Scientists are progressing with developing a blood test that checks for early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of Dementia and in the UK alone it is speculated that over 850,000 people are affected, with millions of others also affected worldwide. It is caused by an increase in the levels of two proteins in the brain- amyloid and tau. These protein deposits accumulate in the brain and cause damage to nerve cells. These cells are used to communicate with each other for healthy cognitive function. This damage leads to the common …
Users of FaceApp warned over potential security issues
You may have noticed a new craze on social media this week. A craze which sees people uploading edited images of themselves, appearing to show them as elderly people. This is done via an app called FaceApp. Thousands of people have been using it, however security concerns have been raised. Firstly, let's explain what the app is. We'll then look into the problems. What's FaceApp? FaceApp is a mobile application that allows users to edit photographs. Alongside the now-infamous ageing technique, you're also able to turn blank or grumpy expressions into smiley ones, and edit make-up …
Alan Turing to Feature on the Bank of England’s New £50 note
Alan Turing was a computer pioneer, mathematician and code breaker during World War Two. He is celebrated for his outstanding code-cracking work that was vital to the Allies. The work carried out by Alan and others at Bletchley Park in breaking the Enigma code saved millions of lives during the war. The effort approximately cut the war short by three years and has impacted millions of people lives ever since. Queen Elizabeth II currently features on the £50 note. The change in design has been brought about as part of the Bank of England switch from paper to polymer. The banknote …
NHS team up with Amazon Alexa
As of this week, you will be able to “Ask Alexa” for advice and information regarding health conditions. This comes after a partnership was formed between Amazon and the NHS. Previously, the Alexa device was programmed to scour several different online sources for health information. This meant the information relayed back to the device user may not necessarily be from a reputable source. Furthermore, it was not always verified by medical professionals. The device will now recognize that the user is asking a health-related question and will link directly to information provided by …
John Prescott hospitalised after suffering a stroke
Former deputy Prime Minister John Prescott was admitted to Hull Royal Infirmary on Friday, after suffering a stroke. A statement was released on Lord Prescott’s Twitter, praising the swift actions of the ambulance staff, doctors and nurses in A&E and the stroke unit. The statement read ‘they have been remarkable, and we cannot thank them enough.’ Former Home Secretary Alan Johnson stated that John is ‘over the worst.’ He went on to say, ‘now it’s about the aftercare, it's what comes afterwards that is as important as what happens on the day of the stroke itself.’ This comes …
The Dementia Battle and NHS Pressures: Careline News
In this week's news we discuss what's been in the headlines concerning the elderly. In this series we will be discussing the topics of the Dementia battle, robots helping the elderly, and NHS waiting lists. The Dementia Battle A study has claimed that eating a portion of green vegetables a day can 'help the elderly fight of Dementia'. The study followed 960 healthy pensioners over the course of five years, who had an average age of 81 over. They found that those who had at least one portion a day of spinach, kale and lettuce had better mental capacity than those who never or …
