Fresh Learn

How Blockchain Technology Can Shape the Future of Africa's Digital Economy !


As the digital landscape continues to evolve, businesses seek clarity and opportunities to scale and reinvent themselves to ensure they remain relevant in the ever-changing world. While some ambiguities persist, organizations like Interswitch are helping to demystify the ambiguities around critical technologies that are poised to shape the business environment especially in Africa. One of such is Blockchain technology.

On November 25, 2021, Interswitch unveiled its whitepaper on blockchain technology titled "Blockchain Technology: The Future of Africa's Digital Economy". It is an effort by the leading integrated digital payment and e-commerce company to share thoughts around blockchain technology and how organizations can leverage this innovation to transform their businesses. The report shone light on the prospects it portends for the future of Africa's digital economy, the key players involved in blockchain tech, some use cases, the challenges and recommendations that will facilitate the adoption of blockchain technology.
source:proshareng

"Microrobot fish swims through the body to vomit drugs on cancer",
A new microrobot fish can swim through the body with a mouthful of drugs, and automatically spit them up when it encounters cancer cells.

Delivering chemotherapy drugs directly to cancers could help reduce side effects, and soon that job could be done by tiny 3D-printed robotic animals. These microrobots are steered by magnets, and only release their drug payload when they encounter the acidic environment around a tumor.

The new microrobots are made of hydrogel 3D printed into the shape of different animals, like a fish, a crab and a butterfly, with voids that can carry particles. The team adjusted the printing density in specific areas, like the edges of the crab’s claws or the fish’s mouth, so that they can open or close in response to changes in acidity. Finally, the microrobots were placed in a solution containing iron oxide nanoparticles to make them magnetic, The end result was microrobots that could be loaded up with drug nanoparticles and steered towards a target location using magnets, where they would release their payload automatically due to changes in pH levels.
souce:newatlas

Mindfulness Can Boost Your Mindset After Cardiac Arrest.

Shining a light on the powerful link between the mind and body, a new study suggests that cardiac arrest survivors who learn to focus their thoughts on the here and now during recovery are less likely to become depressed or anxious. "Mindfulness can be defined as non-judgmental awareness of the present moment" through techniques such as meditation or yoga, explained study lead author Alex Presciutti, a PhD candidate in clinical psychology at the University of Colorado Denver.

Even the American Heart Association (AHA) thinks doing so may have cardiovascular benefits, as it noted in a scientific statement issued earlier this year that highlighted its potential as a protective tool for reducing stress and bolstering well-being among heart patients.
souce:usnews

" Transformation Tuesday "

Additive manufacturing in South Africa boosted by local technology developments.

Although the Covid-19 pandemic has had a very real impact on the sector, both globally and locally, all signs are that additive manufacturing (AM) – popularly called 3D printing – is set to grow rapidly in the coming years, both in South Africa and around the world. That was a clear consensus at the recent annual conference of the Rapid Product Development Association of South Africa (Rapdasa) – the representative body of the local AM sector – held in Pretoria at the International Conference Centre of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

In the very short run, business will be tight, because in South Africa the technology has been used a lot during the early research and development phases in the development of new products, and many AM companies provide such services to established conventional manufacturers. However, post-pandemic, this business has slowed down significantly as the conventional industries have cut their spending back during their recovery phases. “But in the longer term, there are encouraging trends, especially regarding the aerospace and medical devices sectors.” There is a clear desire in South Africa to establish a ‘titanium value chain’, based on the country’s significant titanium reserves and resources. Titanium powder is a most valuable raw material for AM, and the combination of titanium and AM has the potential to make the country a major international supplier of complex high-value aerospace and medical devices parts and products. This could in turn, help revive the South African manufacturing sector and create skilled jobs.
source:engineeringnews

Anti-Covid Drug Trial Shows "Robust Efficacy": AstraZeneca.

The AstraZeneca Covid drug AZD7442, made from a combination of two antibodies, has been undergoing final stage clinical trials to assess its safety and efficacy, Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca on Thursday announced that clinical trials of an antibody-based COVID-19 drug had shown robust efficacy and long-term prevention.
The Anglo-Swedish laboratory follows in the footsteps of US firms Merck and Pfizer, which announced in October and early November respectively that they had developed drugs that could prevent severe forms of the disease, and that could be taken at the first sign of symptoms.

More than 75 per cent of participants had co-morbidities that put them at high risk for severe COVID-19 if they were to become infected, but no severe cases were recorded, Another trial to test its efficacy in treating those already suffering from "mild to moderate" Covid symptoms showed that one 600mg IM dose reduced the risk of developing severe illness or death by 88 percent.
source:ndtv

The 9 Best Lean Six Sigma Books for Professionals to Consider Reading.

Lean Six Sigma is a methodology that seeks to improve business performance. Unlike Business Process Management (BPM), Lean Six Sigma tracks and decreases process variability and defects within those processes. As a combination of two powerful process improvement methods, Lean and Six Sigma, this practice can remove process redundancies. Lean Six Sigma approaches business processes from an analytical point of view and aims at improving an organization’s overall customer satisfaction, There are plenty of free online resources to help you and your team improve their Lean Six Sigma expertise. Still, sometimes, it’s best to do things the old-fashioned way, as few resources can match the in-depth, comprehensive detail of a well-researched Lean Six Sigma book.

With this in mind, the editors at Solutions Review have curated this list of the highest-rated Lean Six Sigma books on Amazon. Below you will find a library of titles from recognized industry analysts, experienced practitioners, and subject matter experts spanning the depths of Lean Six Sigma terminologies, concepts, tools, and more. This compilation includes publications for active and aspiring practitioners of all skill levels.
For more details please contact us at : [email protected]
source:solutionsreview

" Thankful Thursday "

ADNOC awards $6bn in contracts for Drilling Equipment.

The contracts are expected to assist the oil company in boosting production capacity to 5MMbpd by 2030. The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has awarded contracts worth almost $6bn (AED22bn) for downhole completion equipment, wellheads and related components. The investment forms part of the firm’s efforts to enable drilling growth to support its aim to increase crude oil production capacity to five million barrels per day (MMbpd) by 2030.
Said to be crucial in supporting drilling operations for oil and gas and completing wells, the contracts are expected to help the country reach gas self-sufficiency.

The five-year contracts for liner hangers and cementing accessories have a combined value of up to $337m (AED1.24bn). It also has the option to extend for two years.
source:offshore-technology

Oral antiviral candidate Paxlovid reduces COVID-19 risks by 89 percent.

Pfizer has announced its investigational novel COVID-19 oral antiviral candidate, Paxlovid™, significantly reduced hospitalization and death, based on an interim analysis of the Phase II/III EPIC-HR randomized, double-blind study of non-hospitalized adult patients with COVID-19, who are at high risk of progressing to severe illness.

Similar reductions in COVID-19-related hospitalization or death were observed in patients treated within five days of symptom onset; 1.0 percent of patients who received Paxlovid were hospitalized through Day 28 following randomization with no deaths, compared to 6.7 percent of patients who received a placebo and were hospitalized or died. In the overall study population through Day 28, no deaths were reported in patients who received Paxlovid as compared to 10 deaths in patients who received placebo. Today’s news is a real game-changer in the global efforts to halt the devastation of this pandemic. These data suggest that our oral antiviral candidate, if approved or authorized by regulatory authorities, has the potential to save patients’ lives, reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections, and eliminate up to nine out of ten hospitalizations.
source:europeanpharmaceuticalreview

SME and CESMII partner to accelerate Smart Manufacturing.

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) and CESMII – The Smart Manufacturing Institute are partnering to advance smart manufacturing by aligning their respective resources and educating industry, helping companies boost productivity, build a strong talent pipeline and reduce manufacturers’ carbon footprint.

CESMII and SME aim to address the ‘digital divide’ by connecting manufacturers to technical knowledge. These efforts are expected to be especially useful to small and medium-size companies .A large part of the supply network in overcoming the cost and complexity of automation and digitization that has constrained productivity and growth initiatives.

Generating Awareness is critical :
Building awareness is a big part of this initiative. Combining CESMII’s network of subject matter experts and SME’s reach and knowledge in producing events including Smart Manufacturing Experience and media publications are expected to help communicate the value of smart manufacturing, as well as demonstrate practical technology solutions.
source:metal-am

IFC Partners with Liquid Intelligent Technologies to Boost Africa's Digital Infrastructure.

To support universal and affordable broadband access in Africa, IFC has partnered with Liquid Intelligent Technologies to expand data center capacity and the rollout of fiber-optic cable on the continent, The partnership with Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Africa’s leading independent fiber and digital services provider, aims to increase digital connectivity and inclusion in Africa and to support the region’s growing digital ecosystem.
IFC’s equity and debt investments in Liquid Intelligent Technologies, which to date total approximately $250 million, will support the company to grow its hyperscale data center capacity in Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa through its subsidiary, As Africa’s population grows and is increasingly urbanized, data consumption is expected to grow strongly and with this comes the need for secure local data hosting.
The investments will also support Liquid Intelligent Technologies in the continued rollout of its fiber broadband network, which today covers more than 100,000 kilometers of sub-Saharan Africa. The continued build out of its network will help to connect businesses and individuals to the Internet across the continent and position Liquid intelligent Technologies to be at the forefront of Africa’s digital transformation with the provision of complementary digital services.
IFC’s digital strategy in Africa is aimed at enabling ubiquitous, reliable, and affordable connectivity. This includes investing in the growth of independent tower operators, data centers and broadband, as well as support to mobile operators primarily in fragile and conflict situations (FCS) and low-Income International Development Association countries (LIC-IDA).
source:africanews

.