2 Sisters Turning Cocoa Beans into Chocolate Bars in Ghana..

Priscilla and Kimberly Addison, two Ghanaian sisters, have launched a start-up that offers tasty, artisanal, made-in-Africa chocolate products.Even though Ghana is the world’s second largest exporter of cocoa, the West African nation — along with the rest of the major cocoa producers from Africa — only gets to enjoy a measly 2 percent of the world’s $100 billion chocolate market. This, economic experts say, is due to the fact that African countries have remained at the bottom of the product’s value chain, exporting cocoa mainly as a raw material without adding value to the final product. According to the Addisons, though, that old narrative is about to change with their ’57 Chocolate. As young entrepreneurs, they say they are determined to use widely available home grown resources to create delightful and whimsical treats and bring manufacturing back to Ghana. continue

3D printing to redefine the medical supply chain in Africa.

African organization ReFab Dar are hoping to use 3D printing to create vital medical supplies in Africa and other developing countries. In order to do so they are working on a number of initiatives including a design competition for 3D printed medical tools. The program’s main aim is exploring, “how plastic waste can power entrepreneurship using 3D printers in Tanzania.” ReFab Dar are currently recycling waste and turning it into 3D printable plastic filament. From this, they intend to create medical supplies, farming equipment and even research tools like microscopes. In this ‘Hack 4 Health’ challenge they are focused initially on the creation of HIV prevention and birthing equipment.continue

Gene therapy treats muscle-wasting disease in dogs.

The muscle wasting disease arises from a mutation in genes that normally make a protein, called myotubularin, essential for proper muscle function. Puppies with this naturally occurring mutation exhibit several features of babies with the same defective gene. The rare disorder, called myotubular myopathy, or MTM, affects only males. Puppies with this naturally occurring, fatal genetic mutation and babies with the same defective gene have several similar symptoms. Four collaborating research groups in the United States and France found a way to safely replace the disease-causing MTM gene with a healthy gene throughout the entire musculature of affected dogs. The findings published online in Molecular Therapy ,reports that diseased dogs treated with a single infusion of the corrective therapy were indistinguishable from normal animals one year later. Gene therapy holds the promise to treat many inherited diseases. To date, this approach has not been widely translated into treatment of skeletal muscle disorders.

Family gave pet plastic surgery to look like dog from The Mask.

A family has been criticized after they took their dog for plastic surgery because they didn’t like the shape of its ears. Vets were asked to lower the Jack Russell’s ears because they wanted it to look more like the dog from The Mask. Marina Esmat, 37, from Russia, bought the puppy for her son but they noticed that his ears were growing upwards. The family used weights and glue to try and keep them down, but when that failed they opted for plastic surgery instead. more

Girl, 7, born with heart outside her chest .

Girl, 7, born with heart outside her chest hoping for operation.A seven-year-old girl who was born with her heart outside her chest is heading to the US in hope of having a life changing operation. Virsaviya Borun-Goncharova suffers from thoraco-abdominal syndrome or Pantalogy of Cantrell, which affects just five in a million people.Her parents were told when she was born to prepare for the worst but the Russian has defied the odds. Now she is moving to the US where she will take medication to lower her blood pressure that, if successful, will allow to have a life changing operation.more

How to make money with a 3D printer.

According to a study at Michigan Technological University, a RepRap 3D printer pays for itself within the first 5 years after purchase. 3D Printing Industry asked one of the academics behind the research a few questions. The average consumer can also make up to 1000% return of investment with a 3D printer by using it to print household goods instead of buying them outright.continue

11 Ways to Make Money While You Sleep.

11 Ways to Make Money While You Sleep,,=passive income.Is your money making money while you sleep? Does it sound too good to be true? Since we still live in the age of the internet, it’s not that difficult to earn extra money on the side. Sell your own information product. If you’re knowledgeable in a certain area, then you can start creating products, such as eBooks or videos, and selling them on your blog. It may take a lot of work to create and market your products, but once all the leg work is over, you can just set back and collect the proceeds. Earn royalties. If you’re a talented musician, actor, or author, then you could earn royalties from your work. In other words people will pay you for using your work or creative assets.If you aren’t talented enough, but still interested in earning royalties, then check out Royalty Exchange. It’s a marketplace where you can buy and sell royalties. Another common online business model is using autoresponders to sell services, products or memberships. This is where people leave their email address on your site and then they’ll receive an automated email containing the link to download products or quality information you have to offer, as well as follow-up with a series of emails. continue Y