cancer" is not a problem. combined use of two drugs greatly improved patients' chances of living more than five years after diagnosis
Getty Images / iStockphoto [19659125] 36/50 The Japanese government tells people to stop working
The Japanese government has announced measures to limit the number of overtime employees can do – in order to: stop people literally working to death.
According to a government survey, a fifth of the Japanese workforce is at risk of overwork, known as karoshi, as they work over 80 hours each month.
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37/50 Over "The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued a public warning about the risks of acrylamide – a chemical compound that forms in certain foods when it is in contact with food. they are fired at high temperatures (above 120 ° C).
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38/50 Cervical cancer screening reaches its lowest level in 19 years
Cervical cancer screening tests are a vital method of prevention and treatment of cancer. but new research shows that the number of women using this service has dropped to a low of 19 years.
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39/50 Hypertension Can Protect Over 80s of Dementia
The ConversationIt Well Known as High Blood Press As Urein is a Factor Of dementia risk, the results of a new study from the University of California at Irvine are quite surprising. The researchers found that people who developed high blood pressure between 80 and 89 years are less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease (the most common form of dementia) in the next three years than people of the same age having a normal blood pressure. ] Getty Images / iStockphoto
40/50 Most childhood antidepressants are ineffective and can lead to suicidal thoughts
The majority of antidepressants are ineffective and can be dangerous for children and adolescents with major depression. . In what is the most comprehensive comparison of 14 commonly prescribed antidepressants so far, the researchers found that a single brand was more effective at relieving the symptoms of depression than a placebo. Another popular drug, venlafaxine, has been shown to increase the risk of suicidal and suicide attempts of users
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41/50 The breakthrough of the "universal cancer vaccine" claimed by experts
very positive step "towards the creation of a universal cancer vaccine that makes the body's immune system attack tumors as if it was a virus, have Experts in Writing in Nature, an international team of researchers described how they took pieces of RNA genetic cancer code, put them in tiny nanoparticles of fat and then injected the mixture into the bloodstream of three patients in the advanced stages of the disease.The immune systems of the patients reacted by producing "killer" T cells designed to attack cancer, according to researchers led by Professor Ugur S ahin of the Johannes Gutenberg University in Germany, the vaccine proved effective against "aggressive" tumors in mice
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42/50 Green tea could be used to treat brain problems caused by Down syndrome
A compound found in green tea could improve the cognitive abilities of people with Down syndrome, a team of scientists discovered. The researchers found that epigallocatechin gallate, particularly present in green tea, can also be found in white and black teas, combined with cognitive stimulation, improved visual memory and more adaptive behavior . Dr. Rafael de la Torre, who led the clinical trial of a year with Dr. Mara Dierrssen, said: "The results suggest that people who received treatment with the green tea compound, with the cognitive stimulation protocol, get better cognitive scores. "
43/50 Taking antidepressants during pregnancy" could double the risk of autism in toddlers "
The taking of Antidepressants during pregnancy could almost double the risk that a child will be diagnosed with autism in the first years of life, a major study of nearly 150,000 pregnancies suggested. "Researchers found a link between women in the late stages of pregnancy that were prescribed one of the most common types of antidepressant drugs, and autism diagnosed in children younger than seven years old
44/50 Warning about Calpol [19659025LesparentsontétéprévenusquedonnerdesmédicamentsàbasedeparacétamolàdesenfantstelsqueCalpoletDisproltropsouventpourraitentraînerdegravesproblèmesdesantéplustarddanslavieAlastairSutcliffeéminentpédiatreetprofesseurdepédiatriegénéraleàl'UniversityCollegedeLondresadéclaréquelesparentsabusaientduparacétamolpourtraiterlesfièvreslégèresEnconséquencelerisquededévelopperdel'asthmeainsiquedeslésionsrénalescardiaquesethépatiquesestaccru
45/50 connections between brain cells destroyed in the early stages of the disease & # 39; AD
Scientists have identified the brain is destroyed in early stages of Alzheimer's disease, in a study that, we hope, will contribute to the development of treatments for debilitating disease. In the early stages of development of Alzheimer's disease, synapses – which connect neurons in the brain – are destroyed, according to researchers at the University of New South Wales, Australia. Synapses are vital for brain function, especially the learning and the formation of memories
46/50 A prosthetic hand that lets people feel the sensation
Technology allows paralyzed people to feel real sensations by touching objects. the mechanical finger – and could be a huge breakthrough for prosthetics, according to its makers. The tool was used to let a 28 year old man who was paralyzed for more than a decade. While prostheses could be controlled directly from the brain, it is the first time that signals have been successfully sent in the other direction
47/50 Research shows that the diabetes can be used to stop the early signs of Parkinson's
Scientists in a new study show that early signs of Parkinson's disease can be stopped. The UCL study is still in its research period, but the team is "excited". Today's Parkinson's medications manage the symptoms of the disease but do not stop its progression in the brain
PA
48/50 Drinking alcohol could reduce risk of diabetes
A new study shows that alcohol three to four days a week could reduce the risk of diabetes. Wine has proven to be the most effective at reducing the risk due to chemical compounds that balance blood sugar levels.
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49/50 NHS agrees, after losing the legal battle, to finance HIV prevention drug
Having lost the legal battle over who had to pay for the drug, the NHS finally agreed to fund HIV prevention treatment. The National Aids Trust, supported by Princess Diana, stated that it was "a decisive moment"
Getty
50/50 Scientists discover that the biological fat change
found that the area of the brain hypothalamus. The switch acts on the insulin receptors and involves the TCPTP protein. Scientists have discovered the change in the mice and are optimistic, but still to know if the change would be the same in humans.
PA
1/50 Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Adults at Higher Risk of Developing Heart Disease
Researchers at the Baptist Health South Florida Clinic in Miami focused on seven areas of controllable heart health. constaté que ces groupes minoritaires étaient particulièrement susceptibles d'être des fumeurs et d'avoir un taux de sucre sanguin mal contrôlé
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2/50 Les nids de poule nous font grossir, avertit le NHS
Nouvelles directives du National Institute for Health et Care Excellence (NICE), le corps qui détermine quel traitement le NHS devrait financer, a déclaré que les réparations de routes laxistes et les rues dominées par les voitures contribuaient à l'épidémie d'obésité en empêchant les membres du public de rester actifs
/ 50 Les nouveaux médicaments contre la ménopause soulagent les femmes des bouffées de chaleur «débilitantes»
Une nouvelle classe de traitements pour les femmes ménopausées peut réduire de trois quarts le nombre de bouffées de chaleur débilitantes en quelques jours, un procès a trouvé.
Le médicament utilisé dans l'essai appartient à un groupe connu sous le nom d'antagonistes NKB (bloqueurs), qui ont été développés comme un traitement pour la schizophrénie, mais ont été "assis sur une étagère inutilisée", selon le professeur Waljit Dhillo, professeur d'endocrinologie et métabolisme
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4/50 Les médecins devraient prescrire plus d'antidépresseurs pour les personnes ayant des problèmes de santé mentale, selon une étude
Une étude de l'Université d'Oxford a révélé que plus d'un million de personnes supplémentaires souffriraient de problèmes de santé mentale. d'être prescrit des médicaments et critiqué les raisons "idéologiques" que les médecins utilisent pour éviter de le faire.
5/50 Un étudiant meurt de la grippe après un conseil du NHS pour rester à la maison et éviter A & E
de la grippe a exhorté les gens à ne pas retarder aller à A & E s'ils s'inquiètent de leurs symptômes. Melissa Whiteley, une étudiante en génie de Hanford à Stoke-on-Trent, âgée de 18 ans, est tombée malade à Noël et est décédée à l'hôpital un mois plus tard.
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6/50 des implants de maille vaginale nuisibles
Le gouvernement s'est engagé à examiner des dizaines de milliers de cas où des implants de maille vaginale nuisibles ont été administrés aux femmes
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7/50 Jeremy Hunt annonce «zéro suicide ambition» pour le NHS
On demandera au NHS d'aller plus loin pour empêcher la mort de patients dans ses soins dans le cadre d'une «ambition zéro suicide» lancée aujourd'hui.
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8/50 Human les essais débutent par un traitement anticancéreux qui amorce le système immunitaire pour tuer les tumeurs
Les essais humains ont débuté avec une nouvelle thérapie anticancéreuse qui peut amorcer le système immunitaire pour éradiquer les tumeurs. Le traitement, qui fonctionne de manière similaire à un vaccin, est une combinaison de deux médicaments existants, dont de petites quantités sont injectées dans la masse solide d'une tumeur.
Le NHS passe en revue des milliers de frottis de cancer du col de l'utérus après que les femmes aient donné des résultats erronés
Des milliers de résultats de dépistage du cancer du col de l'utérus sont en cours de révision. les femmes ont reçu incorrectement le tout-clair. Un certain nombre de femmes ont déjà reçu l'ordre de contacter leur médecin suite à l'identification de "problèmes de procédure" dans le service fourni par le Pathology First Laboratory.
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10/50 La clé potentielle pour stopper la propagation du cancer du sein a été découverte par les scientifiques
La plupart des patients atteints de cancer du sein ne meurent pas de leur tumeur initiale, mais de tumeurs malignes secondaires (métastases), où les cellules cancéreuses peuvent pénétrer dans le sang et survivre pour envahir de nouveaux sites. L'asparagine, une molécule portant le nom d'asperges où elle a été identifiée pour la première fois en grandes quantités, s'est avérée être un ingrédient essentiel pour que les cellules tumorales acquièrent ces propriétés migratoires.
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11/50 Le nombre record de postes de soins infirmiers et obstétricaux est actuellement annoncé par le NHS, avec plus de 34 000 postes actuellement vacants, selon les dernières données. La demande d'infirmières a augmenté de 19% entre juillet et septembre 2017 par rapport à la même période il y a deux ans
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12/50 Les décès en malnutrition dans les hôpitaux d'Angleterre et du Pays de Galles atteignent leur plus haut niveau depuis une décennie
Le nombre de personnes décédées à l'hôpital du fait de la malnutrition a atteint son niveau le plus élevé depuis une décennie, selon les chiffres de l'Office of National Statistics (ONS). Death certificates from England and Wales show that malnutrition was listed as the primary cause in a total of 66 deaths in 2016.
13/50 Fertility 'breakthrough' as human eggs grown in lab for first time
Human eggs with the potential to become fertilised embryos have been grown in a laboratory for the first time in a breakthrough that could unlock future fertility treatments.
14/50 Cannabis extract could provide ‘new class of treatment’ for psychosis
CBD has a broadly opposite effect to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active component in cannabis and the substance that causes paranoia and anxiety.
Getty
15/50 Babies' health suffers from being born near fracking sites, finds major study
Mothers living within a kilometre of a fracking site were 25 per cent more likely to have a child born at low birth weight, which increase their chances of asthma, ADHD and other issues
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16/50 Over 75,000 sign petition calling for Richard Branson's Virgin Care to hand settlement money back to NHS
Mr Branson’s company sued the NHS last year after it lost out on an £82m contract to provide children’s health services across Surrey, citing concerns over “serious flaws” in the way the contract was awarded
PA
17/50 More t han 700 fewer nurses training in England in first year after NHS bursary scrapped
The numbers of people accepted to study nursing in England fell 3 per cent in 2017, while the numbers accepted in Wales and Scotland, where the bursaries were kept, increased 8.4 per cent and 8 per cent respectively
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18/50 Landmark study links Tory austerity to 120,000 deaths
The paper found that there were 45,000 more deaths in the first four years of Tory-led efficiencies than would have been expected if funding had stayed at pre-election levels.
On this trajectory that could rise to nearly 200,000 excess deaths by the end of 2020, even with the extra funding that has been earmarked for public sector services this year.
Reuters
19/50 Long commutes carry health risks
Hours of commuting may be mind-numbingly dull, but new research shows that it might also be having an adverse effect on both your health and performance at work. Longer commutes also appear to have a significant impact on mental wellbeing, with those commuting longer 33 per cent more likely to suffer from depression
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20/50 You cannot be fit and fat
It is not possible to be overweight and healthy, a major new study has concluded. The study of 3.5 million Britons found that even “metabolically healthy” obese people are still at a higher risk of heart disease or a stroke than those with a normal weight range
Getty Images/iStockphoto
21/50 Sleep deprivation
When you feel particularly exhausted, it can definitely feel like you are also lacking in brain capacity. Now, a new study has suggested this could be because chronic sleep deprivation can actually cause the brain to eat itself
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22/50 Exercise classes offering 45 minute naps launch
David Lloyd Gyms have launched a new health and fitness class which is essentially a bunch of people taking a nap for 45 minutes. The fitness group was spurred to launch the ‘napercise’ class after research revealed 86 per cent of parents said they were fatigued. The class is therefore predominantly aimed at parents but you actually do not have to have children to take part
Getty Images/iStockphoto
23/50 'Fundamental right to health' to be axed after Brexit, lawyers warn
Tobacco and alcohol companies could win more easily in court cases such as the recent battle over plain cigarette packaging if the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is abandoned, a barrister and public health professor have said.
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24/50 'Thousands dying' due to fear over non-existent statin side-effects
A major new study into the side effects of the cholesterol-lowering medicine suggests common symptoms such as muscle pain and weakness are not caused by the drugs themselves
Getty Images/iStockphoto
25/50 Babies born to fathers aged under 25 have higher risk of autism
New research has found that babies born to fathers under the age of 25 or over 51 are at higher risk of developing autism and other social disorders. The study, conducted by the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai, found that these children are actually more advanced than their peers as infants, but then fall behind by the time they hit their teenage years.
Getty Images/iStockphoto
26/50 Cycling to work ‘could halve risk of cancer and heart disease’
Commuters who swap their car or bus pass for a bike could cut their risk of developing heart disease and cancer by almost half, new research suggests – but campaigners have warned there is still an “urgent need” to improve road conditions for cyclists.
Cycling to work is linked to a lower risk of developing cancer by 45 per cent and cardiovascular disease by 46 per cent, according to a study of a quarter of a million people.
Walking to work also brought health benefits, the University of Glasgow researchers found, but not to the same degree as cycling.
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27/50 Ketamine helps patients with severe depression ‘when nothing else works’ doctors say
Ketamine helps patients with severe depression ‘when nothing else works’ doctors say
28/50 Playing Tetris in hospital after a traumatic incident could prevent PTSD
Scientists conducted the research on 71 car crash victims as they were waiting for treatment at one hospital’s accident and emergency department. They asked half of the patients to briefly recall the incident and then play the classic computer game, the others were given a written activity to complete. The researchers, from Karolinska Institute in Sweden and the University of Oxford, found that the patients who had played Tetris reported fewer intrusive memories, commonly known as flashbacks, in the week that followed
Rex
29/50 Measles outbreak spreads across Europe as parents shun vaccinations, WHO warns
Major measles outbreaks are spreading across Europe despite the availability of a safe, effective vaccine, the World Health Organisation has warned.
Anti-vaccine movements are believed to have contributed to low rates of immunisation against the highly contagious disease in countries such as Italy and Romania, which have both seen a recent spike in infections. Zsuzsanna Jakab, the WHO’s regional director for Europe, said it was “of particular concern that measles cases are climbing in Europe” when they had been dropping for years
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30/50 Vaping backed as healthier nicotine alternative to cigarettes after latest study
Vaping has been given an emphatic thumbs up by health experts after the first long-term study of its effects in ex-smokers.
After six months, people who switched from real to e-cigarettes had far fewer toxins and cancer-causing substances in their bodies than continual smokers, scientists found
Getty Images
31/50 Common method of cooking rice can leave traces of arsenic in food, scientists warn
Millions of people are putting themselves at risk by cooking their rice incorrectly, scientists have warned.
Recent experiments show a common method of cooking rice — simply boiling it in a pan until the water has steamed out — can expose those who eat it to traces of the poison arsenic, which contaminates rice while it is growing as a result of industrial toxins and pesticides
Getty Images/iStockphoto
32/50 Contraceptive gel that creates ‘reversible vasectomy’ shown to be effective in monkeys
An injectable contraceptive gel that acts as a ‘reversible vasectomy’ is a step closer to being offered to men following successful trials on monkeys.
Vasalgel is injected into the vas deferens, the small duct between the testicles and the urethra. It has so far been found to prevent 100 per cent of conceptions
Vasalgel
33/50 Shift work and heavy lifting may reduce women’s fertility, study finds
Women who work at night or do irregular shifts may experience a decline in fertility, a new study has found.
Shift and night workers had fewer eggs capable of developing into healthy embryos than those who work regular daytime hours, according to researchers at Harvard University
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34/50 Breakfast cereals targeted at children contain 'steadily high' sugar levels since 1992 despite producer claims
A major pressure group has issued a fresh warning about perilously high amounts of sugar in breakfast cereals, specifically those designed for children, and has said that levels have barely been cut at all in the last two and a half decades
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35/50 Fight against pancreatic cancer takes ‘monumental leap forward’
Scientists have made a “monumental leap forward” in the treatment of pancreatic cancer after discovering using two drugs together dramatically improved patients’ chances of living more than five years after diagnosis.
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36/50 Japanese government tells people to stop overworking
The Japanese government has announced measures to limit the amount of overtime employees can do – in an attempt to stop people literally working themselves to death.
A fifth of Japan’s workforce are at risk of death by overwork, known as karoshi, as they work more than 80 hours of overtime each month, according to a government survey.
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37/50 Over-cooked potatoes and burnt toast ‘could cause cancer’
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued a public warning over the risks of acrylamide – a chemical compound that forms in some foods when they are cooked at high temperatures (above 120C).
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38/50 Cervical cancer screening attendance hits 19 year low
Cervical screening tests are a vital method of preventing cancer through the detection and treatment of abnormalities in the cervix, but new research shows that the number of women using this service has dropped to a 19 year low.
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39/50 High blood pressure may protect over 80s from dementia
The ConversationIt is well known that high blood pressure is a risk factor for dementia, so the results of a new study from the University of California, Irvine, are quite surprising. The researchers found that people who developed high blood pressure between the ages of 80-89 are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease (the most common form of dementia) over the next three years than people of the same age with normal blood pressure.
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40/50 Most child antidepressants are ineffective and can lead to suicidal thoughts
The majority of antidepressants are ineffective and may be unsafe, for children and teenager with major depression, experts have warned. In what is the most comprehensive comparison of 14 commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs to date, researchers found that only one brand was more effective at relieving symptoms of depression than a placebo. Another popular drug, venlafaxine, was shown increase the risk users engaging in suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide
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41/50 'Universal cancer vaccine’ breakthrough claimed by experts
Scientists have taken a “very positive step” towards creating a universal vaccine against cancer that makes the body’s immune system attack tumours as if they were a virus, experts have said. Writing in Nature, an international team of researchers described how they had taken pieces of cancer’s genetic RNA code, put them into tiny nanoparticles of fat and then injected the mixture into the bloodstreams of three patients in the advanced stages of the disease. The patients' immune systems responded by producing "killer" T-cells designed to attack cancer. The vaccine was also found to be effective in fighting “aggressively growing” tumours in mice, according to researchers, who were led by Professor Ugur Sahin from Johannes Gutenberg University in Germany
Rex
42/50 Green tea could be used to treat brain issues caused by Down’s Syndrome
A compound found in green tea could improve the cognitive abilities of those with Down’s syndrome, a team of scientists has discovered. Researchers found epigallocatechin gallate – which is especially present in green tea but can also be found in white and black teas – combined with cognitive stimulation, improved visual memory and led to more adaptive behaviour. Dr Rafael de la Torre, who led the year-long clinical trial along with Dr Mara Dierrssen, said: “The results suggest that individuals who received treatment with the green tea compound, together with the cognitive stimulation protocol, had better scores in their cognitive capacities”
43/50 Taking antidepressants in pregnancy ‘could double the risk of autism in toddlers’
Taking antidepressants during pregnancy could almost double the risk of a child being diagnosed with autism in the first years of life, a major study of nearly 150,000 pregnancies has suggested. Researchers have found a link between women in the later stages of pregnancy who were prescribed one of the most common types of antidepressant drugs, and autism diagnosed in children under seven years of age
44/50 Warning over Calpol
Parents have been warned that giving children paracetamol-based medicines such as Calpol and Disprol too often could lead to serious health issues later in life. Leading paediatrician and professor of general paediatrics at University College London, Alastair Sutcliffe, said parents were overusing paracetamol to treat mild fevers. As a result, the risk of developing asthma, as well as kidney, heart and liver damage is heightened
45/50 Connections between brain cells destroyed in early stages of Alzheimer’s disease
Scientists have pinpointed how connections in the brain are destroyed in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, in a study which it is hoped will help in the development of treatments for the debilitating condition. At the early stages of the development of Alzheimer’s disease the synapses – which connect the neurons in the brain – are destroyed, according to researchers at the University of New South Wales, Australia. The synapses are vital for brain function, particularly learning and forming memories
46/50 A prosthetic hand that lets people actually feel through
The technology lets paralysed people feel actual sensations when touching objects — including light taps on the mechanical finger — and could be a huge breakthrough for prosthetics, according to its makers. The tool was used to let a 28-year-old man who has been paralysed for more than a decade. While prosthetics have previously been able to be controlled directly from the brain, it is the first time that signals have been successfully sent the other way
47/50 Research shows that diabetes drug can be used to stop first signs of Parkinson’s
Scientists in a new study show that the first signs of Parkinson’s can be stopped. The UCL study is still in its research period but the team are ‘excited’. Today’s Parkinson’s drugs manage the symptoms of the disease but ultimately do not stop its progression in the brain.
PA
48/50 Drinking alcohol could reduce risk of diabetes
A new study shows that drinking alcohol three to four days a week could reduce the risk of diabetes. Wine was found to be most effective in reducing the risk due to the chemical compounds that balance blood sugar levels.
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49/50 NHS agree, after loosing legal battle, to fund HIV prevention drug
Having lost the legal battle over who was to pay for the drug the NHS have finally agreed to fund the HIV prevention treatment. National Aids Trust, whom Princess Diana supported, said that it was a ‘pivotal moment’.
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50/50 Scientists discover biological fat-switch
Scientists have discovered that the switch is controlled in the hypothalamus area of the brain. The switch acts on insulin receptors and involves the protein TCPTP. Scientists have discovered the switch in mice and are hopeful but yet to find out if the switch would be the same in humans.
PA
At primary school, Louise’s fellow pupils knew about the sensation her birth had caused but struggled to comprehend the science behind it.
“I’ve always been a bigger girl and they used to say: ‘How did I fit in the test tube?’”
Living in the public gaze put a strain on the family but Lesley Brown felt an obligation to share her miracle baby with the world.
Louise likewise routinely takes time out from her job to attend fertility conferences around the world and spoke at the European Parliament on access to IVF in February 2017.
Louise Brown with Dr Robert Edwards in 2008 (PA)
Astonishingly, four decades on, she is still receiving abuse and harassment, with online trolls replacing the anonymous poison pen authors of the past.
“People put cruel and ill-informed comments on the internet just about whenever there is a story about me. But I just ignore it.”