Scientists in Israel have created a model of a human embryo from stem cells, without using sperm, eggs or a womb. A team at Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science made the model, which resembles an embryo at day 14, when it acquires internal structures but before it lays down the foundations for body organs, and the work was published in the journal Nature. But the scientists involved said it would take a long time yet to create an embryo from scratch. Team leader Jacob Hanna said the team took stem cells derived from adult human skin cells, as well as others cultured in the lab, then reverted the cells to an early state.They then manipulated them to make a model of an embryo, rather than an actual or synthetic one. "The question is, when does an embryo model become considered an embryo? When that happens, we know the regulations. At the moment we are really, really far off from that point," Hanna said. However, they said the work could open the door to new ways to test the effect of drugs on pregnancies, better understand miscarriages and genetic diseases, and maybe grow transplant tissues and organs. "They are not identical. There are differences from human embryos, but still, this is the first time, if you open an atlas or a textbook, you can say - yeah I can really see the similarity between them," said Hanna. "In about 1 percent of the aggregates we can see that the cells start differentiating correctly, migrating and sorting themselves into the correct structure, and the farthest we could get is day 14 in human embryo development," he said. Their next goal, Hanna said, is to advance to day 21 and also reach a threshold of a 50 per cent success rate. Magdalena Żernicka-Goetz, a professor of development and stem cells at the University of Cambridge, said the study joins six other similar human embryo-like models published from teams around the world this year, including from her lab. "None of these models fully recapitulate natural human development but each adds to ways in which many aspects of human development can now be studied experimentally," she said. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Mia Sugimoto left the Barbie movie feeling inspired; she'd never seen the experience of girlhood

North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper signed into law significant changes to the state's recently passed 12-week abortion ban before it is set to go into effect Saturday.

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SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 2, 2023--

The Universal Orlando Resort theme park in Florida plans to open a new land next year based on characters from DreamWorks Animation

Paris Hilton has surprised the world with the announcement of her second child. The American socialite, 42, took to Instagram on Thanksgiving (23 November) to share the arrival of her second baby with husband Carter Reum - a baby girl. She revealed the news by posting a photo of a pink pajama set with the name “London” inscribed on the Peter Pan collared top. “Thankful for my baby girl,” the DJ captioned the post. She placed a pair of hot pink heart-shaped sunglasses and a brown, knitted toy bunny alongside the cosy PJ’s. Fellow celebrities and fans rushed to congratulate the mother of two on the arrival of her daughter. Supermodel Naomi Campbell commented under the Instagram post: “Congratulations @parishilton & welcome Londom [sic].” “Omggg! Congratulations you guys! This is so amazing!” commented fashion designer Kimora Lee Simmons. “Can’t wait to meet London!” Singer Demi Lovato wrote: “Omg congratulations!!!” Meanwhile, Hilton’s aunt and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, Kyle Richards, left a series of pink heart emojis in the comments section. In addition to baby London, Hilton and Reum are already parents to their 10-month-old son, Phoenix Barron. The couple - who were married in November 2021 - welcomed their first child via surrogate in January. The heiress also celebrated the birth of her second child on TikTok, where she shared videos of her family’s sweet reaction to the new arrival. In one TikTok video posted on Thanksgiving, Hilton can be heard asking her niece and nephew: “You guys excited for your new cousin?” In response, her nephew asked: “You have two babies?” “I have two babies,” she replied. @parishilton Priceless moments? Family is everything? ♬ original sound - ParisHilton In another TikTok video, Hilton and Reum can be seen celebrating Phoenix becoming a big brother. “Big brother! Big brother!” the couple chanted as Hilton held up Phoenix, who was wearing a grey onesie and white knitted turkey-themed beanie. “OMG ANOTHER BABY!!!! A GIRL SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!” one fan commented on TikTok, to which Hilton wrote back: “My princess has arrived!!” The surprise birth of Hilton’s daughter may not come as a surprise at all, considering the influencer waited until her son Phoenix was born to announce his arrival on Instagram. “You are already loved beyond words,” she captioned the post on 24 January, which showed her holding her son’s tiny hand. Just one month after welcoming her newborn son, the DJ revealed that her family didn’t know their surrogate gave birth until Phoenix was one week old. “Not even my mom, my sisters, my best friend knew until he was over a week old,” Hilton explained on her iHeartRadio podcast, This Is Paris. “It was really nice to have that with Carter, be our own journey together. I just feel like my life has been so public, and I’ve never really had anything be just mine.” Read More Paris Hilton’s husband reveals why she wanted to keep their son’s birth secret Paris Hilton makes grand entrance into F1 party but ‘no one’ is there to watch Jennifer Aniston revealed her wellness secret on Instagram. We try the Body Ballancer Nicky Hilton calls out critics who made negative comments about nephew Phoenix’s head Waiting for an NHS appointment could have had a devastating impact on my life Smelling a mince pie could kill me, says woman allergic to Christmas scents

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Beyond all the hype and razzle-dazzle beaming from all corners of this bright-light epicentre in the middle of the Nevada desert, what Formula 1 needed from their new flagship event on the Las Vegas strip was an entertaining race. Especially after starting on such unimpressive footing a few nights ago. And contrary to many of the processions in this one-sided season, the entertainment capital of the world did deliver on Saturday night. Don’t be fooled though: the top spot of the podium was no surprise. It has got to the stage now where Max Verstappen is simply inevitable. In this breed of Red Bull car, he remains lightyears ahead of the other 19 drivers behind him. On Saturday night – on a circuit he described as “National League” standard after qualifying – he was hit with a five-second penalty. Then he, unusually, spurned his first set of tyres as pole-sitter Charles Leclerc retook the lead. The Dutchman then collided with George Russell in the midfield. Yet no circumstance is too damaging to recover from and, by lap 36 of 50, Verstappen was in the lead and clear. “Viva Las Vegas!” he screeched over team radio at the end, his mood unsurprisingly glowing following an 18th victory of the season. But at least Leclerc gave the 105,000-strong crowd something to cheer at the finale. In front of hospitality boxes at the Bellagio Fountains costing $12,000 for the weekend, the Ferrari man boldly dived down the inside to take second place from the helpless Sergio Perez on the final lap; the second race running that Perez has dropped a spot at the death. It was the absorbing end Vegas executives craved. And needed. A race week so long amped up to the max, from Wednesday’s opening ceremony to UFC ring announcer Bruce Buffer’s cringey driver introductions before lights out, made headlines for all the wrong reasons on day one. The fallout from a loose drain cover on the mesmerising strip section of the track eight minutes into practice was mammoth. The reaction from F1 and LVGP did not help their image either, given their refusal to dish out refunds which should have been obligatory. But to some extent, it was all about the main event. Much like memorable fight nights at the MGM Grand and beyond in this city, 10pm on Saturday night is when the curtains are finally drawn back and the sporting show itself delivers its masterpiece. F1 provided its usual jolt of stardom in the build-up, with David Beckham, Usain Bolt and Kylie Minogue among the numerous A-list celebrities on the grid. But when it came down to the racing, this 17-turn circuit with the second-longest straight on the calendar did not disappoint. There were two safety cars – a usual tool of adding intrigue – after Lando Norris’ early crash and Verstappen’s collision with Russell. There were three leaders, all of whom had time to dream that they would be the first Vegas winner since Italian driver Michele Alboreto won the Caesars Palace car park race in 1982. Safety car No 2 – ironically caused by debris on track following Verstappen’s tangle with Russell – derailed Leclerc’s chances as he stayed out on relatively new hard tyres, while the Red Bull pairing pitted for fresh rubber. The process of heating the tyres afterwards came too slow for the Monegasque and it looked as though another Red Bull one-two was a formality. But, just in time, he found the requisite grip and speed to make one of the overtakes of the season just before the chequered flag. His emotions, he admitted afterwards, were mixed. “On one hand I’m extremely happy with today’s performance, I didn’t leave anything on the table,” Leclerc said. “On the other hand, obviously disappointed because I really believe without this safety car the win was ours.” TOP-10 - LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX 1. Max Verstappen 2. Charles Leclerc 3. Sergio Perez 4. Esteban Ocon 5. Lance Stroll 6. Carlos Sainz 7. Lewis Hamilton 8. George Russell 9. Fernando Alonso 10. Oscar Piastri Leclerc’s wait for a first win since July 2022 – and he’s had eight pole positions in that time – goes on while Perez secured second in the world championship despite that final dropped spot: the first time Red Bull have ever claimed the top two positions. Further down the order, Esteban Ocon secured an impressive fourth place for Alpine from 16th on the grid while Lance Stroll completed the top five. The Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and Russell came only seventh and eighth respectively as they draw to a close a season to forget, with just one more unlikely attempt to salvage a win in Abu Dhabi next week. But for Vegas – a city completely changed and reordered for this first race of a scheduled 10 – the final act was, finally, worthy of the hysteria. It was up there with the best races of the year, alongside Singapore and Austin. There are plenty of features to be improved, though. The top three drivers all spoke in the aftermath about an earlier start time, as well as perhaps a change of month given the ludicrous time-zone switch now to the Middle East. Logistically, the smoothness of proceedings has been questionable. Yet the glistening glow of the views overhead sparkled and, on race day, the action on the city’s streets matched it. All Sin City, and the sport, needs now is a proper battle at the top. Read More Lando Norris explained issues with Las Vegas circuit before crashing at Grand Prix F1’s Lando Norris expresses Las Vegas Grand Prix track concerns moments before crash Lando Norris endures heavy crash at start of Las Vegas Grand Prix F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix LIVE: Verstappen wins as Leclerc overtakes Perez on last lap What Charles Leclerc needs to claim victory from pole in first Las Vegas Grand Prix Charles Leclerc lights up Las Vegas to claim pole position for Ferrari

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is the most common cause of life-threatening infection in newborn babies, and it can kill within hours – yet the UK doesn’t routinely test pregnant women for it. The charity Group B Strep Support (GBSS) says an average of two babies develop a GBS infection every day in the UK, and while most recover, one baby dies as a result of the infection each week, and one baby a week survives with life-changing disabilities. GBSS says around two to four out of every 10 women in the UK will carry group B strep in their rectum, vagina, or intestines, although most of them won’t experience any symptoms. However, if a woman’s pregnant, group B Strep can affect her baby around the time of birth. Speaking to mark July’s Group B Strep Awareness Month, GBSS chief executive Jane Plumb, who set up the charity in 1996 with her husband Robert after their son, Theo, died from GBS infection aged 17 hours, stresses that raising awareness of Group B Strep can save babies’ lives and minimise the heartache the illness often causes. “Group B strep is the most common cause of severe infection, including sepsis and meningitis, in newborn babies, yet people are not routinely told about it during pregnancy. This isn’t good enough,” she says. Here’s what all parents-to-be and new parents should know about GBS… 1. It can cause meningitis, sepsis and pneumonia As the most common cause of infection in newborns, Plumb says GBS, which affects around 800 babies in the UK every year, can lead to serious conditions including meningitis, sepsis and pneumonia. As a result, around 50 babies will die every year, and 75 will survive with a long-term disability. “Group B strep awareness is a matter of life and death,” says Plumb. “By shining a spotlight on this silent infection, we can save precious lives and spare families from unnecessary heartache.” 2. GBS infections can be prevented in babies Most GBS infections in newborn babies can be prevented, says Plumb, by identifying women with risk factors. “One of the risk factors is carrying the bacteria during pregnancy,” she says, “and then intravenous antibiotics can be offered during labour to minimise the risk of the baby developing a group B strep infection.” 3. A mother carrying GBS doesn’t necessarily mean her baby will be infected GBSS says around 20-25% of women carry GBS in their vagina and/or lower intestines, but if a woman is carrying GBS when she gives birth, the risk of her baby developing early-onset GBS infection is about one in 400 if antibiotics aren’t given in labour, or around one in 4,000 if antibiotics are given. 4. It’s not just newborn babies that get GBS infections Although most GBS infections develop in the first two days of life, they can develop later, though they are rare after the age of three months, says Plumb. “Knowing the key signs is vital – every family needs to know about GBS,” she stresses. 5. Most women who carry GBS don’t have symptoms GBS carriage isn’t associated with symptoms, says Plumb, so most people who carry the bacteria won’t show any signs of it. 6. Antibiotics may be given to some women during labour The Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists recommends that if GBS is detected in a woman during pregnancy, or if she’s previously had a baby affected by GBS, she should be offered antibiotics in labour to reduce the risk of the baby being infected. 7. There’s no routine GBS testing in the UK The NHS doesn’t currently provide routine testing for GBS, although other high-income countries do. Plumb says UK National Screening, which sets screening policy in the UK, says there isn’t enough evidence to introduce antenatal GBS screening for all pregnant women in the UK, although a randomised control trial is due to report in 2025, and the evidence is then expected to be reviewed. Plumb says: “The evidence shows clearly that antenatal testing is better than a risk-factor strategy for preventing GBS infection in newborn babies, and GBSS think the UK should catch up its peers around the world by introducing this. Most high-income countries do so, including the USA, Canada, Hong Kong and most of Europe – why are we last on the list?” 8. Pregnant women can be tested privately GBSS says pregnant women can be tested privately for GBS, usually at between 35-37 weeks of pregnancy, at some clinics, or by doing a DIY test with a kit, which costs about £40. GBSS helpline 0330 120 0796. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Princess Diana’s ‘black sheep’ jumper predicted to sell at auction for up to £70,000 The best onstage fashion at Glastonbury Sarah, Duchess of York has operation for breast cancer: What to know about mammograms

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