Aliko Dangote Reacts To South African – Nigerian Attacks

BY ELEGBEDE ISSA · SEPTEMBER 5, 2019

Africa richest man, Aliko Dangote has reacted to the the xenophobic war between South Africa and counterpart Nigeria.

The attack reportedly began in South Africa, Johannesburg precisely Nigerians are being maimed and their businesses laid to ruins.

Unhappy Nigerians also took to the streets in Nigeria to loot and lock down every South African business in the nation which includes, MTN, DSTV and Stanbic IBTC bank amongst others.

Reacting to the wars, business mogul, Alujo Dangote took to his Twitter page to condemn the reprisal attacks, he wrote;

Our aspirations for a shared and sustainable prosperity can only be achieved when we live in peace and unity, shunning hate and any form of violent attack on African brotherhood”, he said.

It is time for Africans to put Africa at the center of its own development, by harnessing our entrepreneurial and intellectual skills. Let us collectively shun hate and reprisal attacks

Aliko Dangote✔@AlikoDangote

Our aspirations for a shared and sustainable prosperity can only be achieved when we live in peace and unity, shunning hate and any form of violent attack on African brotherhood…(1/2)4,9576:40 PM – Sep 4, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy1,811 people are talking about this

Aliko Dangote✔@AlikoDangote

It is time for Africans to put Africa at the center of its own development, by harnessing our entrepreneurial and intellectual skills. Let us collectively shun hate and reprisal attacks. (2/2)

Federal Government Withdraws Ambassador To South Africa, Boycotts World Economic Summit

BY ELEGBEDE ISSA · SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

The Nigeria Federal Government has reportedly called back its ambassador to South Africa, Ambassador Kabiru Bala and have boycotted the World Economic Summit.

The World Economic Summit (WES) which is slated to hold in Cape Town on Wednesday has been boycotted by the FG according to a report by News Agency of Nigeria.

This is in reaction to the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

More to follow….

Federal Government Withdraws Ambassador To South Africa, Boycotts World Economic Summit

BY ELEGBEDE ISSA · SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

The Nigeria Federal Government has reportedly called back its ambassador to South Africa, Ambassador Kabiru Bala and have boycotted the World Economic Summit.

The World Economic Summit (WES) which is slated to hold in Cape Town on Wednesday has been boycotted by the FG according to a report by News Agency of Nigeria.

This is in reaction to the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

More to follow….

As I was mowing the lawn this morning, Modern Philosophers, I got to thinking about how much I hated the task.  Then I wondered how anyone could possibly choose to mow lawns for a living.

Shortly thereafter,  I remembered that I put myself through college as a busboy, waiter, and bartender.  So, obviously, not every career choice makes sense.

As I continued to mow the lawn, which can seem like an endless chore at times, the deep thoughts continued to flow.

How in the world did I, a guy who hates taking orders and wants to be his own boss, end up with a job that was literally taking orders?

That one falls on my stepmother.  She decided I needed a job for the summer, an old friend had recently bought a restaurant in the neighborhood, and she arranged for me to work there as a busboy.

Ambitious as I was, I worked my way up through the ranks to be a waiter and a bartender, jobs which paid much better, but were very reliant on tips.

Now I wonder how much better off I’d be financially if I’d been more of a people person when I was in college.

I can only imagine all the tips I missed out on because I was a socially awkward introvert, who essentially hated people.

What if I’d been as charming and outgoing back then as I am now?

I could have made millions in tips.  I might have pulled in enough to buy NYU, and then allow myself to attend college for free.

Oh, what could have been…

If you think picturing college me as a waiter is impossible, try to form a mental image of me working behind the bar.

To this day, despite how stressful life has been through the decades, I am miraculously not a drinker.  So imagine what it must have been like for me to deal with the endless barrage of drink requests.

I used to tell my customers that if they didn’t want a beer, they’d better order either a shot, or a drink that had its ingredients in the name like a rum and Coke.

Sex on the Beach?  Baybreeze?  Harvey Wallbanger?

Sorry.  I think we’re out of those.  Would you like to try what we have on tap?

Why did I continue to work jobs that I had no business holding?  Well that’s easy.  I hate change, the hours worked with my school schedule, and they paid in cash.  Generally, there was lots of cash, which came in handy since I was putting myself through NYU without any help from my family.

Back in those days, politicians weren’t clamoring to forgive student loan debt.  If you wanted to go to one of the best Film Schools in the country, then you had to either pony up the exorbitant tuition, or find yourself a nice community college.

So I kept taking orders, screwing up drink requests, and walking around smelling like fried food all week.  Because every night that I walked into that restaurant, my mind was dreaming about the Academy Award I was going to win some day.  And debating whether or not to mention the establishment in my acceptance speech.

I’m still undecided on that one, by the way.

Thanks to all the customers who put up with my horrible food and drink service skills for four years while I chased my dream.

I appreciate your patience, but do wish you had been better tippers…follow up on falz.home.blog

Neuroscientists focus on the brain and its impact on behavior and cognitive functions, or how people think.

They also investigate what happens to the nervous system when people have neurological, psychiatric, and neurodevelopmental disorders.

A neuroscientist can specialize in a wide range of fields, from neuroanatomy to neuropsychology. Research in this field can improve our understanding of both the brain and the body, how they work, and the health issues that affect them.

Overview

Neuroscience focuses on the nervous system, which has an impact on every part of the body and mind.

Neuroscience is an interdisciplinary science that works closely with other disciplines, such as mathematics, linguistics, engineering, computer science, chemistry, philosophy, psychology, and medicine.

Neuroscientists study the cellular, functional, behavioral, evolutionary, computational, molecular, cellular, and medical aspects of the nervous system. There are various fields that focus on different aspects, but they often overlap.

Researchers might look into brain activity in people with ailments such as Alzheimer’s disease. Tools used include MRI scans and computerized 3-D models. They may do experiments using cell and tissue samples.

The findings may lead to the development of new medications. Some neuroscientists are involved in treating patients.

Why is neuroscience important?

Neuroscience affects many, if not all, human functions, but it also contributes to a better understanding of a wide range of common conditions.

These include:

• Down syndrome
• autistic spectrum disorders (ASD)
• ADHD
• addiction
• schizophrenia
• Parkinson’s disease
• brain tumors
• epilepsy
• the effects of stroke, for example, language loss
• immune system disorders, such as multiple sclerosis

A greater understanding of neurological factors can help in developing medications and other strategies to treat and prevent these and many other health issues.

History

In recent decades, scientists have made major discoveries about neurons, the brain, and the central nervous system.

The ancient Egyptians thought the seat of intelligence was in the heart. Because of this belief, during the mummification process, they would remove the brain but leave the heart in the body.

The ancient Greeks were among the first people to study the brain. They attempted to understand the role of the brain and how it worked and to explain neural disorders.

According to an article in Scientific American, Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, had a theory that the brain was a blood-cooling mechanism.

Pierre Paul Broca (1824-1880) was a French physician, surgeon, and anatomist. He worked with patients who had brain damage. He concluded that different regions in the brain were involved in specific functions.

The part of the brain known as Broca’s area is responsible for some speech and other functions. Damage to this area during a stroke can lead to Broca’s aphasia, when a person can no longer produce accurate or coherent speech.

In the 19th century, von Hemholtz, a German physician and physicist, measured the speed at which nerve cells produced electrical impulses.

During 1873, Gamillo Golgi, an Italian physician, pathologist, and scientist, used silver chromate salt to see what neurons looked like.

Early in the 20th century, Santiago Ramón y Cajal, a Spanish pathologist, histologist, and neuroscientist, hypothesized that the neurons are independent nerve cell units.

In 1906, Golgi and Cajal jointly received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work and categorization of neurons in the brain.

Since the 1950s, research and practice in modern neurology have made great strides, leading to developments in the treatment of stroke, cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis (MS) and other conditions.

Scientific developments have enabled neuroscientists to study the nervous system’s structure, functions, development, abnormalities, and ways it can be altered.

Major branches

Neuroimaging includes MRI scans and other imaging technology that can show what is happening in the brain.

Some major branches of neuroscience can be broadly categorized in the following disciplines:

Affective neuroscience: Research looks at how neurons behave in relation to emotions.

Behavioral neuroscience: This is the study of how the brain affects behavior.

Clinical neuroscience: Medical specialists, such as neurologists and psychiatrists, look at the disorders of the nervous system from basic neuroscience findings to find ways to treat and prevent them. They also look for ways to rehabilitate those who have undergone neurological damage. Clinical neuroscientists consider mental illnesses as brain disorders.

Cognitive neuroscience: This looks at how the brain forms and controls thoughts, and the neural factors that underlie those processes. During research, scientists measure brain activity while people carry out tasks. This field combines neuroscience with the cognitive sciences of psychology and psychiatry.

Computational neuroscience: Scientists try to understand how brains compute. They use computers to simulate and model brain functions, and applying techniques from mathematics, physics, and other computational fields to study brain function.

Cultural neuroscience: This field looks at the interaction between cultural factors and are genomic, neural, and psychological processes. It is a new discipline that may help explain variations in health measures between different populations. Findings may also help scientists to avoid cultural bias when designing experiments.

Developmental neuroscience: This looks at how the brain and the nervous system grow and change, from conception through adulthood. Information gathered helps scientists understand more about how the neurological systems develop and evolve. It enables them to describe and understand a range of developmental disorders. It also offers clues about how and when neurological tissues regenerate.

Molecular and cellular neuroscience: Scientists look at the role of individual molecules, genes, and proteins in the functioning of nerves and the nervous system at a molecular and cellular level.

Neuroengineering: Researchers use engineering techniques to better understand, replace, repair, or improve neural systems.

Neuroimaging: This is a branch of medical imaging that concentrates on the brain. Neuroimaging is used to diagnose disease and assess the health of the brain. It can also be useful in the study of the brain, how it works, and how different activities affect the brain.

Neuroinformatics: This field involves collaboration between computer scientists and neuroscientists. Experts develop effective ways to collect, analyze, share, and publish data.

Neurolinguistics: Specialists investigate how the brain enables us to acquire, store, understand, and express language. It helps speech therapists develop strategies to help children with speech difficulties or people who wish to regain their speech after, for example, a stroke.

Neurophysiology: This looks at how the brain and its functions relate to different parts of the body, and the role of the nervous system, from the subcellular level to whole organs. It helps scientists understand how human thought works and provides insight into disorders relating to the nervous system.

Becoming a neuroscientist

Neuroscience is a new and important field with implications for every aspect of how people move, think, and behave. In 2007, it was estimated that abnormal neurological conditions were thought to affect up to 1 billion people worldwide.

People who join this profession need to have an interest in science and math. Most neuroscientists start out by completing a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience before then pursuing a PhD.

Those who wish to do clinical work and treat patients must also train first as a Medical Doctor (MD) and complete a medical residency. They must also pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination.

They may then take a postdoctoral fellowship, for example, in a lab, to get further training before applying for a job.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary of a medical scientist, including neuroscientists, in 2016 was $80,530. Salaries ranged from a low of $57,000 to a high of $116,840….

After assessing numerous specialist studies, a new review concludes that exercise can help to both prevent depression and treat its symptoms. However, current treatments for depression often fail to include this lifestyle adjustment, despite the strong evidence.

A new review of the specialist literature emphasizes the need to add exercise to recommendations for the treatment of depression.

Both anecdotal and scientific evidence has suggested that physical activity can be a great ally in fending off or fighting the symptoms of depression, which affects around 40 millionadults in the United States each year, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

“The evidence of the use of exercise [for the management of depression] is substantial and growing fast,” write Felipe Barretto Schuch, from the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria in Brazil, and Brendon Stubbs, from King’s College London in the United Kingdom.

Schuch and Stubbs have recently conducted a review of the literature looking at the effects of exercise on the risk and symptoms of depression.

In their paper — which now features in Current Sports Medicine Reports — they conclude that exercise is indeed an effective “medicine” against depression in most cases.

The authors also found that many programs dedicated to treating depression do not include exercise in their list of recommendations for the prevention and treatment of the condition.

Typically, specialists will recommend antidepressant drugs and psychotherapy for managing clinical depression. The authors of the current review argue that diversifying the approach even more — by suggesting physical activity as a lifestyle adjustment — could boost the effectiveness of therapy.

“Some guidelines have incorporated [physical activity] and exercise as recommended therapeutic strategies for depression while others have not,” Schuch and Stubbs write.

“Despite this acknowledgment, [physical activity] still appears to not receive the deserved attention, and its use in clinical practice is not of equitable value to the more dominant strategies, such as pharmacotherapy and psychotherapies,” they note.

‘A large and significant antidepressant effect’

In their review, the authors started by analyzing the data from 49 prospective studies with a total of 266,939 participants between them.

The analysis revealed that studies that had adjusted for potential confounding factors — such as age, biological sex, or smoking status — indicated that exercise could help reduce depression risk by 17%.

Schuch and Stubbs also refer to a previous analysis they did in 2016, of 25 randomized trials with a total of more than 1,487 participants with depression among them.

The trial results indicated that exercise could also be effective in treating the symptoms of already existing clinical depression.

By analyzing the data from these trials, the authors write, they “identified a very large and significant antidepressant effect” of exercise.

Schuch and Stubbs nevertheless acknowledge that physical activity may not be an equally compelling “antidepressant” for everyone. They point out that specialists must aim to gain a better understanding of whom, exactly, is most likely to benefit the most from physical activity in the context of mental health.Could exercise boost well-being among psychiatric inpatients?Inpatients at psychiatric facilities could stand to gain a lot from exercise programs, a new study shows.READ NOW

Previous research, they note, has suggested that biological, clinical, psychological, and social factors, either independently or cumulatively, can determine whether or not exercise can help an individual cope with depression.

As to why exercise seems to have such a significant antidepressant effect in most cases, research looking to understand the mechanisms is ongoing, the two investigators write.

So far, specialists have suggested that physical activity’s positive effect on mental health may be because exercise can help reduce inflammation, protect cellular health, and help brain cells regenerate.

The importance of self-motivation

Schuch and Stubbs also suggest that exercise may be ineffective against depression — or that people may fail to keep up with their exercise routine — if they do it out of a sense of obligation rather than enjoyment.

“[A]utonomous motivation may ‘hold the key’ to keep people with mental illness active,” the researchers write. “[This] is the motivation that leads someone to do something for its own sake, for example, finding exercise enjoyable or challenging,” they explain.

Schuch and Stubbs note that receiving support from health and fitness professionals, as well as from one’s social circle, may also help boost and maintain the desire to exercise.

The bottom line of the current review is that, across the board, healthcare professionals should add exercise to their list of recommendations for the treatment of depression. Furthermore, they should support their patients in identifying and continuing to practice the forms of exercise that they enjoy.

In the conclusion to their paper, the two researchers advise:

“[Physical activity] can confer protection from the development of depression in children, adults, and older adults. These effects are evident in all continents. Also, among people with depression, exercise can be used for acutely managing symptoms. […] [A] robust body of evidence from randomized controlled trials demonstrates that exercise is effective in treating depression.”

A recent study suggests that sesame allergy is more widespread in the United States than previously thought.

New research suggests that the number of people living with sesame allergy in the U.S. is much higher than previous estimates.

Researchers from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, IL, analyzed survey data from a nationally representative sample of 50,000 U.S. households.

The analysis reveals that sesame allergy affects more than 1 million adults and children in the U.S.

Sesame allergy can arise in children and adults alike. In that sense, the allergy differs from other food allergies, such as milk and egg, which typically start early in life and often fade in the teenage years.

The study, which features in the journal JAMA Network Open, is the first to estimate the nationwide prevalence of sesame allergy.

“Our study,” says Ruchi S. Gupta, a professor of pediatrics and medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, “shows sesame allergy is prevalent in the U.S. in both adults and children and can cause severe allergic reactions.”

Sesame seeds and food labeling

Sesame seed comes from the Sesamum indicum plant. The food industry values sesame seed as a raw or roasted ingredient, and also for its oil.

The seeds are present in many baked goods, such as bread, bagels, crackers, and cakes.Common food additive may impact gut bacteria, increase anxietyA study of mice suggests that emulsifiers may trigger physiological and behavioral changes.READ NOW

Sesame seeds also feature in sweets, and Asian, East African, and Indian cuisine. Hulled sesame seed is a key ingredient of tahini, a traditional Middle Eastern paste that itself is an ingredient of other foods.

The world’s biggest producers of sesame seed are Myanmar (Burma), India, and China. The U.S. also grows sesame, mainly in the south.

Currently, U.S. federal regulation does not require food labels to identify sesame as an ingredient. This is not the case in other countries, such as Australia and those within the European Union.

However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are considering adding sesame to the list of eight major food allergens, which currently comprises: milk, eggs, fish, peanuts, crustacean shellfish, soybeans, tree nuts, and wheat.

The 2014 Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act requires product labels to specify whether their contents include any of these major allergy causing foods. The requirement also covers proteins that may have originated from those foods.

Prof. Gupta and her colleagues argue that their findings make a case for the FDA to add sesame to the list.

Food allergy and symptoms

To have a food allergy is to live with the constant knowledge that accidentally eating the wrong food could lead to a life threatening reaction. There is no cure for food allergy, so the only way to stay safe is to avoid the foods that trigger allergic reactions.

In the U.S., life threatening reactions to food allergens affect thousands of people and claim around 20 lives every year.

Food allergy occurs when the immune system overreacts to certain food proteins, or allergens.

Food allergy reactions can result in very severe symptoms that include facial swelling, hives, wheezing, vomiting, and shock. They can also result in death.

Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies in the immune system detect the allergens and then trigger the release of inflammatory molecules. The inflammation produces symptoms that usually affect the skin, nose, throat, or lungs.

There are different IgE antibodies for different allergens.

“Food allergy is a serious health issue in the U.S,” notes Prof. Gupta and her colleagues in their study background. They cite estimates that suggest around 8% of children and 10% of adults in the U.S. are living with food allergies.

The study and its main findings

For the new research, the team analyzed responses to a nationwide telephone and web survey that yielded data on more than 80,000 adults and children.

In addition to the usual demographics, the data included detailed information about suspected food allergens, specific symptoms, and clinical diagnoses.

The data revealed that more than 1.5 million adults and children (0.49% of the U.S. population), reported having a current sesame allergy.

A more rigorous analysis found that 1.1 million people (0.34% of the U.S. population) reported either having received a diagnosis of sesame allergy from a doctor or a history of sesame allergy symptoms that “met symptom-report criteria for convincing IgE-mediated allergy.”

The researchers also found that many people who reported having a current sesame allergy or severe allergic reactions are not seeing a doctor to diagnose the condition.

The researchers also found that it is very common for people with a sesame allergy to have another food allergy as well. This appeared to be the case in around 80 percent of those with sesame allergy.

More than half of those reporting an additional food allergy said that they also had peanut allergy, a third said that they had tree nut allergy, a quarter said they had egg allergy, and around a fifth reported an allergy to cow’s milk.

“It is important to advocate for labeling sesame in packaged food. Sesame is in a lot of foods as hidden ingredients. It is very hard to avoid.”

Prof. Ruchi S. Gupta

RELATED COVERAGE

Foods to avoid with a sesame allergySesame seeds and oil are common ingredients in a variety of dishes. However, researchers estimate that hundreds of thousands of people have a sesame allergy. Many food manufacturers do not list sesame by name in their ingredients, even if it is present, so it is vital to know which foods to avoid or eat with caution.READ NOWHow to cope with your food allergyThe only way to prevent allergic reactions if you have a food allergy is to avoid the allergen. Here are some tips to help you cope with food allergies.READ NOWThe 10 best food allergy appsDo you experience food allergies? We have selected the top 10 food allergy apps to help you navigate the foods that are safe to eat and the ones to avoid.READ NOWFood allergies: What you need to knowThis article provides an in depth description of food allergies, the signs and symptoms of a food allergy, and what to do when a reaction is suspected.READ NOWEight common food allergies: Causes, symptoms, and triggersWhat are the most common food allergies and what are some other food allergies? Find out here about them, including the causes, symptoms, and triggers.