A screening test for children starting school that could accurately detect early signs of a persistent stutter is a step closer, experts say. The Wellcome Trust team says a specific speech test accurately predicts whose stutter will persist into their teens. About one in 20 develops a stutter before age five – but just one… Continue reading A Step Closer to a Screening Test for Stuttering
Author: TalkAfrique Sci&Tek
Providing Science and Technology news of interest to the African continent and people.
Fight Against Malaria Compromised by Resistance Spread
Scientists have found new evidence that resistance to the front-line treatments for malaria is increasing. They have confirmed that resistant strains of the malaria parasite on the border between Thailand and Burma, 500 miles (800km) away from previous sites. Researchers say that the rise of resistance means the effort to eliminate malaria is “seriously compromised”.… Continue reading Fight Against Malaria Compromised by Resistance Spread
Depression Often Overlooked in Treating HIV Patients
HIV patients in Africa frequently suffer shame and depression but the continent’s health systems are ill-equipped to handle the issue, which not only affects their quality of life, but can lead to poor adherence to HIV treatment regimens.
Western Black Rhino Of Africa Officially Extinct, Conservation Group Announces
GENEVA — The Western Black Rhino of Africa has been declared officially extinct, and two other subspecies of rhinoceros are close to meeting the same fate, a leading conservation group said Thursday. The International Union for Conservation of Nature said a recent reassessment of the Western Black Rhino had led it to declare the species… Continue reading Western Black Rhino Of Africa Officially Extinct, Conservation Group Announces
GlaxoSmithKline Malaria Vaccine Tests Show Hopeful Results
The quest for the world’s first malaria vaccine appears to have taken a big step: A study in Africa shows experimental shots cut the risk of disease in young children by half.
The initial results from a final stage of vaccine testing were released Tuesday, and the vaccine’s developers called it a milestone in helping to tame one of the world’s most devastating killers
Cause of Hypoglycaemia Found, Say Researchers
The cause of a rare and severe form of hypoglycaemia – or very low levels of sugar in the blood – is genetic, say researchers. The life-threatening condition means the body does not have enough energy to function. Scientists at the University of Cambridge say mutations in the AKT2 gene are to blame. Writing in… Continue reading Cause of Hypoglycaemia Found, Say Researchers
NASA Satellite/Space Junk Hits Earth, Space Agency Confirms
NASA’s dead six-ton satellite fell to Earth early Saturday morning, starting its fiery death plunge somewhere over the vast Pacific Ocean. Details were still sketchy, but the U.S. Air Force’s Joint Space Operations Center and NASA say that the bus-sized satellite first penetrated Earth’s atmosphere somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. That doesn’t necessarily mean it… Continue reading NASA Satellite/Space Junk Hits Earth, Space Agency Confirms
Malaria Vaccine Trial Raises Hope
Researchers are to expand a clinical trial of a new malaria vaccine after promising results in a preliminary study in Burkina Faso.
The trial was designed to test safety, but researchers found that vaccinated children had high levels of protection.
Around a hundred different malaria vaccine candidates have been developed to date but the MSP3 vaccine tested in Burkina Faso is only the second one to show a substantial level of protection against the illness.