Australian scientists have discovered a genetic marker they say could identify whether patients with prostate cancer are likely to develop a more aggressive form of the disease which, in most cases, is untreatable. www.sbs.com.au/news/a-breakthrough-and-funding-pledge-for-one-of-australia-s-most-common-cancers

Australian scientists have discovered that special immune cells have the power to put melanoma tumours "to sleep", potentially paving the way for new treatments. The cancer cells aren't completely killed. They are still there, but they are held in check by the tissue-resident memory T cells. It seems that the T cells can patrol the skin and watch over the melanoma tumour cells. Melanoma remains the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, behind breast cancer, prostate cancer and colorectal cancer. Australia and New Zealand have the world's highest incidence rate for melanoma. https://www.smh.com.au/healthcare/hopes-of-melanoma-breakthrough-from-cells-that-put-cancer-to-sleep-20181231-p50oz3.html

The da Vinci Surgical System is a robotic surgical system made by the American company Intuitive Surgical. It's designed to facilitate complex surgery using a minimally invasive approach, and is controlled by a surgeon from a console. The system is commonly used for prostatectomies, and increasingly for cardiac valve repair and gynecologic surgical procedures According to the manufacturer, the da Vinci System is called "da Vinci" in part because Leonardo da Vinci's "study of human anatomy eventually led to the design of the first known robot in history". https://youtu.be/KNHgeykDXFw

Gastrointestinal diseases, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) are extremely common, affecting up to 20% of people in western countries. Symptoms include pain, bloating and altered bowel habits. It can be debilitating, embarrassing, and have a huge impact on quality of life. Current methods for diagnosing IBS typically include invasive tests, such as a colonoscopy. The Noisy Guts Project is developing an acoustic belt that records gut noises over time so doctors can accurately screen, diagnose and monitor gut disorders and diseases. Their Fitbit for the gut helps patients identify triggers and symptoms. www.marshallcentre.uwa.edu.au/research/the-noisy-guts-project

As medical and recreational use of marijuana becomes more widespread, law enforcement tools like this will prove very useful. Hopefully this test for cannabis use will be as important a safeguard as the arrival of the breathalyzer almost 90 years ago. http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/marijuana-spit-test/?