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Lead UTMB author Thomas Geisbert. Credit: The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston Researchers from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corp., have successfully developed a post-exposure treatment that is effective against a specific strain of the Ebola virus that killed thousands of people in West Africa. The study results, in the April 22 edition of Nature journal, demonstrated that the treatment is the first to be shown effective against the new Makona outbreak strain of Ebola in animals that were infected with the virus and exhibited symptoms of the disease. The treatment uses a sequence specific short strand of RNA, known as siRNA, designed to target and interfere with the Ebola virus, rendering it harmless. One of the advantages of this approach is the ability to quickly modify it to different viral strains. "We quickly adapted our candidate treatment to target the Makona outbreak strain of Ebola vir...

A 10 year old girl strapped with an explosive belt was yesterday July 29th discovered by security forces in company of two other people, a man and an 18 year old girl, while traveling along a road in Katsina state. The DG of the National Information Center, Mr Mike Omeri said this while briefing news men at the National Information Center; "Security forces on Tuesday, July 29, at about  10pm  along Zaria Road, Tudun Wada of Funtua Metropolis, arrested three suspects believed to be members of the Boko Haram sect. The three suspects consisted a male named Iliya Haliru, and two females – Zainab Musa, 18, and Hadiza Musa, 10. The three suspects were arrested in a Honda CRV. When they were directed to disembark for security check, 10-year-old Hadiza was discovered to have been strapped with an explosive belt. And immediately, Iliya and Zainab made attempt to escape with the car but were later blocked by other concerned Nigerians and subsequently arrested. The police successfully...

Robin William's three children Zak Williams, 31, Zelda Williams, 25 and Cody Williams, 23, have all written their own deeply touching and emotional tributes to their father, who was found hanged in his bedroom on Monday in California after battling with severe depression. "While I’ll never, ever understand how he could be loved so deeply and not find it in his heart to stay, there’s minor comfort in knowing our grief and loss, in some small way, is shared with millions." - His daughter Zelda wrote Williams hanged himself while his wife slept in the next room. So sad! See the tributes after the cut... Zelda Williams Tribute  'My family has always been private about our time spent together. It was our way of keeping one thing that was ours, with a man we shared with an entire world. But now that’s gone, and I feel stripped bare. 'My last day with him was his birthday, and I will be forever grateful that my brothers and I got to spend that time alone with him, s...

The National Health Research Ethics Committee, Nigeria, has approved the use of an experimental Ebola drug, Zmapp, for treatment of patients infected with the virus.  The committee, which composed research scientists, is a national body under the Federal Ministry of Health. The endorsement is contained in a statement issued to newsmen by Prof.  Clement Adebamowo,  Chairman of the committee  on Wednesday  in Abuja. Continue... The decision by the committee is coming on the heels of  Tuesday’s  approval by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the use of Zmapp for treatment of Ebola patients. “It is ethical to use these treatments in the current situation without first submitting an application to National, State or Institutional Health Research Ethics Committee for prior review and approval. “In addition, the Committee waives the current requirement that international shipment of any biological samples out of Nigeria should be preceded ...

Here is 12 symptoms of kidney disease you must take note Most people are not aware of the fact that kidney diseases can be silent killers. They may not show any symptoms for a long time till the situation becomes critical. It is important to recognize the symptoms of kidney diseases to catch them early. Here is a list of twelve such symptoms you should look out for: Changes in your urinary function : The first symptom of kidney disease is changes the amount, frequency of your urination. There may be an increase or decrease in amount and/or its frequency, especially at night. It may also look more dark colored. You may feel the urge to urinate but are unable to do so when you get to the restroom. Difficulty or pain during voiding : Sometimes you have difficulty or feel pressure or pain while voiding. Urinary tract infections may cause symptoms such as pain or burning during urination. When these infections spread to the kidneys they may cause fever and pain in you...

Despite what you may believe, heart attacks rarely happen “out of the blue.” In fact, your body may be trying to warn you of an impending heart attack for days, weeks, perhaps even a month or two before it occurs. Unfortunately, by the time you actually recognize you’re suffering a heart attack, it could be too late to prevent death or debilitating heart damage. So-called silent heart attacks, with signs and symptoms that are mild or seem unrelated to the heart, have long concerned cardiovascular expert Dr. Chauncey Crandall. So Dr. Crandall recently created a special free video presentation about the four most sinister warning signs to watch for. Statistics show a clear link between a delay in heart attack treatment and death or disability. That’s why it’s essential to know exactly what your heart is trying to tell you with warning signs like those discussed in Dr. Crandall’s video. Although developed as an educational tool, this video rapidly went viral, surpassin...

If you have decided to lose the extra pounds, then you surely know that the only way to do that is by combining workouts with a healthy, balanced and nutritious diet. However, there are some types of drinks that will speed up the fat burning and help you lose weight quicker than you normally would, and here you will find 5 of the most efficient ones: 1. Detox Juices Detox juices are certainly your most trustworthy allies in your battle against the extra pounds – you can easily make them in your kitchen, either entirely out of fruits or vegetables or by combining these two. Citrus fruits are known to have a powerful detox capability, therefore if you are looking for foods to help you purge all the toxins that have gathered inside you over the months then you must certainly include them in your detox juice. High-fiber root foods such as ginger, carrots or apples are also highly recommended for these juices, as they are known to also support the correct fu...

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), on Friday, discovered and sealed off an illegal engine oil manufacturing factory, IMN Auto Parts Limited, located in Usubu village, near Kontagora, Niger State. A team of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel, led by Ademola Oyasola, also arrested three persons from the factory. The three persons arrested are the manager of the company, Phillip Ambi; the Sales Representative; Emeka Anatusi and Secretary, Mrs Grace Asilonu. The suspects would be taken to NSCDC headquarters in Abuja and handed over to the legal unit for prosecution, said Oyasola. A DPR team, led by its Zonal Public Relations Officer, Muhammed Saidu, accompanied by the NSCDC officers, discovered the factory during a routine inspection and monitoring in the state. Saidu told newsmen at the end of the exercise that the company was operating without approval from DPR and in an unsafe environment. He explained that before anybody c...

The Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, yesterday, ordered the closure of all schools nationwide in protest against the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls and the killing of 170 teachers from Borno State and three from Yobe State by the insurgents. National President of NUT, Mr. Michael Alogba, who gave the directive while addressing journalists in Abuja, said the union was depressed and sad over the continued incarceration of the Chibok girls by insurgents. He urged the Federal Government and governments of Borno and Yobe states to exhibit true concern for the families of the 173 teachers. “The NUT has resolved to hold # BringBackourGirls rallies simultaneously across the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory, FCT, today. “All schools nationwide shall be closed as the day will be our day of protest against the abduction of Chibok female students and the heartless murder of 173 teachers. “At this junction, we demand that both the Federal and r...

Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, has waded into the face-off between the students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State and the management over hike in the tuition. Represented by his second in command, High Chief Lowa, the Adimula of Ife while addressing the students during their protest that led to the blockage of the roads linking Ife with other communities, Ooni aligned with the demands of the students, promising to persuade the management to reverse the fee. The monarch alongside thirteen other chiefs at his palace condemned the sudden increment during the “Save Our Soul” visit by the placards carrying students to the palace. “The Ooni will do something and within the next 24 hours, the fee will be reversed,” he promised.

China and Russia have signed a long- awaited natural gas supply deal, which would see Moscow supply 38 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas to Beijing each year for 30 years under a contract valued in excess of $400bn overall. The gas will be transported along a new pipeline linking Siberian gas fields to China’s main consumption centres near its coastline. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping witnessed the deal in Shanghai between Russian state-controlled company Gazprom and China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC). Gazprom declined to disclose what price was agreed, a key hurdle in talks that have dragged on for more than a decade, the Reuters news agency reported on Wednesday. Symbolically, for Putin the agreement represents a major triumph as he seeks to forge new partnerships in Asia while customers in Europe attempt to reduce their reliance on Russian gas in the wake of the crisis in Ukraine. But from a commercial poin...