Technology

 

Wonderful news, Genetics may be the key to new epilepsy therapies

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An international study has discovered 11 new genes associated with epilepsy, which greatly advances knowledge of the underlying biological causes of epilepsy and may inform the development of new treatments for the condition.

Researchers compared the DNA of more than 15,000 people with epilepsy to the DNA of 30,000 people without epilepsy. This has created a better understanding of genetic factors that contribute to the most common forms of this condition, and the results tripled the number of known genetic associations for epilepsy and implicated 11 new genes.

The majority of current anti-epileptic drugs directly target one or more of the associated genes and identified an additional 166 drugs that do the same. These drugs are promising new candidates for epilepsy therapy as they directly target the genetic basis of the disease.

“This work illustrates the power of scientists collaborating across countries and continents. Discovering these new genes for epil
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Be careful, your favourite birth control might put you at risk of HIV?

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We could be just months away from knowing whether Depo-Provera use is linked to a higher risk of HIV infection in women. For more than a decade, obstetrician Coceka Mnyani’s conversations with her patients followed a script.

Had they used contraceptives before? Did they want more children? What contraceptive did they plan on using after delivery and why?

“Depending on what a woman said, you would advise, you know, ‘that’s not such a great idea, have you thought about this’, ‘maybe this one would be a better option’,” Mnyani says.

“You’ve got this woman who has just had a baby, who’s tired, who has a crying infant — is she going to remember to take a pill every day?”

Health department data shows that most South African women visiting a public health facility for free contraception will leave with a shot of the three-month contraception depo-medroxyprogesterone acetate, which is most commonly sold under the name Depo-Provera. T
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A DNAlysis Review for you: How DNA tests can help personalise medicine

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DNA tests have gained in popularity over the last few years. They reveal a lot about us, but the data can be overwhelming. We tried one to find out how it all works.

You’ve probably seen it somewhere. Personalised DNA tests are a big trend in medicine. Genetic tests are still a bit lowkey in South Africa, but globally, it’s a booming business.

These DNA tests can tell us a whole bunch of things.

From which diet is best, which exercise we might respond well to and, perhaps most crucially, help us understand how we process medication. It can also help us track our heritage, but for the purposes of this article, we’ll focus on the health aspects.

Are we doomed by our genes?
Most of the outcomes are theoretical, based on correlation, not causation.

And there is some debate around whether some of this information should even be shared with consumers. The reports have loads of info on them. Some scary, some less so. Some experts fear th
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Time to go back to basics in the fight against childhood pneumonia

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Pneumonia is a respiratory infection that affects the lungs. The viruses and bacteria that cause the disease are spread through airborne droplets from a cough or sneeze. An infection can cause the lungs to fill with pus and fluid, making breathing and oxygen intake difficult.

And while anyone can get pneumonia, children with weakened immune systems or underlying illnesses are more susceptible. That’s why, pneumonia kills more than a million children every year across the world.

There have been some critical advances in preventing and treating the disease. These include vaccines, antibiotics and providing supplemental oxygen. In 2009, South Africa became the first African country to include the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in its routine infant immunisation programme. By 2012 an estimated 81% of one-year-old babies had received three doses of the vaccine.

South Africa has also reduced its pneumonia burden through the mass roll-out of antiretroviral therapy a
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Western Cape passed the biggest Public Education Reform package in 24 years, but will this be successful and will everybody comply

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Western Cape Minister of Education said it is vital that the proposed bill embodies accountability, transparency and innovation.
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Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital:- Possible link between baby formula, deaths in Joburg hospital

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Two types of bacteria were found in baby formula tested at the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, but toxicology tests haven’t been done.

A possible link between baby formula and necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) in premature babies could explain the deaths of nine babies recently at Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital in Johannesburg, an expert has suggested.

But Stasha Jordan, director at SA Breastmilk Reserve, warned that while studies suggest a correlation between the use of formula in new-born babies and NEC – a medical condition – several factors had to be considered when such outbreaks occur.

After several infant deaths in hospitals around the country this year, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases couldn’t find the cause of the outbreak.

According to the institute, the presence of two types of bacteria were found in the baby formula they tested at the hospital. The testing revealed the presence of Bacillus and Streptococcus
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Malaria is still a major problem in Africa, now there are a novel approach that brings African scientists closer to a malaria vaccine

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Originally published by Faith Osier on The Conversation. There are over 200 million clinical cases each year and approximately half a million deaths.

There are different ways in which malaria can be controlled. Preventive measures include use of insecticides in bed nets or indoor spraying programmes. Medicines can also be used to prevent or treat malaria, but resistance often develops and drugs lose their effectiveness.

The World Health Organisation reported that progress in controlling malaria has stalled.

As an immunologist, I dream that one day we will have an effective vaccine that will help eliminate malaria. I think this is possible because for over a century, we have known that humans do become immune to malaria. In places where there is lots of malaria adults don’t succumb to the disease, but their young children do.

In experiments conducted over 50 years ago, researchers showed that blood could be taken from adults who had become immune and used
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Good news for Cape Town:- The old Conradie Hospital earmarked for R3 billion development

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The Conradie Hospital was opened in 1938 and was, at one stage, one of the top treatment centres for Spinal Neurodegenerative Disease.

The City of Cape Town has prioritised the development of the old Conradie Hospital precinct which has lain dormant for more than 16 years.

The ‘Conradie Better Living Model’ is a redevelopment initiative undertaken by the Western Cape Government to provide affordable housing to locals. The dilapidated and disused area, which is 22 hectares in size, is due to be converted into an integrated, sustainable, and affordable residentially-led, mixed-use neighbourhood.

Conradie Hospital grounds get a new lease on life
The abandoned Conradie Hospital, which is nestled between Thornton and Pinelands, will be revitalised by the construction of 3602 houses‚ two schools and a commercial centre.

For the past 16 years, the derelict Conradie Hospital has been a thorn in the side of local government and nearby residen
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Sick and tired of traffic congestion, well a new South African traffic light could shorten traffic jams

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A Stellenbosch University student is testing a new traffic light which may cut traffic congestion times significantly.
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ANC Regime and Big Business Ignore Major Environmental Concerns Raised for Ocean Exploration and Drilling off the East Coast of SA

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ENI Drilling

In a letter to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for Ocean Exploration and Drilling off the East Coast of South Africa, proposed by the Italian Petroleum Company ENI, SAFFR has raised some serious Environmental Concerns which seem to be ignored. The concerns which were sent to various interested parties including, SASOL, Italian Minister for the Environment, SA..
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ALERT! Dating Apps Are The New Weapon To Secretly Commit White Genocide and Trick You Into Racemixing!

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My Choice

PUBLIC HEALTH WARNING! If your Dating APP or Dating Sites does not allow you to choose the race of your preferred potential matches and dates, delete your profile now! There are many dating services that DO allow you to set the preference of your intended partners! (datingapp.co.za is an example of a dating site where you can specify what races you want contacting you). 
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What is the road ahead for the pharma industry in South Africa

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In recent years, South Africa’s pharmaceutical industry has increasingly shifted its focus to become more patient-centric in everything that it does.

However, in the current challenging economy, building on this positive change and delivering greater results for consumers is becoming ever more challenging. Companies operating in this sector will therefore need to adapt and embrace new strategies.

The road ahead for the pharma industry
No one knows this better than industry veteran, Jacques van Staden, COO of Cipla South Africa (Pty) Limited (“Cipla Medpro”), wholly-owned subsidiary of Cipla Limited, India (“Cipla”). With a career spanning more than 25 years, Van Staden firmly believes that pharmaceutical businesses will need to make significant changes to the way that they view opportunities and focus their efforts if they are to survive in the years to come. We sat down with Van Staden to hear more about the changes, challenges and opp
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Cause of Alzheimer’s disease:- Mounting evidence that herpes virus is a cause

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Successful prevention of Alzheimer’s disease by use of specific anti-herpes agents has now been demonstrated in a large-scale population study in Taiwan.

More than 30 million people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer’s disease – the most common form of dementia. Unfortunately, there is no cure, only drugs to ease the symptoms. However, my latest review, suggests a way to treat the disease. I found the strongest evidence yet that the herpes virus is a cause of Alzheimer’s, suggesting that effective and safe antiviral drugs might be able to treat the disease. We might even be able to vaccinate our children against it.

The link between Alzheimer’s disease and herpes
The virus implicated in Alzheimer’s disease, herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), is better known for causing cold sores. It infects most people in infancy and then remains dormant in the peripheral nervous system (the part of the nervous system that isn’t the brain and the sp
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Wonderful News:- R500m to recruit health professionals, buy beds and linen

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Government will reprioritise funds to make R350m available to recruit new health professionals, says Finance Minister Tito Mboweni.

The Minister tabled the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

“Access to healthcare services is enshrined in our Constitution and in our Bill of Rights. We will continue to work closely with the national Department of Health and other role players to ensure that the gradual phased implementation of the National Health Insurance is adequately financed.

“We are immediately reprioritising R350m to recruit in excess of 2,000 health professionals into public health facilities,” he said.

Mboweni said a further reprioritisation of funds will avail R150m to be used to purchase beds and linen for hospitals where the need is more dire.

These two interventions will build on the Presidential Health Summit convened last weekend, which has brought a new focus to improving the quality of healthcar
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MEDICAL RESEARCH:- Are probiotics boosting SA’s digestive health industry growth?

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Increasingly, health-conscious consumers are starting to follow their gut when looking for ways of mitigating the negative health effects of increasingly stressful lifestyles and unhealthy eating habits. A growing number of consumers are using probiotics to prevent and manage their digestive, as well as general, health issues.

Insight Survey’s latest SA Digestive Health (Probiotics) Industry Landscape Report 2018 uncovers the global and local markets based on the latest information and research. It describes the market drivers and restraints as well as the relevant global and local market trends to present an objective insight into the South African Probiotics industry environment, market dynamics and its future.

The Global Probiotics market is valued at US$45.7 billion in 2018 and is predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2% between 2018 and 2024. Asia-Pacific is the largest regional Probiotics market in 2018, with US$24.4 billion, foll
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