INCREDIBLE : Woman Has Skull Replaced With 3D Printed Implant

A medical team has carried out what is believed to be the world’s first brain transplant using a 3D printed implant. A 22-year old woman suffering from a condition that causes a thickening of the skull, had been slowly losing her vision and was suffering from motor coordination impairment, so Dr Bon Verweij of University Medical Center (UMC) Utrecht, began an in-depth study of reconstructions and 3D printing in order to replace her skull with an implant.

Brain implants have been used in previous cases where only part of a skull has been taken away in order to reduce pressure on the brain. Once the symptoms have improved, then either the removed piece of skull or an implant is used to fill the gap.

Dr Verweij explains how 3D printing technology makes sure that the components needed fit the patient’s brain exactly. “This has major advantages, not only cosmetically but also because patients often have better brain function compared with the old method,” he explained.

The Australian company Anatomics supplies custom-made impants and surgical models for the medical field and is an expert in 3D printing. It worked with Verweij’s medical team in producing the replacement skull, that was not only the first of its kind but vital for the patient.

“The thickening of the skull puts the brain under increasing pressure,” said Verwei. “Ultimately, she slowly lost her vision and started to suffer from motor coordination impairment. It was only a matter of time before other essential brain functions would have been impaired and she would have died. So intensive surgery was inevitable, but until now there was no effective treatment for such patients.”

The surgery which took a total of 23 hours was a success and the patient fully regaining her sight. She has been able to return to work, with virtually no sign of any operation having taken place.

UMC Utrecht will now be able to carry out similar procedures using 3D printed implants, allowing them to reconstruct skulls that been damaged by accidents or by tumours. Check out the video below which contains footage of the actual operation. Apologies it isn’t in English.

[Images via UMC Utrecht]

SOURCE: http://www.gizmag.com/3d-printed-skull-implant/31429/

Read more...

NOLLYWOOD: The Obesere’s Rape Movie?

Fuji artiste, Alhaji Abass Akande, aka Obesere, has finally released a video CD – ‘Rape Scandal’ to prove his innocence on the rape allegation levelled against him sometime in February, by one Olanike Olaiya.

Encomium Weekly reports that the CD which contains Obesere’s interview and that of his witness, Bolatito Omo Owo has been selling like hot cake since its release on March 17 – so far, thousands of the CD have been sold.

Explaining why he released the CD, Obesere insisted that he didn’t do the video for monetary reasons.
“I want people, especially my fans, to get a clearer picture of what really happened between myself and Nike Olaiya. Also, the inclusion of Alhaja Bola Omo Owo’s interview in the video is to let the public know that I have nothing to hide.
I am sure everybody can recognize me, but I want people to also see the face of Alhaja Omo Owo so that they will all know she’s not a fake person. Rape Scandal was produced to explain everything in detail. It wasn’t for monetary reason, but all of a sudden, everybody keeps requesting for a copy.
By now, Nike should just come out and defend herself. Her picture is also on the jacket of the CD. Everybody knows that Papa can never rape and that will never happen. I believe that won’t be the first time Nike will be swindling men. It’s God that exposed her. That’s why she is running up and down. Everybody has seen the face of a scammer. Very soon, she would show up or be fished out.” He told the magazine
Reacting to the release of the video on Sunday, March 23, 2014, Olaiya, the alleged rape victim said; “let them go ahead with their video CDs. If they like, they should come out with 10 of such, it doesn’t bother me. Very soon, the whole world will know the truth. All I know is that sinners won’t go unpunished. But I thank God I am okay now.”
Source: Daily Post

Read more...

PHOTO: The Abuja Boko Haram Attack

Photos taken today during and after inmates at the State Security Services overpowered operatives of the agency and staged a jailbreak.

Source: Sahara Reporters

Read more...

BOKO HARAM: Abuja Attack, SSS Lied?

The Department of State Services has issued a statement, claiming that the sustained gun battle around its headquarters and the vicinity of the presidential villa this morning began after a detainee disarmed an operative and tried to effect a jailbreak.

“At 0715 hours, the Service suspect handler went to the detention facility within the Headquarters to feed the suspects,” the SSS spokesperson, Marilyn Ogar, said in the statement. “One of the suspects attempted to disarm him by hitting him at the back of his head with his handcuff. His attempt to escape drew the attention of other guards at the facility who fired some shots to warn and deter others.

“The gun shots attracted the attention of the military with whom we have an understanding of mutual assistance in the event of any threat. The Army immediately deployed a team to reinforce our perimeter guards to forestall any external collaborators. The situation has since been brought under control.”

But knowledgeable security sources are telling PREMIUM TIMES that the SSS narrative begs further questions because they are “untrue and misleading”.

The sources frame their doubts around the presumed impenetrability of the DSS facility and headquarters; the unusually huge military intervention force; the quality of ordinance deployed; and the prolonged period of gun exchange.

“The truth is that a jailbreak is impossible in the SSS headquarters,” one of our sources said.”It has two fences and it is highly fortified. And there is no way a man on handcuff could launch an attack vicious enough to disarm an operative.

“Also our people need to tell the world whether it was only one gun taken from the disarmed operative that the detainees used in engaging soldiers and SSS operatives in sustained gun battle for about three hours.

“If it is about subduing one man who attempted a jailbreak, why did we need truckloads of fully armed soldiers and deployment of Armoured Personnel Carriers, RPGs and other sophisticated weapons?

“Also, why did the exchange of fire lasted for so long? Why did we have to deploy helicopter gunships to hover around the villa and Yellow House (SSS headquarters).

“Nigerians should demand the truth. I can tell you that a more serious incident happened than our people are willing to admit and there is a serious attempt at cover-up.”

Some residents of the area also believe what happened could not have been just an attempted jailbreak.

“Whatever this is, it appears more serious than an attempted jailbreak claimed by the SSS,” former Minister Nasir El-Rufai, who live a few metres away from the SSS headquarters said. “May God Protect the innocent and destroy the murderers, kidnappers and planners of genocide, Amen.”

Another former minister, whose home neighboured the SSS headquarters, Femi Fani-Kayode said,”I live 50 metres away from the SSS headquarters and the Villa and what I witnessed with my eyes and heard this morning was a full scale battle.”

The entire vicinity of the presidential palace and the SSS headquarters has been cordoned off, making it impossible for journalists to do area assessment with a view to determining what actually happened.

Source: Premium Times

Read more...

PHOTO: What Is Foluke Daramola's Husband Doing?

Is this okay?

Read more...

SUPER EAGLES: Am Building A Strong Team - Stephen Keshi

Stephen Keshi

Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi who came under fire for shunning a meeting with the Nigeria Football Federation technical committee for a function in Lagos, has stated that he was more concerned about building a solid team that will represent Nigeria at the 2014 World Cup and would not be drawn into any controversy with his employers.
The NFF on Thursday issued Keshi a query, but in a chat with super-sports.com, the former Super Eagles captain declared that he will not say a word concerning the issue at the moment.
“I don’t really want to comment on this because a lot of people will misinterpret what I will say. Let them (NFF) accuse me of everything, I really don’t care.
“I want to concentrate on my job of building a strong team. That’s the most important thing.
“I pray that the work I have been doing to build a strong Nigerian team for the World Cup comes out well because it will also be great for Africa.
“I will not say anything about the query but when it gets to a point, I will say something.
“Right now, I will be quiet but when I am ready to talk, you will be the first to hear,” Keshi said.
This stance by Keshi is bound to stoke the fire of a frosty relationship between the coach and the NFF. There has been no love lost between the federation the coach since he temporarily quit the national team after winning the nations cup in South Africa and accusing the NFF of not paying his salary for six months.
Keshi said that he was looking to prepare his team in peace and harmony adding that distractions such as these will put the spanner in the works. He also prayed that the players and the coaches are not owed their entitlements.

Source: Vanguard

Read more...

2015 ELECTION: APC, A Party Of Unpatriotic Nigerians?

The ruling Peoples Democratic Party has described the All Progressives Congress as party of unpatriotic Nigerians.
The party said it had observed the alleged ill-conceived and wicked offensive deployed by the APC and that the opposition has now resorted to attacking the personality of individuals and institutions of government using a section of the media.
A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh in Abuja on Sunday, alleged that the APC had been using resources meant for the development of their states to castigate, discredit and ridicule PDP officials and other well-meaning individuals in the country.
In response, the APC dismissed PDP’s claims saying the ruling party was a party of drowning politicians clinging to straws.
Metuh said that it was rather despicable that instead of coming out with tangible explanations that would delink it from the negatives for which he said Nigerians have known the APC, he added that the opposition party had resorted to what he described as “yet another diversionary tactics of propaganda, blackmail and falsehood, this time, using paid consultants masquerading as newspaper columnists to attack and insult individuals including the person of President Goodluck Jonathan.
“We however wish to restate that the PDP is not perturbed by these attacks and they cannot deter us from exposing the APC. We completely stand by our position that the APC is a party of unpatriotic persons whose agenda is to destroy our democracy and the unity we enjoy as a nation.
“This wave of attack is clearly part of APC’s ‘Janjaweed ‘ ideology of destruction and inciting the people against individuals, especially government officials, in furtherance of the plot to undermine the system and balkanize the nation along ethnic and religious lines ahead of the 2015 general elections; an agenda which has already failed.”
He added that he was aware that the APC has engaged the services of foreigners who he said have been brought into the country to do the hatchet job in collaboration with the paid consultants who he said pocket as much as N5 million naira for each negative publication.
Metuh said, “Nigerians must insist that the APC declares the source of the billions of naira with which it is sponsoring the negative publications.
“We must ensure that the funds are not coming from the resources meant for the development of their states where the people are already subjected to untold hardship on account of the looting and heavy taxes by the APC.
“As an ill-bred party, it is not surprising that the APC has continued to exhibit crass hatred for the President even to the extent of unleashing their thugs to attack innocent citizens for the singular reason of being in possession of posters of President Goodluck Jonathan.”
He said Nigerians are now aware that the APC is a party of hypocrites; of wolves in messianic robes seeking to deceive with the promise of change. We wish to state categorically that the APC as presently constituted has nothing to offer.
He added that by every indication, the APC is a rudderless ship heading for crisis and self destruction.
Metuh urged Nigerians to note that whilst the leaders of the APC have continued to focus on attacking people and causing confusion, the PDP has focused on sensitizing the people as well as strengthening and expanding its support base.
Reacting to Metuh, his counterpart in the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said the PDP had better address issues instead of beating around the bush.
He told one of our correspondents in a telephone interview that there was nothing the APC has said about the PDP that was untrue.
Mohammed said, “Every advert we have put out, I signed them. We have run only two adverts so far, one on the allegation of corruption of millions of dollars and the other one on the incompetence regarding the recruitment into the Nigeria Immigration Service.
“I don’t see that as character assassination, I don’t see that as insulting personalities, we have just put the facts in the public domain, they should reply Nigerians.
“It is not true that people died in the NIS recruitment? Is it not true that they collected N1, 000 from each of the applicants? Let them go and face their challenges.”
He dismissed allegations that state resources were used in placing adverts. Mohammed said the APC is an organised and accountable political party unlike the ruling party.
Source: Punch

Read more...