16-09-2022 The Asian Independent

16 16-09-2022 to 30-09-2022 NEWS
www.theasianindependent.co.uk
Hold awareness workshops
about fortified rice's benefits,
CENTRE TELLS STATES
South Sudan to vaccinate
37,390 kids against measles
New Delhi : Aiming to promote
benefits of fortified rice
while clarifying concerns about
impact of its consumption
among some sections of people
vulnerable to certain diseases,
A new protein may increase
chances of fertilisation
London : An international team of researchers created
artificial eggs
using thousands of
beads having a different
piece of protein
so that sperm
could bond with
them, increasing
chances of fertilisation.
A new protein,
named MAIA
after the Greek
goddess of motherhood, is said to be responsible for drawing
sperm into the egg for fertilisation.
“Infertility is unexplained in more than half of those who
struggle to conceive naturally. What we know about fertility
in humans has been severely limited by ethical concerns and
the lack of eggs for research,” said Harry Moore from the
University of Sheffield in the UK.
“The ingenious artificial fertilisation technique which
enabled us to identify the MAIA protein will not only allow
scientists to better understand the mechanisms of human fertility,
but will pave the way for novel ways to treat infertility
and revolutionise the design of future contraceptives,” he
added. The findings published in the journal Science
Advances revealed that when sperm was incubated with the
beads scientists found only a small number of beads had
sperm attached to them.
After several rounds of removing beads which didn’t have
sperm bound to them, researchers were eventually left with
beads corresponding to one particular protein, MAIA, and
sperm bound to all of these beads.
The gene corresponding to MAIA was then inserted into
human culture cells, and these became receptive to sperm in
the exact way that it would during the natural fertilisation
process. “This discovery of the MAIA protein is a major step
forward in how we understand the process of human fertilisation,”
said Allan Pacey from the varsity.
the Centre has asked states like
Gujarat, Maharashtra,
Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh,
Jharkhand, Telangana
Rajasthan, and Kerala to hold
workshops in this regard.
The Department of Food and
Public Distribution (DFPD) has
asked the states to organise
workshops and seminars in the
sensitive areas of tribal belts
and districts that have populations
that are vulnerable to thalassemia
and sickle cell
Chennai : With Flu on the rise among
children in various districts of Tamil Nadu,
the admission rates in hospitals have
increased and a large number of students
are absent from schools.
Doctors said that there is a 25 per cent
spike in the number of flu-related fever,
cold, and cough in the past few weeks
across the state and is mostly affecting
school-going children.
Dr. Manonmani. G, Professor of
Pediatrics in a Government Medical
College in Tamil Nadu while speaking to
IANS said, "With the Covid protocols
relaxed people are refraining from wearing
masks and this can be one of the reasons
for a comeback of diseases like flu among
children in Tamil Nadu which was on a lull
during the past two years of Covid -19 pandemic."
She said that new forms of viruses are
present among the samples taken for
research and most of the children are
affected by the Respiratory Syncytial Virus
(RSV) which has replaced pneumonia as
the common causative agent of common
cold and fever among children. Dr.
Manonmani also said that after more relaxations
from pandemic protocols, viruses
are coming back with a vengeance. She
said that certain viruses which mutate often
anaemia.
Officials said
that this initiative
has been carried out
in Gujarat where
workshops where
organised in Vapi
on September 9 and
many ministers and
higher officers,
technical experts,
and others attended
the programme.
Neha Arora, State
Programme
Officer, Nutritional
International,
Gujarat made a
presentation on fortified
staples provided
through
social safety net
programmes, and
Dr. Yazdi Italia,
former Honorary
Director, Sickle
Cell Anemia
C o n t r o l
Programme, a Go-
NGO Partnership Programme
of the state goverment, on
u n d e r s t a n d i n g
Hemoglobinopathis-Sickle Cell
Anemia, and Thalassemia.
At the end of the workshop,
there was general consensus
regarding the positive impact
of rice fortification in government
schemes and its significant
contribution to the country's
nutritional security strategy,
said a government official.
are also present in the test samples during
research and that it was a matter of concern.
Doctors also said that Human parainfluenza
virus- 3 (Respiratory illness associated
with bronchiolitis, bronchi, and pneumonia),
rhinovirus and influenza B virus
are commonly seen during this season from
the samples being tested.
Dr. Bindu Menon, virologist at Madurai
medical college said that there are some
emerging viruses that have never been seen
Juba : Backed by the World Health Organization (WHO),
South Sudan's Ministry of Health announced the launch pf a
reactive measles vaccination campaign targeting 37,390 children
aged between six months and 14 years.
In a joint statement, the Ministry and WHO said that the exercise
is underway in Juba County which has a history of recurring
measles outbreaks with one outbreak confirmed in 2017 and a
more recent one in 2019, reports Xinhua news agency.
The campaign aims to achieve at least 95 per cent coverage
to interrupt the ongoing transmission of the measles virus in the
county. Acting WHO Representative for South Sudan Fabian
Ndenzako said Covid-19 has disrupted immunization programs
around the world, increasing the risk of severe outbreaks.
"Vaccine remains the most cost-effective preventive measure
against measles. Thanks to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the ongoing
reactive campaign focused on building immunity among
over 37,000 children who are vulnerable to measles infections
and its complications," Nadenzako said. The vaccination activities
are being conducted at health centres, schools and outreach
centres to maximize access to all the vulnerable members of the
community. According to the WHO, the current outbreak started
with the initial cases reported in mid-July which led to further
investigation and confirmation of the outbreak.
Since the beginning of the outbreak, the UN health agency
said 79 measles cases with no deaths have been reported from
the five affected payams in Juba county.
A payam is the second-lowest administrative division below
county in South Sudan. Jamal Hassen, director general with the
Ministry of Health Central Equatoria State, said that it provides
routine vaccination services against vaccine-preventable diseases
for the community free of charge to prevent children
against measles. Measles is one of the most contagious diseases
of humans that is caused by the measles virus.
It is preventable and can be eliminated by vaccination.
Flu on the rise among children in TN
before and added that all these viruses are
getting hosts and that the transmission rates
are on the increase.
She said that the flu is only for three to
four days in children, but the children are
into prolonged coughs for three weeks and
are not responding to even cough syrups.
The Children's wards in almost all the
government hospitals in many districts of
Tamil Nadu are full as the admission rates
due to fever and cold are on the rise.