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http://ift.tt/2sWolKD NATURAL HONEY…A natural sugar found in honey could prevent heart attacks, new research suggests.  PHOTO CREDIT: http://ift.tt/2sWqfeA *Natural sugar found in popular sweetener reduces artery plaque by 30% A natural sugar found in honey could prevent heart attacks, new research suggests. The sugar, known as trehalose, activates a protein that causes immune cells to remove fatty plaque from arteries, the study found. Trehalose was found to reduce the size of plaque in mice by around 30 percent. Plaque builds up inside the arteries in a condition known as atherosclerosis. This causes the arteries to harden and become less elastic, putting people at risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and even heart attacks. Trehalose is also found in mushrooms, lobsters and prawns. Researchers from Washington University injected mice at risk of atherosclerosis with trehalose or a different type of sugar. Some mice were also given trehalose orally. Results, pub...

http://ift.tt/2sWyPtR NLC was reacting to the latest report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that showed unemployment rate rising from 13.9 per cent in the third quarter (Q3) or 27.12 million people to 14.2 per cent or 28.58 million in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2016. 28 million Nigerians unemployed in Q4 2016, says NBS The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said Federal Government’s target of creating 1.5 million jobs by the year 2020 was unrealistic and ambitious considering the rising rate of unemployment in the country. NLC was reacting to the latest report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that showed unemployment rate rising from 13.9 per cent in the third quarter (Q3) or 27.12 million people to 14.2 per cent or 28.58 million in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2016. Titled: “Nigerian Economy and Policy Environment,” the report had given so much hope for 2020. The Lagos State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Idowu Adelakun said: “Creating 1.5 mill...

http://ift.tt/2rULw9N But whatever the fundamental causes might be, until now a clear diagnosis has only been possible once a child has started to develop more complex social behaviours, usually around the age of two. PHOTO: Time.com Scientists have developed a brain scan, which can accurately predict whether a newborn will develop autism. This is the first time that just one scan has been used to diagnose the disorder in children, experts claim. Developed by a team of scientists at the University of North Carolina (UNC), United States (U.S.), it works with 96 percent accuracy in six-month-old infants – much more precise than other scans. It shows which regions of their brains are connected and synchronized, and which are not. With this information, they can predict which babies have certain abnormalities in their brain connections, which puts them at higher risk of developing autism before the age of two. A previous UNC-lead study, published in Nature in February, used Magnetic R...

http://ift.tt/2sdwwEJ To excel in estate surveying profession, under-graduates in the field have been challenged to be disciplined, work hard and put maximum integrity into their daily dealings with people. Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) in Plateau State, Fidel Okpanachi Idoko gave the charge during a visit by students and lecturers of the Department of Estate Management of Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi State and their counterparts from the University of Jos. He said estate management and valuation is a general description of a range of subjects touching upon every aspect of relationship between society at large and individuals who occupy or own land hence the need for them to develop expertise on the job and treat people with the highest sense of integrity. “Integrity should be your watchword because the clients entrust their property in their care, because disappointing them can lead to their untimely death”, he said. He highlighted...

http://ift.tt/2qMJczw Efforts to propagate the concept of ‘affordable housing’ could manifest early successes this year, if a new initiative being worked out by the organisers of the 11th Abuja Housing Show (AHS) is anything to go by. Although preparation for the event is on top gear, the convener of the fair, Festus Adebayo disclosed that issues bordering on training of Nigerian artisans on latest building and construction technology will be take the central stage. He said the show would devote time for length interaction with artisans, the Nigeria Directorate of employment, and all skill-training institutions in Nigeria through collaboration of professional bodies in the built environment industry in developing their capacity. Adebayo observed that artisan’s training and engagement of indigenous artisans should be prioritised in the country hence, the show would address housing problems holistically. “It is time to have our own capable and competent artisans. We are not cr...

http://ift.tt/2tb9eMZ Olamide performing at the event. PHOTO: Jackobian Abuja residents were thrilled with styles and frills by Nigeria’s A-list Musicians at the on-going Glo mega music tour. The concert which took place at the Area 10 old Parade ground, Garki on Saturday night, was anchored by the duo of Mercy Johnson and Juliet Ibrahim the Nollywood industry. Nigeria’s fastest rising music superstar Run¬town, King of the Streets, Olamide, Queens of Afro-pop, Yemi Alade and Omawumi, Afro-pop poster boy, Timaya, wowed the crowd with their kinetic energy. Similarly, Psquare, 2baba, Flavour, Korede Bello Rekado Banks, Pyhno also treated their fans to the best of music and dance. The crowd who were elated and energised responded in equal measure and released a corresponding zestful energy which kept the show bursting at the seams with a sensational feeling throughout the night. Some of residents who spoke said the performances by the various artists were electrifying adding ...

http://ift.tt/2tb6ZJk Uber Technologies Inc.’s Travis Kalanick will discuss whether to take a leave of absence when the ride-hailing giant’s board of directors convenes Sunday, the Wall Street Journal reported. The seven-member board, in addition to considering a leave for the chief executive officer, will vote on whether to adopt recommendations for changing its culture, the paper said, citing a person familiar with the situation. Allegations by current and former employees that Uber’s workplace is rife with sexual harassment and sexism led the company to hire former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate and produce a report. The San Francisco-based company is also facing scrutiny over the use of software meant to deceive government officials and for hiring an engineer who took confidential files when he moved from Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo driverless-car project. Uber has already taken steps to address concerns over harassment. It fired more than 20 people after inve...

http://ift.tt/2tbmDV7 Vitamin C Vitamin C and antibiotics could be up to 100 times more effective at killing cancer cells than standard-of-care drugs, new research reveals. Giving an antibiotic followed by vitamin C effectively starves cancer cells of their ‘fuel’, resulting in their death in the lab, a study found. Vitamin C and the antibiotic given, known as doxycycline, are both relatively non-toxic and could therefore dramatically reduce the side effects of existing treatments, the researchers said. Researchers from the University of Salford gave cancer cells increasing doses of the antibiotic doxycycline over three months. They then gave the cells vitamin C, which restricts their energy source to just glucose. This kept the cells alive, albeit severely weakened. Vitamin C does this by inhibiting most of the cells’ energy-making processes. The researchers then took away glucose, resulting in the cells’ starvation. Results, published in the journal Oncotarget, reveale...

http://ift.tt/2s0hgZf This seems to be the passage of the first fragment of the comprehensive Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which was broken into parts to facilitate quick passage, almost 17 years after the original bill was proposed. The Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) was passed by the Senate on 25 May 2017. If the House of Representatives concurs, it could be signed into law. The Nigerian Senate passed the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) on Thursday, 25 May 2017. This seems to be the passage of the first fragment of the comprehensive Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which was broken into parts to facilitate quick passage, almost 17 years after the original bill was proposed. This move by the Senate, is in actualization of 1 of the ‘7 Big Wins’ unveiled by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources in the last quarter of 2016, with a view to reform and reposition Nigeria oil & gas industry. Overview of the Bill 1. Introduction of a new regulator – nam...

http://ift.tt/2seI3DX In an interview with The Guardian, last month, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on ICT, and Senior Personal Assistant to the Vice President, Lanre Osibona, put broadband penetration at 21 per cent. • Call for National Broadband Fibre provider With 18 months left for the realisation of the Federal Government’s 2018 broadband target, which hopes to deepen penetration by 30 per cent, and make Internet access available by as much as 80 per cent in Nigeria, operators have expressed pessimism about this projection coming to pass. In an interview with The Guardian, last month, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on ICT, and Senior Personal Assistant to the Vice President, Lanre Osibona, put broadband penetration at 21 per cent. However, telecoms operators noted that notwithstanding the current level of penetration, it may still be difficult to ensure ubiquitous Internet access that will see 80 per cent of Nigeria covered b...

http://ift.tt/2susZj6 The fear most external commentators have is that they more often than not become echo chambers that discourage healthy debate rather than encourage diversity of opinion. PHOTO:AFP I have always had this theory that when women get into technology, they do much better because they are more focused. They are typically not in tech to prove any point to others, but themselves, and they excel as a result. Lola Omolola is one of those women. Lola, however, started in media and broadcasting, then she discovered technology and went all-in. Lola is a Nigerian based in Chicago. She is a wife and mother of two daughters, but she is also the creator and leader of the largest online group of women in Nigeria and Africa. Lola has become quite influential even though she modestly does not admit it.  I believe that getting that many people into a group with meaningful purpose is a great achievement. It has now become her full-time passion. She initially started a food bl...

http://ift.tt/2roTR3o The Executive Secretary of NEITI, Waziri Adio, made the disclosure in Abuja at a special workshop by ‘Publish What You Pay’, a leading civil society organisation working in the extractive sector in Nigeria. The Federal Government earned about $592.34 billion from the oil and gas sector from 1999 to 2014, according to the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI). The Executive Secretary of NEITI, Waziri Adio, made the disclosure in Abuja at a special workshop by ‘Publish What You Pay’, a leading civil society organisation working in the extractive sector in Nigeria. Adio expressed concerns that despite the huge revenues earned by government over the years, there is little change in the living standard of majority of Nigerians and in the development of infrastructure. He urged civil society groups to be more vigilant and ensure that future earnings from the sector translated to national development and support poverty reduction. He ...

http://ift.tt/2oRGR76 Reuben Okeke, has called for improve manpower development and adequate funding if the proposed 16,000 Megawatts (MW) expansion plan is to be achieved by the Year 2021. PHOTO:csiro.au As Nigerians continue to yearn for improve power sector, a former Director General of the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), Reuben Okeke, has called for improve manpower development and adequate funding if the proposed 16,000 Megawatts (MW) expansion plan is to be achieved by the Year 2021. Currently, the country’s wheeling capacity stands at about 5,300MW and characterised by unstable values in sustainability, quality, safety and affordability to the citizens despite the critical role stable power in sustaining the growth of any economy. Okeke spoke at the 2017 fellow forum titled: “Financial Liquidity Support and Human Capital Development as Solution for Sustainable Power Industry,” organised by the Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE) in Lagos. He ...

http://ift.tt/2qUSJ76 The Chairman of Snake Island Integrated Free Zone (SIIFZ), Abdulahi Yusufu, who made the assertion in a media statement on Monday, applauded the bold step taken by Federal Government to create a level-playing ground in the industry. The Federal Government’s approval of a policy review to remove monopoly in the nation’s oil and gas logistic services sector, will attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), build investors’ confidence and establish the ease-of-doing business in Nigeria. The Chairman of Snake Island Integrated Free Zone (SIIFZ), Abdulahi Yusufu, who made the assertion in a media statement on Monday, applauded the bold step taken by Federal Government to create a level-playing ground in the industry. Yusufu described the policy review as a catalyst designed to boost operations, eliminate the entrenched monopoly and remove bottlenecks that had inhibited development over the years. According to him, the Federal Government deserved commendation f...

http://ift.tt/2qxDYG0 Scientists have discovered notes are the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, of which more than one third can cause life-threatening infections. *‘Banknotes are perfect breeding ground for potentially deadly bacteria’ The banknotes in your pocket are covered in potentially deadly bacteria that could be making you ill, according to new research. Scientists have discovered notes are the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, of which more than one third can cause life-threatening infections. Many banknotes are even home to deadly strains of Escherichia coli, the superbug that causes severe food poisoning, the study found. Cash even harbours more bacteria than people’s hands and metro station air, the research adds. The researchers believe banknotes act as a ‘medium’ that absorbs bacteria from other environments. Researchers from the University of Hong Kong scraped banknotes found in hospitals and train stations to see if bacteria could survive on the surface...

http://ift.tt/2qxGbBy Just 14 days of lounging around on a beach affects your muscle mass and produces metabolic changes that drastically affect your heart health, according to a new study by the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom (U.K.). Just two weeks of inactivity can increase a healthy person’s risk of chronic diseases and even premature death, a new study warns. Desk jobs and screen obsession have driven up the rates of inactivity worldwide – contributing to the rise in obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Despite that, many of us do try our best to stay fit and healthy by exercising after work, walking instead of taking the train, and eating well. But experts warn that your efforts are futile unless you keep it up all the time – even during your holidays. Just 14 days of lounging around on a beach affects your muscle mass and produces metabolic changes that drastically affect your heart health, according to a new study by the University of Liverpool, United King...

http://ift.tt/2qxQiWX Professor Adrian Owen For almost 20 years, Professor Adrian Owen toiled away at the Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge before emigrating to Canada where he continued to flourish at Western University in Ontario. He became a superstar when he successfully challenged conventional wisdom – “He devoted most of his research to the brain and used sophisticated scanners to study what was going on in the brain. Not very much when it comes to patients in a true vegetative state. They can open their eyes and look around. They can cry, grunt or smile. But they seem unaware of what is going on and are unable to see or to understand speech.” According to a BBC documentary, it was a supposedly “vegetative” patient, Kate Bainbridge (whose name was misspelt as Brainbridge!!) who provided Professor Owen with his breakthrough moment with blazing headlines all over the world, which heralded Owen’s tenacity and brilliance: “He showed t...