Posts in category: Uncategorized

A new app developed by scientists at Stanford Medicine and other institutions can detect skin lesions caused by mpox, previously known as monkeypox, in images with an accuracy of 90%, the researchers found in a study. To analyze images, the app uses a type of artificial intelligence that was trained and evaluated on a large data set of about 130,000 images of various skin conditions.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has allowed scientists at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) to produce an accurate picture of the healthy heart in adolescence. Using this advanced technology, the research team was able to determine reference values for anatomical and functional parameters in the heart during adolescence. This information, published in eClinicalMedicine, has direct implications for clinical practice.

A study published in JAMA Network Open has found that in the U.S. between 1999 and 2020, Black infants disproportionately died from necrotizing enterocolitis compared to White infants, despite overall improvements in the rates of death from the disease.

Different languages may seem different on an instinctual level—”hello,” for example, does not sound like “ni hao.” But the work of many psychological scientists suggests that the thousands of languages spoken throughout the world draw on many of the same fundamental linguistic abilities and reflect universal aspects of how humans categorize events.

Most people think that as the fetus grows in the womb, the mother will be the most important factor influencing the child’s future health, and this factor will undoubtedly prevail over all other possible ones. This belief is widely held in society and much research focuses on the characteristics and behaviors of the mother throughout her pregnancy.

A COMPANY that was contracted to deliver and distribute fertiliser in the Northern Province has been accused of having supplied fake fertiliser which is reported to have caused a lot of damage to the crop.

Farmers have complained that the fertiliser that was delivered had instead destroyed their maize crop and are now worried that there shall be poor crop yield with a resultant effect of severe hunger.

And Patriotic Front  Lunte Member of Parliament Mutotwe Kafwaya has said he was aware and was aggressively following up the matter of a named company having delivered fake fertiliser to the farmers in the region.

Some farmers have complained that fake fertiliser was distributed in the region which had destroyed their maize and are now calling on the government to deal with the contractor.

Mr Chanda Mubanga from Kasama, one of the affected farmers confirmed the development on Millennium TV programme dubbed “Millennium Tonight” on Wednesday at which Mr Kafwaya was the guest.

Mr Mubanga said hunger is looming in the province because most farmers where given the fake fertiliser.

He said, it is unfortunate that farmers can be subjected to such which will result in many households to be subjected to hunger.

“Here in Northern Province most farmers were given fake fertiliser and this is the first time it is happening in the history of Zambia. The fake fertilizer has destroyed out maize crop and we are deeply worried that and it is anticipated that there shall be hunger because our maize crop had been destroyed…not by nature but by human-will,” Mr Mubanga complained.

Mr Mubanga appealed to Mr Kafwaya to take up the matter and ensure that it was raised in Parliament so that the executive should know that some of the companies contracted to deliver and distribute fertiliser had supplied fake product.

Mr Mubanga said there was need for an immediate remedial measure to be considered and avert the hunger that is now threatening the region because of the anticipated poor yield.

“It is our appeal to Mr Kafwaya to consider raising the matter in Parliament so that government should be alerted that here in Northern Province, we were given fake fertilizer which has destroyed our maize crop. Many farmers will have poor yield and this spell hunger for the people in Northen Province, Mr Mubanga said.

And Mr Kafwaya has assured the farmers that, he would engage relevant authorities on the allegations that the company contracted to supply farm inputs in Northern was discovered that the fertilizer delivered to Northern Province was fake, he would advocate for appropriate action to be taken against the company.

“I will ensure that I gather facts about this issue. When I engage the Minister of Agriculture, I need to present the facts but you know these people who are speaking are the ones on the ground so we will ensure that the matter is followed up,” Mr Kafwaya said.

Ends

Optogenetics, the control of genetically modified cells with light, has revolutionized the life sciences and medicine. It allows the activity of cells and their networks to be controlled in a targeted manner via light pulses. This opens up completely new perspectives for the therapy of dysfunctions of sensory systems, such as hearing and vision.

A research team in the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) has discovered that sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) could reduce the risks of renal and respiratory diseases, including end-stage renal disease (ESRD), obstructive airway disease (OAD) and pneumonia in a retrospective cohort study.

Newer variant-specific bivalent vaccines offer on average 1.6 times better immunity against COVID-19 than the original, single-strain “ancestral” vaccines, new research by UNSW’s Kirby institute published today in Nature Medicine shows.

NAPSA Stars coach Perry Mutapa says the team will bounce back after a difficult month of February where they only managed to get two points from a possible 12.

Last month, the Pensioners recorded two draws against Muza FC and Kansanshi Dynamos and two defeats to Power Dynamos and Zesco United.

The poor showing in the month of love relegated Napsa Stars to 10th on the Super League table with 33 points collected from eight wins, nine draws and eight defeats.

Mutapa’s main objective is to ensure that the 2022 ABCA Cup champions survive relegation following their return to the Super League from the national division one league.

With nine matches remaining to conclude Super League action, Mutapa is confident that the Pensioners will redeem themselves as they aim to finish in a better position on the Super League table.

Mutapa noted the need for the team not to take their remaining fixtures for granted if they are to achieve their target of remaining in the Super League.

“We must keep on pushing, we shall not take anything for granted, teams from the bottom are also pushing and everyone is pushing to finish in a good position. We are optimistic that we shall come back from this bad patch,” Mutapa said. “We are on course, and we shall make sure as a family we push in one direction and get the desired results,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Pensioners have confirmed the signing of two players to beef up the squad for the remainder of the 2022/2023 season.

Ghanaian Adam Zikiru has returned to play in the Zambian League after spending a season in Mozambique with UD Songo.

The striker who played for Forest Rangers and Kansanshi Dynamos before trekking to Mozambique joined Napsa Stars on a one-year deal and has since played one match for the team which saw them draw 0-0 with Kansanshi Dynamos.

Napsa Stars have also signed forward Pinoki Vuvu who last played for AS Simba Kamikaze in Congo and has penned a two- year deal.  He has so far appeared in four matches for the Pensioners.