Paperfuge the low cost hand powered centrifuge for disease diagnosis.

Modern medicine relies heavily on technology, like centrifuges, that are costly, bulky and require electricity. In many places around the world, especially developing countries this kind of equipment can be difficult to access. A new study published online in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering, researchers described an inexpensive, hand-powered centrifuge that's based on an ancient toy and could help doctors working in developing countries. The centrifuge is the essential in modern medical laboratories,because this device spins samples at high speeds to separate particles or cells based on size and density, effectively concentrating specific components making disease diagnosis easy. The researchers found that a toy known most commonly as the whirligig had the greatest potential as a centrifuge. By altering the basic design, they were able to achieve speeds of up to 125,000 revolutions per minute (RPM), the fastest speeds reported for a hand-powered device. The researchers used a paper disk and fishing wire to modify the whirligig, turning it into a hand-powered centrifuge that costs about 20 cents to build. They called their device a "paperfuge" and tested it against modern centrifuges to measure red blood cell counts. To do so, Prakash and his team loaded a finger prick of blood into a capillary tube and placed that into a sealed plastic straw that was mounted onto the paper disk. The result was obtained in a minute and a half , without electricity and were similar in tests for malaria parasites.

Coca-Cola’s fairlife launches ‘Superkids’ milk

Coca-Cola’s fairlife launches ‘Superkids’ milk: Coca-Cola’s ultra-filtered premium milk fairlife has launched a children’s ‘Superkids’ variety, available in white milk and chocolate milk.

AGRIBUSINESS : 5 ways to make millions in agribusiness.

AGRIBUSINESS : 5 ways to make millions in agribusiness. Agriculture is the new currency and everybody is tapping into the market one way or the other. The current trend of back to agriculture has opened up an in-road to agribusiness such that more products are available as a source of income or as sustenance to ensure food security. 

 Agriculture is broad but you can carve a niche for yourself and produce desirable products,there are very many opportunities to create wealth but i choose to write about these because they are simple, easy,can be home based and require minimal capital. 

 1) Egg sales and distribution; the demand for eggs are ever increasing and you can easily start this with as little as 10,000 naira ,which you can easily turn around and start making profit immediately. Egg sales and distribution is an instant cash cow,your personal money-making machine. start

2) Fruit sales; majority of people are concerned about health nowadays with many people turning to fruits and vegetables to stay fit and trim. The sale of fruits is simple and easy to start. The first step will be to visit fruit markets in your area or link up with fruit farmers and strike a deal. 

The fruits purchased can either be sold as whole fruits or cut in bits for sale to people who cant afford the full sized fruits. The dicing of the fruits will not only sell fast but it opens another avenue to cash in fast ,the diced/sliced fruits can be hygienically packed , chilled and sold as fruit box or packs that are handy packs for schools,hospitals,offices and of course superstores. 

 Fruits can also be diced ,blended , chilled and sold as smoothies,this is the cream of the fruit business. Entrepreneurs can actually start a health store where various fruit smoothies are sold,the winning edge will be the basic knowledge of various fruits and the health benefits to the body so that you can make a perfect mix and offer your customers. E.g a customer that wants to lose weight can ask the fruit vendor for the best fruit combo to achieve this goal e.t.c. the ability to blend various fruit combo to fit different requirement will boost sales as many customers will troop in to try the mix.

 AGRIBUSINESS : 5 ways to make millions in agribusiness.

 3) snail farming,this is a hidden goldmine that its easy to start and manage. Snails are not noisy,nor pollute the environment with effluents thus its a super urban agribusiness venture to look into.see 

 4) Start an aquarium store; you can actually start from home and reach out to clients. The shop can be set up with various sizes of vats for the different fish types,an aquarium accessory shop will be an addition to the venture. 

The interior decoration in many organisations are now complimented with different types of aquarium,also you can generate more money if you open up a section of your store as exhibition ground or resort center,where schools,individuals can come in ,look around and pay for the visit. start and this 

 5) Feather processing; this is turning waste to wealth. Everybody loves fashion,and one or two pieces of accessories can make you stand out. Feathers of different poultry can be accessed in various live bird markets with processing facility. 

The feathers are collected using  breeds,color and size. The feathers are washed in warm water to get any dirt or debris off,then its disinfected ,rinsed and dried in the sun. The feathers can be further processed according to use,such as adding color,trimming to fit a pattern or using them plain. Feathers can be used as fans,earrings,hat clips,brooches ,set decor,home decor e.t.c .learn

Gut bacteria linked to development of Alzheimer’s disease: Mouse data

Gut bacteria linked to development of Alzheimer’s disease: Mouse data: Intestinal bacteria can accelerate the development of Alzheimer's disease, say researchers who suggest their findings could open new opportunities for preventing and even reversing the disease through the gut.

Cats, dogs teaming up is best way to keep rodents away.

Dogs and cats may be longtime enemies but when they team up can help control rodents and prevent damage to crops.The findings are published in the online journal PLOS ONE, and show that farmers trying to keep rodents from eating their crops and for homeowners trying to keep the nuisances at bay and from spoiling food and potentially spreading disease should have dogs and cats on the farm. Farmers should consider cats and dogs as a way to discourage rodent pests in areas where they store their crops.The team of researchers conducted their experiment in four agricultural villages in Swaziland, but their findings apply globally. To test whether cats and dogs would keep rodents away, researchers selected 40 homesteads. The homesteads housed six to 10 people and included more than one buildings. Researchers divided the homesteads this way: Dogs at one group of 10 homesteads; cats at another group of 10; cats and dogs at another group of 10; and neither dogs nor cats at the final group of 10. The researchers also studied the fear factor in the rodents,as they wanted to know if the rodents were afraid to forage with cats and dogs at the homestead. The researchers found that the presence of cats and dogs at the same homestead significantly reduced foraging activity and increased the amount of fear displayed by rodents. This is a simple but effective effort at managing rodents in and around homesteads.

Google adds iconic African landmarks to Street View.

They include the 161-meter-tall African Renaissance bronze monument .It's not all jungles, mud houses and wild animals in Africa: the continent has cities, art centers, monuments and other landmarks, just like everywhere else in the world. To bust myths going around about African countries and to give more people a chance to get to know what they truly look like, Google has tweaked Street View to add iconic landmarks and monuments in Ghana, Senegal and Uganda. One of them is a UNESCO World Heritage village built on top of water, while another is the snazzy-looking National Theatre of Ghana. You can also visit Senegal's 49-meter/161-foot bronze statue called the African Renaissance monument unveiled in the presence of 19 African heads of state back in 2010. There's also Lake Retba in Senegal that's known for its pink waters. If you're a nature person through and through, you can visit all seven national parks Google and the Uganda Wildlife Authority captured on film, as well. The big G used its famous Street View trekker to film the sights and the wildlife. continue

Google uses Valentine's Day Doodle to raise awareness of endangered pangolins.

Google is getting into the Valentine's Day spirit with a Google Doodle game designed to highlight the plight of the pangolin. Pangolins are the most poached and trafficked mammal in the world and, as such, are an endangered species. Often referred to as “scaly anteaters,” the mammals, found in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, eat ants and termites with their long tongues and can curl into a ball to protect themselves using their overlapping scales. The Doodle has been designed to raise awareness of the animals via a game about two long-distance pangolin lovers. Writing love letters to each other from far-off places, these pangolins know in their hearts they’re scaly soulmates, Continue