Brain-eating amoeba kills Texas boy
The governor of Texas has issued a disaster declaration after the death of six-year-old boy infected with a brain-eating amoeba that was later found in his community’s water supply. The child died on 8 September following an infection caused by the amoeba Naegleria fowleri, a microscopic organism that breeds in the warm, fresh water of […] The post Brain-eating amoeba kills Texas boy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Energy sector workers run out
Amid the energy transition frenzy, listed Aboitiz Power Corp., or AboitizPower, recognized a growing scarcity of skilled power industry workers. It is thus necessary to develop a workforce that can adapt and implement energy security, affordability, and sustainability. “There has to be a workforce now and in the future that will keep our energy system functioning and serve the needs of our country,” AboitizPower chief people officer MaLu Inofre said. “Among our most difficult challenges is building a skilled talent pipeline that can effectively adjust and work with the fast-paced transformation within the industry’s energy mix, digital systems and regulations,” she said. Power forum held “It has become exceedingly vital to ensure that workforce skills align with the changes of the times,” she further explained. “In the same way, attracting talent in a competitive global market is crucial to a sustainable, efficient, and innovative Philippine power sector that meets our country’s growing energy demands and sustainability objectives.” Inofre made her remarks during the first Philippine Power Industry HR Forum at Shangri-La The Fort, Taguig City. The event was presented by the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Inc., or AmCham, in partnership with AboitizPower. In the Philippines, the Department of Labor and Employment said that an estimated 1 million skilled workers in engineering, architecture, and construction are lacking. They cited “Power Plant Maintenance Engineer” and “Maintenance/Powerplant Engineers” as among the most challenging occupations to fill up. This can be due to a lack of qualified applicants or brain drain (or when better opportunities abroad are taken advantage of by skilled locals). “Between 2016 and 2021, the employment in the power industry declined by 15,444 individuals,” said DoLE Bureau of Local Employment Director Patrick Patriwirawan Jr. during the same event. “The Philippines saw an increase in the employment in the renewable energy industry last year but could have employed more if not for the delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic on various project developments in the sector.” Inofre added that a major factor influencing the labor shortage is the shift in the type of skills sought by employers, especially as the sector tries to balance the entry of renewable energy whilst maintaining traditional energy systems. “Knowing this, upskilling will be key to facilitating a just transition for those who will be affected by the transition to a greener economy, as well as the new generation of workers. It is imperative that we successfully cultivate both thermal and renewable energy, so that we can ensure reliable and affordable energy supply for the country,” she said. Meralco Power Academy program management director Engr. Marc Lester Malibiran explained that, on top of upskilling the workforce, the industry should also help develop interest for the sector, especially in the youth. “The Philippines boasts a young and vibrant population, brimming with innovative potential. By investing in talent development, we tap into this dynamic workforce, harnessing their fresh ideas and energy,” he said. “Unfortunately, we are seeing a decline in both take-up and completion of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), averaging only a 21 percent completion [rate].” Intimidating STEM “Young Filipinos avoid STEM as it is seen to be an intimidating course of study. This is important to know as this signals us to develop programs that remove this preconceived notion,” he added. Young academic and professional achievers were recruited and trained by AboitizPower to operate, monitor, and control the company’s National Operations Control Center, which oversees over 20 renewable energy facilities spread across the country all from one central location. The forum served as an avenue for human resources professionals in the Philippine power industry to connect, collaborate, and communicate ideas, knowledge and best practices. Sentiments from the breakout sessions revealed that skills and competency gaps or mismatch, a limited external talent pool, and difficulty in retaining talent due to global and local competition are the most cited challenges in the human resources field of the energy sector. The post Energy sector workers run out appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
A skilled workforce — a critical component of Phl energy transition
Amid the Philippine energy transition, Aboitiz Power Corporation recognized the growing scarcity of skilled power industry workers and, hence, the necessity of developing a workforce that can adapt and willingly carry the important task of ensuring energy security, affordability, and sustainability for today’s and tomorrow’s Filipinos. “There has to be a workforce now and in the future that will keep our energy system functioning and serve the needs of our country,” said AboitizPower chief people officer MaLu Inofre. “However, among our most difficult challenges is building a skilled talent pipeline that can effectively adjust and work with the fast-paced transformation within the industry's energy mix, digital systems and regulations.” “It has become exceedingly vital to ensure that workforce skills align with the changes of the times,” she further explained. “In the same way, attracting talent in a competitive global market is crucial to a sustainable, efficient, and innovative Philippine power sector that meets our country’s growing energy demands and sustainability objectives.” Inofre made her remarks during the first Philippine Power Industry HR Forum at Shangri-La The Fort, Taguig City. The event was presented by the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. in partnership with AboitizPower. Young academic and professional achievers were recruited and trained by AboitizPower to operate, monitor, and control the company’s National Operations Control Center, which oversees over 20 renewable energy facilities spread across the country all from one central location. In the Philippines, the Department of Labor and Employment said that an estimated one million skilled workers in engineering, architecture and construction are lacking. They cited “Power Plant Maintenance Engineer” and “Maintenance/Powerplant Engineers” as among the hard-to-fill occupations in the country. This can be due to a lack of qualified applicants or brain drain (or when better opportunities abroad are taken advantage of by skilled locals). “Between 2016 and 2021, the employment in the power industry declined by 15,444 individuals,” said DOLE Bureau of Local Employment Director Patrick P. Patriwirawan Jr. during the same event. “The Philippines saw an increase in the employment in the renewable energy industry last year but could have employed more if not for the delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic on various project developments in the sector.” Inofre added that a major factor influencing the labor shortage is the shift in the type of skills sought by employers, especially as the sector tries to balance the entry of renewable energy whilst maintaining traditional energy systems. “Knowing this, upskilling will be key to facilitating a just transition for those who will be affected by the transition to a greener economy, as well as the new generation of workers. It is imperative that we successfully cultivate both thermal and renewable energy, so that we can ensure reliable and affordable energy supply for the country,” she said. Meralco Power Academy Program management director Engineer Marc Lester Malibiran explained that, on top of upskilling the workforce, the industry should also help develop interest for the sector, especially in the youth. In a panel discussion, AboitizPower Chief People Officer MaLu Inofre (2nd from right) said that the energy industry must come together to craft and implement programs that strengthen the talent pipeline for the Philippine power industry. “The Philippines boasts a young and vibrant population brimming with innovative potential. By investing in talent development, we tap into this dynamic workforce, harnessing their fresh ideas and energy,” he said. “Unfortunately, we are seeing a decline in both take-up and completion of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), averaging only a 21 percent completion [rate].” “Young Filipinos avoid STEM as it is seen to be an intimidating course of study. This is important to know as this signals us to develop programs that remove this preconceived notion,” he added. The Philippine Power Industry HR Forum served as an avenue for human resources professionals in the Philippine power industry to connect, collaborate and communicate ideas, knowledge and best practices. Sentiments from the breakout sessions revealed that skills and competency gaps or mismatch, a limited external talent pool and difficulty in retaining talent due to global and local competition are the most cited challenges in the human resources field of the Philippine energy sector. A panel discussion moderated by Atty. Jose Layug Jr. of Divina Law saw Michael Page regional director and country head Albert Perez, Meralco chief HR officer Edgardo “Egay” Carasig, Philippine Independent Power Producers Association, Inc. president Atty. Anne Estorco Montelibano and ACEN chief HR officer John Philip Orbeta discuss the need to calibrate existing government programs to be more in sync with the needs of the energy industry. This includes building competencies within communities to turn locals into more competitive applicants. Meanwhile, another panel discussion moderated by AmCham Human Capital & Resources Committee co-chair Ernie Cecilia had Global Business Power Corporation VP-Human Resources Maria Luz Blanco-Uriarte, One Renewable Energy Enterprise, Inc. founder and president Erel Narida and AboitizPower’s Inofre talk about how retaining workers involves investing on their skills, ensuring talent mobility opportunities and giving them a sense of purpose. “The energy industry must create an acceptable, progressive plan to resolve the talent crisis. AboitizPower, for one, makes an effort to resolve the shortage of estimated skilled workers in our industry by maintaining academic-industry linkages with universities in the country, providing long-term scholarships [and] establishing programs with TESDA that help promote electrical engineering skills at the grassroots level, among other initiatives,” Inofre said. “Through similar initiatives, I believe we can successfully empower a community of like-minded individuals who work towards implementing human resource programs that strengthen the talent pipeline for the Philippine power industry,” she concluded. The post A skilled workforce — a critical component of Phl energy transition appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Armita Geravand, Iranian Teenager, Declared Brain Dead by State Media
Iranian Teenage Girl Falls into Coma Following Alleged Encounter with Officers over Hijab Violation Armita Geravand, a teenage girl from Iran, has fallen into a.....»»
‘Slapped’ student died from burst blood vessel
The Grade 5 student, who was allegedly slapped by his teacher, died from hemorrhage and swelling of the brain caused by a ruptured blood vessel, according to the Philippine National Police Forensic Group......»»
Student ‘slapped’ by teacher died from brain swelling
The Grade 5 student who was allegedly slapped by his teacher in Antipolo City died from swelling in the brain, according to his death certificate......»»
‘Slapped’ student died of brain swelling, but expert says abuse may be ruled out as cause of death
But further review is still needed to determine if the teacher’s slap led to the student’s death as his symptoms are also “consistent with infection from inflammation of the brain,” forensic expert Raquel Fortun said......»»
Eco group warns vs toxic lead spray paints
An environmental group on Wednesday has urged authorities to look into the sale of five lead-containing spray paints being sold in Metro Cebu cities. According to the EcoWaste Coalition, the spray paint brands — the yellow Bad Axe Spray Paint which contains 23,080 ppm lead, canary yellow, jade green, Gongcheng orange yellow and deep yellow variants — had 21,610 ppm, 21,500 ppm, 20,040 ppm and 15,700 ppm. It added that it discovered these spray paints are being sold in the cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue. “Our discovery of five more lead-containing aerosol paints in Cebu indicates the need for improved compliance monitoring, particularly outside Metro Manila and Luzon, to protect the health of children and adults from this continuing source lead exposure,” said EcoWaste Coalition’s Manny Calonzo. These five Bad Axe brand spray paints are being sold each for less than P100 per 400 ml can. As indicated on the label, Bad Axe can be used for coating the interior and exterior wood, steel and other metal surfaces of household appliances, equipment, furniture, bicycles and the like. “The product has no manufacturer’s markings and its country of manufacture is unknown. It provides no information or warning about the paint’s lead content,” said the group. However, the product’s date of manufacture is indicated at the bottom of the can and all variants of Bad Axe were manufactured between 2021 to 2023, or after the completion of the national phase-out deadline for lead-containing decorative paints in December 2016. The World Health Organization, which co-manages the Secretariat of the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint or the Lead Paint Alliance, has warned that lead exposure can have serious consequences for the health of children. EcoWaste Coalition added that exposure to lead is known to result in adverse health effects such as damage to the brain and central nervous system, slowed growth and development, hearing and speech problems, learning difficulties and behavioral problems, which can cause reduced ability to pay attention, underperformance in school, and lower intelligence quotient. The country’s lead paint regulation is stipulated under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Administrative Order 2013-24, which established a maximum limit of 90 ppm for total lead in paint. This landmark chemical policy phased out leaded decorative and industrial paints in December 2016 and December 2019, respectively. The post Eco group warns vs toxic lead spray paints appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Head hunting
Unusual contraband seized by French authorities last year exposed the illegal trade in endangered wildlife between Africa and the United States. Customs agents at Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris found 392 monkey skulls and 326 skulls of other animals in the luggage of smugglers during a seven-month period in 2022, Sputnik News reported. Authorities believe American collectors and hunting clubs bought the contraband. According to SN, the skulls ended up in the Natural History Museum in Aix-en-Provence in southern France for scientific evaluation. In Utah, USA, the Transportation Security Administration said that vigilant security officers at the Salt Lake City International Airport also found a skull in one bag while an X-ray machine was scanning it on 18 September. The human skull raised an alarm that forced the TSA to halt baggage screening for two hours so the item could be safely inspected and removed if necessary. Unidentifiable components resembling an improvised explosive device were inside the skull and regarded as a potential security threat. A police bomb squad with a bomb-sniffing dog was brought in, and the passenger who owned the baggage was called. The passenger said it was a plastic skull with a built-in battery and sensor. Neurosurgeons use the medical training device to teach how to conduct a brain operation called a lobotomy. Fox News reported that the passenger was bringing the skull to a trade show in Cancun, Mexico, but TSA said it was not allowed to be transported on a commercial aircraft. According to Fox News, TSA officials confiscated the device and told the traveler to pick it up when he returned to Utah. The post Head hunting appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nobel prize goes to mRNA Covid vaccine researchers
Researchers Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman won the Nobel Medicine Prize on Monday for work on messenger RNA (mRNA) technology that paved the way for groundbreaking Covid-19 vaccines. The pair, who had been tipped as favourites, "contributed to the unprecedented rate of vaccine development during one of the greatest threats to human health in modern times", the jury said. The World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a pandemic in March 2020 and the first mRNA vaccines were approved for use against the illness in December that year. Billions of Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna doses have been injected around the world since then. Together with other Covid vaccines, they "have saved millions of lives and prevented severe disease in many more", the jury said. Kariko, 68, and Weissman, 64, longstanding colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States, have already won a slew of awards for their research. In recognising the duo this year, the Nobel committee broke with its usual practice of honouring decades-old discoveries, aimed at ensuring it has stood the test of time. While the prizewinning research dates back to 2005, the first vaccines to use the mRNA technology came out just three years ago. Unlike traditional vaccines which use weakened virus or a key piece of the virus' protein, mRNA vaccines provide the genetic molecules that tell cells what proteins to make, which simulates an infection and trains the immune system for when it encounters the real virus. Sweet comeback The idea was first demonstrated in 1990 but it wasn't until the mid-2000s that Weissman, of the US, and Hungarian-born Kariko developed a technique to control a dangerous inflammatory response seen in animals exposed to these molecules, opening the way to develop safe human vaccines. The honour is particularly sweet for Kariko, the 13th woman to win the Medicine Prize, who toiled in obscurity for years and struggled to convince her superiors of the need for research on messenger ribonucleic acid. Speaking to Swedish Radio, she said her late mother always had faith in her, listening to the Nobel prize announcements "year after year" hoping to hear her daughter's name called out. "Unfortunately, five years ago she passed at the age of 89. She might be listening from above," Kariko said. Thomas Perlmann, the secretary general of the Nobel Assembly, called Kariko "an extraordinary and unusual scientist" who "resisted any temptation" to do "something easier". Weissman told AFP he heard the news from Kariko, who received the call from the jury first. "We were wondering if somebody was pulling a prank on us," he said. "This is the ultimate -- this is the prize I thought of when I was five years old when I started to get interested in how things worked," he added. Breakthrough In the 1990s, Kariko believed mRNA held the key to treating diseases where having more of the right kind of protein can help -- like repairing the brain after a stroke. But the University of Pennsylvania, where Kariko was on track for a professorship, demoted her after grant rejections piled up. She carried on as a lower-rung researcher. Much of the scientific community was at the time focused on using DNA to deliver gene therapy, but Kariko believed that mRNA was also promising since most diseases are not hereditary and don't need solutions that permanently alter our genetics. First though, she had to overcome the problem of the massive inflammatory response in animal experiments, as the immune system sensed an invader and rushed to fight it. Kariko and Weissman discovered that one of the four building blocks of the synthetic mRNA was at fault -- and they could overcome the problem by swapping it for a modified version. They published a paper on the breakthrough in 2005. In 2015, they found a new way to deliver mRNA into mice, using a fatty coating called "lipid nanoparticles" that prevent the mRNA from degrading and help place it inside the right part of cells. Both these innovations were key to the Covid-19 vaccines. Nobel Committee member Olle Kampe said the prestigious prize may help sway the opinion of some anti-vaxxers. It "may make hesitant people take the vaccine and be sure that it's very efficient and safe", he told AFP. The technology is now being used to develop other treatments for cancer, influenza and heart failure, among others. Kariko and Weissman will receive their Nobel diploma, gold medal and $1 million cheque in Stockholm on December 10. The Nobel will however not be the first gold medal in Kariko's family. Her daughter Susan Francia is a two-time Olympic gold medallist rower. The post Nobel prize goes to mRNA Covid vaccine researchers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Narcolepsy, cancer tipped as Medicine Prize opens Nobel week
Narcolepsy, cancer, or mRNA vaccine research could win the Nobel Medicine Prize on Monday when a week of announcements kicks off, but experts see no clear frontrunner for the Peace Prize. The awards, first handed out in 1901, were created by Swedish inventor and philanthropist Alfred Nobel in his 1895 will to celebrate those who have "conferred the greatest benefit on mankind." The Medicine Prize is first out and will be announced in Stockholm on Monday around 11:30 a.m. (0930 GMT), followed by the awards for physics on Tuesday, chemistry on Wednesday, and literature on Thursday. The Peace Prize, the most highly-anticipated Nobel and the only one announced in Oslo, will follow on Friday, before the Economics Prize rounds things off on October 9. The Medicine Prize has over the years crowned groundbreaking discoveries like the X-ray, penicillin, insulin, and DNA -- as well as now-disgraced awards for lobotomy and the insecticide DDT. Several Nobel watchers have suggested this year's prize could go to research into narcolepsy and the discovery of orexin, a neuropeptide that helps regulate sleep. It could also go to Hungarian-born Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman of the United States for research that led directly to the first mRNA vaccines to fight COVID-19, made by Pfizer and Moderna. Their discovery has already won a slew of major medicine prizes, but the Nobel committee nowadays often waits decades to bestow its laurels to ensure the research stands the test of time. "Maybe the Academy thinks it needs to look into it more, but someday they should win," predicted Annika Ostman, science reporter at Swedish public radio SR. Gene engineering and IceCube telescope But Ostman said her guess for this year was on Kevan Shokat, an American biologist who figured out how to block the KRAS cancer gene behind a third of cancers, including challenging-to-treat lung, colon, and pancreatic tumors. T-cell therapy for cancer treatment and work on the human microbiome could also be contenders, said David Pendlebury, head of the Clarivate Analytics group which identifies Nobel-worthy research. "There are more people deserving of a Nobel Prize than there are Nobels to go around," he told AFP. Lars Brostrom, Ostman's colleague at SR, singled out two American biologists, Stanislas Leibler, and Michael Elowitz, for their work on synthetic gene circuits which established the field of synthetic biology. It enables scientists to redesign organisms by engineering them to have new abilities. But Brostrom noted the field could be seen as controversial, raising "ethical questions about where to draw the line in creating life". For the Physics Prize, twisted graphene or the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica were seen as possible winners, as well as the development of high-density data storage in the field of spintronics. Peace Prize to Iranian women? For Wednesday's Chemistry Prize, Pendlebury suggested next-generation DNA sequencing could get the nod, or research into how to target and deliver drugs to genes. Brostrom said he would love to see it go to US-based chemist Omar Yaghi for his work into porous materials known as MOFs, which can absorb poisonous gases or harvest water from desert air, and is an "important field for the future" with enormous potential for the environment. Criticism over a lack of gender and geographical diversity has plagued the Nobels over the years. US-based men have dominated the science fields, while women account for just six percent of overall laureates -- something the various award committees insist they are addressing. Among the names making the rounds for Thursday's Literature Prize are Russian author and outspoken Putin critic Lyudmila Ulitskaya, Chinese avant-garde writer Can Xue, British author Salman Rushdie, Caribbean-American writer Jamaica Kincaid and Norwegian playwright Jon Fosse. But for the Peace Prize, experts have been scratching their heads over possible winners, as conflicts rage around the globe. Some have pointed to the Iranian women protesting since the death in custody a year ago of Mahsa Amini, arrested for violating Iran's strict dress code imposed on women. Others suggest organizations documenting war crimes in Ukraine, or the International Criminal Court, which could one day be called upon to judge them. "I think that climate change is a really good focus for the Peace Prize this year," Dan Smith, the head of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, told AFP after a year of extreme weather around the world. For the Economics Prize, research on income and wealth inequality could be honored. Recent winners of the Nobel Medicine Prize Here is a list of the winners of the Nobel Medicine Prize in the past 10 years: 2022: Swedish paleogeneticist Svante Paabo for his discoveries on the genomes of extinct hominins and human evolution. 2021: US duo David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian for discoveries on human receptors responsible for our ability to sense temperature and touch. 2020: Americans Harvey Alter and Charles Rice, together with Briton Michael Houghton, for the discovery of the Hepatitis C virus, leading to the development of sensitive blood tests and antiviral drugs. 2019: William Kaelin and Gregg Semenza of the US and Britain's Peter Ratcliffe for establishing the basis of our understanding of how cells react and adapt to different oxygen levels. 2018: Immunologists James Allison of the US and Tasuku Honjo of Japan, for figuring out how to release the immune system's brakes to allow it to attack cancer cells more efficiently. 2017: US geneticists Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael Young for their discoveries on the internal biological clock that governs the wake-sleep cycles of most living things. 2016: Yoshinori Ohsumi of Japan for his work on autophagy -- a process whereby cells "eat themselves" -- which when disrupted can cause Parkinson's and diabetes. 2015: William Campbell, an Irish-US citizen, Satoshi Omura of Japan, and Tu Youyou of China for unlocking treatments for malaria and roundworm. 2014: American-born Briton John O'Keefe, May-Britt Moser, and Edvard I. Moser of Norway for discovering how the brain navigates with an "inner GPS". 2013: Thomas C. Sudhof, a US citizen born in Germany, and James E. Rothman and Randy W. Schekman of the US for work on how the cell organizes its transport system. The post Narcolepsy, cancer tipped as Medicine Prize opens Nobel week appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Extremist’ Trump threatens U.S. democracy, Biden warns
With House Republicans launching an impeachment inquiry against him, United States President Joe Biden went into offensive on Thursday with a chilling warning to Americans planning to elect Donald Trump in next year’s presidential election. In a speech in the battleground state of Arizona Thursday, the 80-year-old Biden accused the Republican primary frontrunner and his followers of attacking the free press and the rule of law, and planning to gut US institutions if he wins a second term. “Trump says the constitution gave him ‘the right to do what he wants’,” Biden said, referring to statements by Trump about how he saw his powers in office. “I’ve never even heard a president say that in jest — not guided by the constitution or by common service and decency towards our fellow Americans, but by vengeance and vindictiveness.” The reelectionist president rallied Americans who are silent to stand up for democracy before it was too late. Biden also turned the table on Trump for the former president’s remark that US soldiers captured or killed in action as “suckers and losers.” “Was he a sucker for volunteering to serve his country?” Biden asked, referring to his son Beau, who served in Iraq and died of brain cancer in 2015 aged 46, and the late Arizona senator and Vietnam war hero John McCain. Biden and Trump were in early campaign mode this week with both men visiting the swing state of Michigan to speak to auto workers. Conservatives have accused Biden of trading on the power of his office when he was vice president under Barack Obama to help his younger son Hunter secure lucrative foreign business deals, and of benefiting personally from alleged corruption. Democrats have dismissed the hearings as a stunt but they will add to the pressure on Biden as he battles poor approval ratings and polls showing him neck-and-neck with Trump. WITH AFP The post ‘Extremist’ Trump threatens U.S. democracy, Biden warns appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Brain implants could restore paralyzed patients’ arm movements
A paralyzed Swiss man has become the first person to test a new technology that reads his thoughts using AI and then transmits signals through his own nervous system to his arms, hands and fingers in order to restore movement. The treatment, a combination of a brain-computer interface and a spinal implant, had previously allow a paraplegic patient to walk again, a breakthrough that was published in the scientific journal Nature in May. But this is the first time it's being used for "upper extremity function," Onward, the Dutch company behind it, said Wednesday. "The mobility of the arm is more complex," surgeon Jocelyne Bloch, who carried out the implantation procedures, told AFP. Though walking comes with its own challenges -- notably balance -- "the musculature of the hand is quite fine, with many different small muscles activated at the same time for certain movements," she said. The patient, who wishes to remain anonymous, is a 46-year-old who lost the use of his arms after a fall. Two operations were carried out last month at the Lausanne University Hospital in Switzerland. The first involved removing a small piece of cranial bone and inserting in its place the brain implant, which was developed by the French group CEA-Clinatec and measures a few centimeters in diameter. In the second, surgeons placed a stimulator roughly the size of a credit card developed by Onward inside the patient's abdomen, and connected it through electrodes to the top of his spinal column. The brain-computer interface (BCI) records brain signals and decodes them using artificial intelligence to make sense of the patient's intentions, acting as a "digital bridge" to send these instructions on to the spinal cord stimulator. "It's going well so far," said Bloch, who co-founded Onward and is a consultant for the company. "We are able to record brain activity, and we know that the stimulation works," she said. "But it is too early to talk about what progress he has made. " Still in training The patient is still in the training phase, teaching his brain implant to recognize the different desired movements. The movements will then have to be practiced many times before they can become natural. The process will take a few months, according to Dr. Bloch. Two more patients are scheduled to participate in this clinical trial, and the full results will be published later. Spinal cord stimulation has already been used in the past to successfully move paralyzed patients' arms, but without reading their thoughts by pairing it with a brain implant. And brain implants have already been used so that a patient can control an exoskeleton. The Battelle research organization used a brain implant to restore movement in a patient's arm -- through a sleeve of electrodes placed on the forearm, stimulating the muscles required from above. "Onward is unique in our focus on restoring movement in people who have paralysis by stimulating the spinal cord," the company's CEO Dave Marver told AFP, adding the technology could be commercialized by the end of the decade. Brain implants were long trapped in the realm of science fiction, but the field is now rapidly growing thanks to firms like Synchron and Elon Musk's Neuralink. They are working on having paralyzed patients to control computers through thought, restoring for example the ability to write. The post Brain implants could restore paralyzed patients’ arm movements appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Brains Blue Spot, Locus Coeruleus, Plays Vital Role in Sleep Quality and Memory – The Daily Guardian
New Research Reveals Link between Brain’s “Blue Spot” and Sleep Quality in Older Adults Researchers at the University of Liège have made significant advancements in.....»»
Long Covid causing organ abnormalities
PARIS (AFP) — A third of people hospitalized with Covid-19 have “abnormalities” in multiple organs months after getting infected, a UK study said on Saturday, potentially shedding light on the elusive condition of long Covid. Millions worldwide are estimated to suffer from long Covid, in which a range of symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue and brain fog last long after patients first contracted the virus. Yet much about the condition, including exactly how Covid causes such a wide range of symptoms, remains unknown. The authors of the new study, which was published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal, said it marks a “step forward” in helping long Covid sufferers. The study is the first to look at magnetic resonance imaging scans of multiple organs — the brain, heart, liver, kidneys and lungs — after being hospitalized with Covid. It compared the organ scans of 259 adults hospitalized with Covid across the UK in 2020-2021 with a control group of 52 people who never contracted the virus. Nearly a third of the Covid patients had abnormalities in more than one organ an average of five months after leaving hospital, the study found. Those hospitalized with Covid were 14 times more likely to have lung abnormalities, and were three times more likely to have abnormalities in their brain, it said. However hearts and livers appeared to be more resilient, the researchers added. Abnormalities in the brain included a higher rate of white brain lesions, which have been linked to mild cognitive decline. Scarring and signs of inflammation were among the changes seen in lungs. Evidence People with multiple organ abnormalities were four times more likely to report severe mental and physical impairment, making them “unable to perform their daily activities,” lead author Betty Raman from Oxford University told an online press conference. The study was conducted during an earlier phase of the pandemic, before mass immunity from vaccination and prior infection blunted the overall severity of Covid. It also did not cover the less severe Omicron variants which remain dominant around the world. And the Covid group was slightly older and generally less healthy than the control group, though the researchers sought to adjust their findings to account for these differences. It also did not cover the less severe Omicron variants which remain dominant around the world. The post Long Covid causing organ abnormalities appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US experts carry out second pig-to-human heart transplant
A 58-year-old man this week became the world's second patient to receive a transplant of a genetically modified pig heart, the latest milestone in a growing field of medical research. Transplanting animal organs into humans, called xenotransplantation, could offer a solution to the chronic shortage of human organ donations. More than 100,000 Americans are currently on waiting lists for organ transplants. Both heart procedures were carried out by experts from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, with the first patient dying two months after his transplant last year due to "a multitude of factors including his poor state of health" prior to the operation, the university said in a statement Friday. The latest operation took place on Wednesday, with patient Lawrence Faucette ineligible for a donated human heart due to pre-existing vascular disease and internal bleeding complications. Without the experimental transplant, the father of two and a Navy veteran was facing near-certain heart failure. "My only real hope left is to go with the pig heart, the xenotransplant," Faucette was quoted as saying prior to the procedure. "At least now I have hope, and I have a chance." Following the transplant, Faucette was breathing on his own and the new heart was functioning well "without any assistance from supportive devices," the university said. He was taking conventional anti-rejection drugs as well as receiving a new antibody therapy to prevent his body from damaging or rejecting the new organ. Xenotransplants are challenging because the patient's immune system will attack the foreign organ. Scientists are trying to circumvent the problem by using organs from genetically modified pigs. In the past few years, doctors have transplanted kidneys from genetically modified pigs into brain-dead patients. The NYU Langone Hospital Transplant Institute in New York announced this month that a pig kidney transplanted into a brain-dead patient had functioned for a record-breaking 61 days. Early xenotransplantation research focused on harvesting organs from primates -- for example, a baboon heart was transplanted into a newborn known as "Baby Fae" in 1984, but she survived only 20 days. Current efforts focus on pigs, which are thought to be ideal donors for humans because of their organ size, their rapid growth and large litter, and the fact they are already raised as a food source. The post US experts carry out second pig-to-human heart transplant appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
New diabetes drug better for weight loss than Ozempic: research
A new diabetes drug leads to more weight loss and lower blood sugar than its blockbuster rival semaglutide, also known as Ozempic, a review of research said on Saturday. Tirzepatide, sold under the brand name Mounjaro by US pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, is currently approved to treat type 2 diabetes in the United States, Europe and most recently the UK. However Eli Lilly is seeking to get the drug authorized in the US for obesity, which would put it further in competition with Danish firm Novo Nordisk's semaglutide drug, known as Ozempic for diabetes treatment or Wegovy for weight loss. After Ozempic went viral on social media earlier this year for its ability to help people lose weight, skyrocketing demand led to occasional supply shortages -- and concerns that people without diabetes or obesity were using it to shed a few kilos. New research, which is being presented at a conference in Germany and has not been peer-reviewed, suggests that Eli Lilly's newer drug could be even more effective. The Greek researchers combined data from 22 previous randomized control trials which separately looked at the two drugs, both of which are taken once a week as an injection. The researchers then used the studies, which covered a total of nearly 18,500 patients with type 2 diabetes, to compare three different doses of both drugs over a period of at least 12 weeks. Lead author Thomas Karagiannis of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki told AFP that for the highest doses, "tirzepatide resulted in an average weight loss that was 5.7 kilograms (12.5 pounds) more than semaglutide". It also led to a two percent reduction in blood sugar levels compared to the highest dose of semaglutide. "However, it is also notable that the highest tripeptide dose was associated with increased gastrointestinal adverse events," Karagiannis added. - Give to those with 'greatest need' - The research will be presented next month at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Germany. Duane Mellor, an expert in evidence-based medicine at the UK's Aston University not involved in the research, cautioned that it was not a full peer-reviewed paper. "It would have been better if it had analyzed data from studies which directly compared the two drugs," he told AFP. Given previous shortages of these drugs, Mellor emphasized that it was essential that both are "given to those with the greatest need," such as people living with type 2 diabetes. A previous study found that the highest dose of tirzepatide leads to an average loss of 15 percent of body weight over 72 weeks. However, like Ozempic, the weight can come back if people stop taking the drug. Both drugs mimic the gastrointestinal hormone GLP-1, activating receptors in the brain involved in appetite regulation. But unlike semaglutide, tirzepatide also targets fellow hormone GIP, which stimulates the release of insulin. Sales of Mounjaro nearly reached $1 billion in the second quarter of this year alone. © Agence France-Presse The post New diabetes drug better for weight loss than Ozempic: research appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Long Covid linked to multiple organ changes, research suggests
A third of people hospitalized with Covid-19 have "abnormalities" in multiple organs months after getting infected, a UK study said on Saturday, potentially shedding light on the elusive condition of long Covid. Millions worldwide are estimated to suffer from long Covid, in which a range of symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue and brain fog last long after patients first contracted the virus. Yet much about the condition, including exactly how Covid causes such a wide range of symptoms, remains unknown. The authors of the new study, which was published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal, said it marks a "step forward" in helping long Covid sufferers. The study is the first to look at magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of multiple organs -- the brain, heart, liver, kidneys and lungs -- after being hospitalized with Covid. It compared the organ scans of 259 adults hospitalized with Covid across the UK in 2020-2021 with a control group of 52 people who never contracted the virus. Nearly a third of the Covid patients had abnormalities in more than one organ an average of five months after leaving hospital, the study found. Those hospitalized with Covid were 14 times more likely to have lung abnormalities, and were three times more likely to have abnormalities in their brain, it said. However hearts and livers appeared to be more resilient, the researchers added. Abnormalities in the brain included a higher rate of white brain lesions, which have been linked to mild cognitive decline. Scarring and signs of inflammation were among the changes seen in lungs. - 'Concrete evidence' - People with multiple organ abnormalities were four times more likely to report severe mental and physical impairment, making them "unable to perform their daily activities," lead author Betty Raman from Oxford University told an online press conference. The study was conducted during an earlier phase of the pandemic, before mass immunity from vaccination and prior infection blunted the overall severity of Covid. It also did not cover the less severe Omicron variants which remain dominant around the world. And the Covid group was slightly older and generally less healthy than the control group, though the researchers sought to adjust their findings to account for these differences. It also did not cover the less severe Omicron variants which remain dominant around the world. But people are still being hospitalized due to the virus across the world, the researchers emphasized. Study co-author Christopher Brightling of Leicester University said the study provides "concrete evidence there are changes in a number of organs" after people are hospitalized with Covid. Rather than being a cause for alarm, he said the finding is a "step forwards in terms of actually being able to help people with long Covid." Matthew Baldwin, a pulmonary disease specialist at Columbia University not involved in the study, said "these results suggest that long Covid is not explained by severe deficits concentrated in any one organ". "Rather, the interaction of two or more abnormalities in organs might have an additive or multiplicative effect in creating physiological deficits that result in long Covid symptoms," he wrote in a Lancet comment article. dl/lcm © Agence France-Presse The post Long Covid linked to multiple organ changes, research suggests appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Coleen Garcia a hands-on mom to Amari: ‘I make sure ando’n ako, tutok ako’
When Coleen Garcia and Billy Crawford’s unico hijo Amari turned three years old last 10 September, they had a simple celebration at home with only a few guests. But the celebrity couple made sure they showered the birthday boy with his favorite food items and flowers. That day, Garcia took to Instagram to dedicate a post to her son. “Amari, I thank God every day for blessing us with you,” she wrote in the caption. “You will always be our sunshine and source of joy. Thank you for inspiring us to see the beauty in the world, and for making our days so colorful and exciting. Even when things get hard and overwhelming, you will always be our reason to keep showing up as the best versions of ourselves. You inspired us to be better every day. I’m so proud, happy, and honored to be your Mommy. I love you so much.” A day before, the actress talked to DAILY TRIBUNE on being a hands-on mom, especially now that she’s preparing her toddler for school. “I’m honestly just following my instincts,” she told us at an event presented by the milk brand Enfagrow A+ Four NuraPro called “Getting Kids School-Ready, Future Ready!” “I know Amari so well,” she said of her son. “We’re practically attached. I spend and invest so, so much time and effort into raising him, to making sure that ando’n ako, tutok ako (that I’m there, I’m focused). Una, kailangan i-introduce ko muna ’yung (First, it is necessary that I introduce the) concept of having a teacher before I let him go to school. Baka ma-shock siya bigla (He might be shocked).” Garcia said she’s hands-on even in packing Amari’s school baon, just like how she’s been meticulously preparing his food since introducing solids at age six months old. She makes it a point to feed her son enough amounts of protein, carbs and fats. Picky eater She noted, though, that the growing boy is becoming a picky eater probably because “nagde-develop na siya ng sariling (he has developed his own) taste” in food. “So ang ginagawa ko, parang tinatanong ko kung ano ang favorites niya (what I do is I ask him what his favorites are). And I see why, like, is it because of the texture? Or is it because of the taste? “Titignan mo talaga kung bakit. (You will really see why). Then I give him similar foods. Ang pinaka-favorite niya talaga is Chicken Nilaga ever since. Mahilig siya sa bland food. Hindi siya masyadong mahilig sa salty or ’yung matoyo or malasa. Sinanay ko kasi siya since six months old (His most favorite is Chicken Nilaga ever since. He likes bland food. He is not very fond of salty or dry or tasty. I trained him since he was six months old).” As for self-care, Garcia pointed out, “I try to adjust my needs. I try to work out, pero kung pagod ako, hindi ko pipilitin (if I’m tired, I won’t push it). Rest is definitely key. Dapat sapat ang nakukuhang rest (The rest you should be getting should be enough). By rest, I don’t mean just sleep. ’Yung totoong rest, like you feel refreshed. ’Yung wala kang iisipin muna (The real rest, like you feel refreshed. That you don’t think about anything first), even for just an hour or even for just a while. “You do what you want to do, whether it’s watching a video or watching something, lumabas ka lang ng bahay, magpasyal ka lang sa labas, do whatever na gusto mong gawin (just get out of the house, just go outside, do whatever you want to do) at that moment. That’s what I consider rest also. Rest is hindi lang basta tulog, e. ’Yung mare-rest mo rin ang mind mo, mae-empty mo rin ang mind mo. Ide-detox mo ang brain mo (Rest is not just sleep. It should rest your mind and detox your brain).” The post Coleen Garcia a hands-on mom to Amari: ‘I make sure ando’n ako, tutok ako’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Taste the world
Week-long coffee blitz Most good days start with a nice cup o’ joe. From 25 September to 1 October, sip on a new brew everyday with the 7 Days of Coffee experience at Newport World Resorts. On Monday, Marriott Hotel Manila’s Marriott Cafe Bakery offers a selection of coffee using local coffee beans. A single shot espresso is at P231 and P275 for a double. On the 26th, Yawaragi at Hotel Okura Manila will be releasing the Red Bean Matcha Latte for a limited time at P290++. On 27 September, grab a Brain Boost Coffee–arabica coffee brewed with organic butter and coconut oil–and a sweet pastry from the day’s selection of fresh fruit Danish or flourless-Chocolate cake at the Garden Wing Cafe at the Newport Garden Wing for P420 nett. Head over to the Madison Lounge/Bar at Hilton Manila on 28 September for Bites and Brew. Get a cup of with a pastry for P350 nett or with a cake for P384 nett. Casa Buenas at the Newport Grand Wing offers Kape y Bibingka on 29 September. The Holiday staple is paired with a choice of cappuccino or Americano made with locally sourced-Benguet beans for P736 nett. Light up the weekend with a Coffee Bingsu from Oori at Sheraton Manila Hotel by 30 September. The Korean-classic dessert gets dressed with a local coffee blend and homemade dalgona coffee candy for P750 nett. Finally, have a nightcap on the actual Coffee Day on 1 October. Wind down with The Whisky Library’s special coffee cocktail, The Identity, made with The Woodsman Blended Scotch, Toffee Nut and espresso for P490 nett. Just be sure to mark your calendars for Newport World Resorts’ 7 Days of Coffee experience because most of these offers are only available for its specific day. [caption id="attachment_186624" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Photograph courtesy of Red RibbonRed Ribbon Caramel Delight Cake[/caption] New cake from an old classic If your taste for cake runs toward the sweet and light, you might want to try the latest treat from Red Ribbon. It is not only sweet and light, it’s also great to look at. The caramel icing that outlines the cake’s elegant silhouette gives it a light and dainty vibe. On top of the cake are elegant drops of icing that give it an airy cloud-like look, with caramel syrup on the center. The cake also looks just as elegant when sliced -- you can see the soft chiffon layers inside and the enticing cream-colored icing in between. Prices start at P479 for the junior size and P669 for the regular size. [caption id="attachment_186625" align="aligncenter" width="720"] PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SERENITEAKimcheese Poppers and fries.[/caption] Cheese plus kimchi with some tea Serenitea, the trailblazing teashop brand known for its innovative approach to tea, recently launched a groundbreaking collaboration with Kaya, the revered name in traditional Korean cuisine. This partnership introduces a delectable line of snacks that marries the bold flavors of Kaya’s signature kimchi with the irresistible allure of cheese. The Serenitea KimCheese Snacks includes: Kimcheese Fries (P220), featuring golden fries smothered in rich cheddar cheese sauce and Kaya’s signature kimchi. Topped with nori, sour cream and a hint of green chilis, these fries offer a symphony of flavors that’s both satisfying and unique; and Kimcheese Chicken Poppers (P320), Serenitea’s famous crispy chicken poppers meet the exceptional taste of Kaya’s kimchi in this mouthwatering creation. Served with a luscious cheddar cheese sauce and garnished with vibrant green chilis and nori, these poppers deliver an irresistible combination of textures and flavors. The post Taste the world appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
India’s Nipah virus outbreak: what do we know so far?
Authorities in India are scrambling to contain a rare outbreak of Nipah, a virus spread from animals to humans that causes deadly fever with a high mortality rate. Here is a look at what we know so far: What is the Nipah virus? The first Nipah outbreak was recorded in 1998 after the virus spread among pig farmers in Malaysia. The virus is named after the village where it was discovered. Outbreaks are rare but Nipah has been listed by the World Health Organization -- alongside Ebola, Zika, and Covid-19 -- as one of several diseases deserving of priority research for their potential to cause a global epidemic. Nipah usually spreads to humans from animals or through contaminated food, but it can also be transmitted directly between people. Fruit bats are the natural carriers of the virus and have been identified as the most likely cause of subsequent outbreaks. Symptoms include intense fever, vomiting, and a respiratory infection, but severe cases can involve seizures and brain inflammation that results in a coma. There is no vaccine for Nipah. Patients have a mortality rate of between 40 and 75 percent depending on the public health response to the virus, the WHO says. What has happened during previous outbreaks? The first Nipah outbreak killed more than 100 people in Malaysia and prompted the culling of one million pigs in an effort to contain the virus. It also spread to Singapore, with 11 cases and one death among slaughterhouse workers who came into contact with pigs imported from Malaysia. Since then, the disease has mainly been recorded in Bangladesh and India, with both countries reporting their first outbreaks in 2001. Bangladesh has borne the brunt in recent years, with more than 100 people dying of Nipah since 2001. Two early outbreaks in India killed more than 50 people before they were brought under control. The southern state of Kerala has recorded two deaths from Nipah and four other confirmed cases since last month. Authorities there have closed some schools and instituted mass testing. This marks Kerala's fourth recorded spate of Nipah cases in five years. The virus killed 17 people during the first instance in 2018. The state has managed to stamp out previous outbreaks within a matter of weeks through widespread testing and strict isolation of those in contact with patients. Are animal-to-human viruses becoming more frequent? Having first appeared thousands of years ago, zoonoses -- diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans -- have multiplied over the past 20 to 30 years. The growth of international travel has allowed them to spread more quickly. By occupying increasingly large areas of the planet, experts say, humans also contribute to disruption of the ecosystem and increase the likelihood of random virus mutations that are transmissible to humans. Industrial farming increases the risk of pathogens spreading between animals while deforestation heightens contact between wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. By mixing more, species will transmit their viruses more, which will promote the emergence of new diseases potentially transmissible to humans. Climate change will push many animals to flee their ecosystems for more livable lands, a study published by the scientific journal Nature warned in 2022. According to estimates published in the journal Science in 2018, there are 1.7 million unknown viruses in mammals and birds, 540,000-850,000 of them with the capacity to infect humans. The post India’s Nipah virus outbreak: what do we know so far? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»