Share This

Thursday, June 13, 2024

Dengue vaccine is now available

 

[L-R] Takeda India and Southeast Asia Head of Medical Affairs, Dr Goh Choo Beng, Dengue Prevention Advocacy Malaysia [DPAM] Chairman Prof. Datuk Dr Zulkifli Ismail, Takeda Malaysia, Singapore Country General Manager, Dr Lynette Moey and Takeda Malaysia and Singapore Vaccine Franchise Head Sony Paul at the launching of Takeda's Dengue vaccine in Malaysia at One World Hotel on June 11. — AZMAN GHANI/The Star

PETALING JAYA: Malaysians can now protect themselves against dengue by getting vaccinated.The Drug Control Authority recently approved the first dengue vaccine for use in the country.

Manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Takeda, the vaccine named Qdenga protects against all four dengue virus serotypes. It is particularly effective against the serotype-2 virus (DENV-2), which is currently the dominant viral strain in Malaysia.

Results from the vaccine’s phase III clinical trial show that it had prevented 80.2% of symptomatic dengue cases, at one year after vaccination.

It had also prevented 90.4% of hospitalisations at 18 months after vaccination. 

CLICK TO ENLARGECLICK TO ENLARGE

Takeda Malaysia and Singapore country general manager Dr Lynette Moey said, “If you see a table with 10 people, eight out of 10 of them would have experienced the efficacy of the vaccine.

ALSO READ : Dengue kills

“And at that same table, nine out of 10 of them need not go to the hospital because of serious disease.”

The latest available data shows that the vaccine still protects 84.1% of people against hospitalisation and 61.2% against symptomatic dengue. The data was collected four-and-a-half years after the trial participants had received their vaccines.

Currently, Qdenga is available at selected private clinics and hospitals throughout the country.

Responding to a question about the cost of the vaccine, she said that each healthcare facility would determine the price they would charge.

The vaccine can be taken by those aged four years and older. “This wide age range allows us to extend protection to a larger group of eligible Malaysians, including children, adults and even senior citizens,” Dr Moey said.

The vaccine can also be safely taken by those who have not had a prior dengue infection.

This was an issue with the first dengue vaccine licensed for use in 2015 in a number of countries.

It was found that this vaccine, produced by the pharmaceutical company Sanofi, actually increased the risk of hospitalisations and severe dengue disease in those who had not previously been infected at the time of vaccination.

Dengue Prevention Advocacy Malaysia chairman Prof Datuk Dr Zulkifli Ismail explained, “The second dengue infection is invariably more severe than the first – it’s caused by two different serotypes.

“If you get the vaccine, that will be considered as the first infection, which is not severe.

“If you get infected by a second infection, that is the one that causes severe disease. That is what happened with the previous vaccine.”

However, the consultant paediatrician and paediatric cardiologist said that this effect showed after two years of the previous vaccine being administered.

“This vaccine (Qdenga) has been tested for four-and-a-half-years and there have been no red flags as far as this is concerned.

“So it is quite hopeful and I don’t think we will see it,” he said.

The vaccine is administered by injection and is given in two doses, three months apart.

According to Takeda India and South-East Asia Medical Affairs head Dr Goh Choo Beng, there are currently no plans or data to support the need for a booster shot.

He said that any side effects from the vaccine were common ones related to vaccines and are mild in nature.

These include pain and redness at the injection site, mild fever, headache, muscle pain, feeling unwell and general weakness.

Dr Moey, Prof Zulkifli and Dr Goh were all present at the official launch of Qdenga in a hotel here yesterday

Source link 

Related stories:

Dengue kills

'Dengue kills too' - Latin America faces two epidemics at once

Dengue cases up by 235% in the last six months

RRelated posts:

Fighting dengue mosquito with Wolbachia


Dengue case numbers to peak this year following cycle uptrend



Monday, June 10, 2024

Prolonging the phone’s life

Smartphones are getting a longer life, with extended software updates promising up to seven years of use.



EVERY smartphone has an expiration date. That day arrives when the software updates stop coming and you start missing out on new apps and security protections. With most phones, this used to happen after about three years.

But things are finally starting to change. The new number is seven.

Google announced that with its Pixel 8 smartphone, released in October, it is committed to providing software updates for the phone for seven years, up from three years for its previous Pixels.

This year, Samsung, the most profitable Android phone maker, set a similar software timeline for its flagship Galaxy S24.

Both companies said they had expanded their software support to make their phones last longer. This is a change from how companies used to talk about phones.

Not long ago, tech giants unveiled new devices that encouraged people to upgrade every two years.

But in the past few years, smartphone sales have slowed down worldwide as their improvements have become more marginal. Nowadays, people want their phones to endure.

Samsung and Google, the two most influential Android device makers, are playing catch-up with Apple, which has traditionally provided software updates for iphones for roughly seven years.

These moves will make phones last much longer and give people more flexibility to decide when it’s time to upgrade.

Google said in a statement that it had expanded its software commitment because it wanted customers to feel confident in Pixel phones. And Samsung said it would deliver seven years of software updates, which increase security and reliability, for all its Galaxy flagship phones from now on.

Here’s what you should know about why this is happening and what you can do to make your phone last longer.

Why is this happening?

In the past, Android phone makers said the technical process of providing software updates was complicated, so to stay profitable, they dropped support after a few years. But tech companies are now under intense external pressure to invest in making their devices last longer.

In 2021, the US Federal Trade Commission announced that it would ramp up enforcement against tech companies that made it difficult to fix and maintain their products.

That accelerated the “right to repair” movement, a piece of proposed US legislation that required companies to provide the parts, tools and software to extend the lives of their products.

Google announced its new commitment to smartphones after being pressured to make a similar move for its laptops.

In September, the company agreed to expand software support for its Chromebook to 10 years, up from eight, in response to a grassroots campaign that highlighted how shortlived Google laptops were causing budget crunches in schools.

Nathan Proctor, a director at US PIRG, a non-profit largely funded by small donors that led the Chromebook campaign, said the new standard of seven years of support for smartphones would have a profound effect.

“It’s a huge win for the environment,” he said. “I want to see more of it.”

What else do I need to do?

Software updates are one big part of what keeps a phone working well, but there are other steps to lengthen smartphone lives, similar to maintaining a car.

They include replacing the phone battery every two years. The lithium-ion batteries in phones have a finite life. After about two years, the amount of charge they can hold diminishes, and it’s wise to replace the battery.

Replacing a smartphone battery isn’t easy, so it’s best to get help from the manufacturer’s service centre or a reputable shop.

Some smartphone companies, for instance, allow customers to schedule a battery replacement appointment at a retail store through their website.

Protect it

Smartphones are still mostly made of glass, so to make a phone last seven years, it’s wise to invest in a high-quality case.

A screen protector is an extra safeguard, though many won’t enjoy how it distorts the picture quality of the screen. The New York Times’ sister site that reviews products, Wirecutter, recommends cases from brands like Smartish, Spigen, and Mujjo, or cases from the phone makers themselves.

Unless you’re very accident-prone, I recommend against buying extended warranties because their costs can exceed the cost of a repair.

Clean it

Smartphones have few moving parts, so there’s little we have to do to physically maintain them. But most of us neglect cleaning the parts that we rarely look at: charging ports and speaker holes.

Over time, those holes are clogged with dirt, pocket lint and makeup. That built-up debris can make a phone take longer to charge or a phone call more difficult to hear.

“It’s the belly button lint of cellphones,” said Kyle Wiens, CEO of ifixit, a site that publishes instructions and sells parts to repair electronics.

Fortunately, he added, you don’t need a fancy tool. Just use a toothpick to dig out the gunk.

Should you upgrade?

I always recommend buying a product based on the here and now – what it can do for you today, as opposed to what companies say it will do in the future. You should continue to buy a phone based on this principle.

Plenty of people will choose to upgrade sooner for other reasons, like getting a new feature such as a better camera or a longer-lasting battery.

But those who just want to buy a phone that lasts as long as possible should pick one that will be economical to repair when things break.

By BRIAN X. CHEN

Smartphones can now last seven years. Here's how to ...

Every smartphone has an expiration date. That day arrives when software updates stop coming and you start missing out on new apps and security protections. With most phones, this happened after about only three years. Things are finally starting to change. The new number is seven. — The New York Times

From the heart and not for fame: Sincerity wins trust of stroke patient

Caring for a stranger: Anjala Devi feeding the stroke patient at Hospital Sultanah Aminah.


Sincerity wins trust of stroke patient

JOHOR BARU: A woman’s act of kindness in feeding a stranger at Hospital Sultanah Aminah here has not only moved the man to tears but also warmed the hearts of Malaysians.

C. Anjala Devi, 63, was at the hospital visiting her nephew on Thursday evening when she noticed the patient in the next bed struggling to eat his dinner.

Despite nurses’ attempts to assist him and urging him to eat, the man was reluctant to accept help.

Recounting the incident, Anjala Devi’s niece K. Jamunahwathy, 28, said they learnt the man is a stroke patient, which made it difficult for him to speak and move.

She said her brother was admitted for heart surgery about a week ago and the man was hospitalised on Thursday.

“We noticed that he did not have any visitors nor did he have a mobile phone with him so my aunt offered to feed him. At first he declined her help, as he was embarrassed and did not want to trouble us.

“But my aunt would not take no for an answer and insisted on spoon-feeding him. She told him, ‘Adik, you will not be able to take your medicine otherwise’,” Jamunahwathy, who works as an audio-visual engineer, said in an interview.

Caring for a stranger: Anjala Devi feeding the stroke patient at Hospital Sultanah Aminah.Caring for a stranger: Anjala Devi feeding the stroke patient at Hospital Sultanah Aminah.

The man eventually agreed to be fed and in a spontaneous move, Jamunahwathy whipped out her mobile phone to record the moment and later posted it on social media.

The 26-second video clip captured the man wiping away his tears with a tissue paper as Anjala Devi fed him spoonfuls of food.

The video quickly made the rounds on various social media platforms, drawing praise from Malaysians for the woman’s compassion, with many others also sharing their own experiences of receiving help from strangers.

Jamunahwathy said she uploaded the video with the intention of spreading love, while things like differences in race and religion were far from her mind.

“Judging by the comments on my video, we can see how warm and kind Malaysians are towards each other.

“This is what we should always practise because we would not know what others are going through. A small gesture can make their day at least a little better,” she said.

Jamunahwathy added that her aunt continued to feed “adik” during subsequent visits, even bringing him home-cooked food prepared by her mother.

“My aunt has always been a caring woman and she will not hesitate to visit family and friends who are unwell or hospitalised.

“We told my aunt about her video going viral and she got a bit nervous as she did it from her heart and not for fame,” she said.

Source link 

Related posts:

When A Stroke Strikes


The financial impact of having a stroke







Sunday, June 9, 2024

Spreading the word on low-code programming

Orangeleaf working to bring about quicker app development

Orangeleaf Consulting co-founder Tim Hendricks with CEO and co-founder Ellice Ng Pui San.

“Rapid developers help close the skills gap by democratising application development, which is important given the rising scarcity of qualified IT workers globally.” Ellice Ng Pui San

DESPITE being someone who now has both feet firmly planted in the world of technology, Ellice Ng Pui San, chief executive officer and co-founder of Orangeleaf Consulting, originally had a completely career track in mind when she started working.

Before she started the technology consultancy, she felt she did not fit into the realm of technology.

Recounting her venture into the technology industry, she tells Starbizweek technology was not something that used to excite her and she believed that she would not fit into the industry.

Despite that, her mother persuaded her and enrolled her in a computing diploma.

“I completed my studies. However, despite spending hours studying and working hard on my assignments, I could not see my future in the field and later quit pursuing my degree in computing.

“Instead, I ventured into corporate communications and founded my own public relations agency with just RM500 in my pocket. Thankfully, the PR agency did considerably well, and was enough to sustain me in those early years.

“Even with this achievement, destiny stepped in and brought me back to the technology industry when I met my husband Tim Hendricks, who is now my business partner and co-founder of Orangeleaf Consulting.

“I was intrigued when my husband introduced how ‘low-code’ technology barely needed any coding and utilised visual interfaces, drag-and-drop tools, and pre-built components to quickly design and build software solutions. We are speaking about 10 times faster in development,” Ng explains.

As a communication practitioner who had worked in the corporate sector for many years, she saw a gap in the market, as many technology consultancies were still relying on traditional coding to build systems, and low-code, relatively unknown in the Asian market at the time, was not utilised, though it proved to be much more efficient and easier to implement.

Orangeleaf Consulting utlises Siemen’s Mendix low-code platform and has been successful judging from the fact that Orangeleaf was recently chosen as the only consultancy in Selangor to work with the Selangor Technical Skills Development Centre (STDCX).

STDCX is the Selangor government’s technical professional development centre.

What gives Mendix an upper hand as a low-code platform is its speed to market opposed to the traditional forms of computer programming. Those who do not have a coding background can rapidly adapt to Mendix and seamlessly develop software that caters to an organisation’s needs.

With technical and vocational education and training (TVET) gaining strong momentum and now a focus in Selangor, plans are underway for the use of the latest coding technology.

The 2024 Selangor Budget has provided an allocation of Rm13.85mil for TVET programmes and the state is set to benefit from the use of low-code programming, which enables users to build apps quickly.

Powering this transformation will be Mendix, a low-code app development platform owned by Siemens.

Orangeleaf Consulting is one of the leading experts in Mendix in Asia-pacific. The consultancy provides digitisation and technology innovation consultancy services and custom software system development based on the low-code software development platform.

Mendix enables software development at a much faster pace than traditional software programming.

Realising the potential of low-code technology, Ng and her husband decided to form Orangeleaf Consulting in 2018 with their marriage funds.

The consultancy grew from a two-man team in 2018 to 30 dedicated low-code professionals offering a visual approach to software development that enables faster delivery of applications through minimal coding.

“We saw the opportunity to help develop a high-calibre talent pool in Malaysia that was skilled in low code, and able to take on global markets in developing good software. Since the start of our journey, Tim and I have continued to firmly believe in education, therefore as the team grows and stabilises, we invest time and resources to nurture local talent through the Mendix Certified Digital Professional Programme.

“We recently launched the programme together with STDCX, which is sponsored by the Selangor government.

“The programme aims to groom and educate talent, ensuring they remain competitive and relevant in the low-code landscape, which then contributes to the nation’s technological advancement. We coach talent to understand the needs of businesses before developing an app,” Ng says.

Thanks to its success, Orangeleaf Consulting has expanded and now has a presence in Malaysia, Singapore, the Netherlands, and recently Japan

Elaborating on the future of low-code technology, Ng says, among other things, it is a visual technology for software development that features a drag-and-drop interface, requiring minimal hand coding.

She says low-code technology is adaptable for both the small and medium enterprises and enterprise markets, enabling businesses to iterate and evolve quickly based on customer input and usage statistics.

She says examples of its use include digitising the measurement process for liquid chemicals and developing an application that allows medical staff to monitor realtime temperatures of rooms where key vaccines and medical-grade products are stored.

Ng says the customisability of low-code programming is particularly advantageous for clients as it can cater specifically to their industry and needs.

She adds that the global low-code market is expected to grow significantly, reaching around Us$65bil by 2027 and Us$187bil by 2030, underscoring its scalability and longterm potential.

In today’s rapidly changing technology landscape, she says the versatility of lowcode development is a valuable advantage, fostering innovation and improving operational efficiencies globally.

Commenting on the consultancy’s plans to develop 300 certified “rapid developers” in the next three years, Ng says rapid developers are individuals who undergo an intensive training programme designed to accelerate their journey to becoming certified Mendix low-code professionals. The term “rapid” emphasises the efficiency and speed of the certification process, which typically spans just three days, she adds.

“During this short time frame, participants immerse themselves in a comprehensive curriculum that covers key concepts, tools, and techniques related to lowcode development using the Mendix platform.

“The rapid-developer programme is structured to provide participants with a condensed yet robust learning experience that equips them with the skills and knowledge needed to leverage low-code technology effectively.

“The core of the certification includes training programmes, innovation labs, mentorship programmes, and community-engagement activities.

“Rapid developers help close the skills gap by democratising application development, which is important given the rising scarcity of qualified IT workers globally.

“Through the rapid-developers programme, more people with different backgrounds and skill levels can learn low-code programming, increasing the talent pool to propel technological advancement,” Ng said.

Besides the domestic market, Orangeleaf Consulting is also making its mark in the Japanese manufacturing sector with a strategic collaboration with Macnica Inc, a leading semiconductor company headquartered in Yokohama. Together with Macnica, the consultancy is working on improving and strengthening enterprise digital transformation and innovation within a new market.

“We intend to use advanced technology to revolutionise the way people think and behave in the business-software sector, rather than merely being affected by it,” she says.

Source link 

Friday, June 7, 2024

Bright future ahead for Malaysian properties

 Impressive growth chalked up in first quarter 2024



Nga: The ongoing property stock rally is expected to continue into the second half of 2024.

PETALING JAYA: The property market has a “bright future” in the coming years under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, says Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming.

Interestingly, the minister also made a forecast that the ongoing property stock rally is expected to continue into the second half of 2024.

He said this in a statement where he noted that property stocks on Bursa Malaysia have rallied by up to 600% since the beginning of 2023.

Nga also pointed out that property transactions reached RM56.53bil in the first quarter of 2024 (1Q24), demonstrating an “impressive growth”. 

Premised on investors’ bullishness on property stocks and the market appetite for properties, Nga said the local property market is expected to be stable this year.

The market is also likely to continue growing in the next three years, supported by various initiatives outlined by the Madani government under Budget 2024, he added.

“We must work together to enhance our industry’s reputation and increase the confidence level of investors to make the property market even more resilient,” the minister said.

Nga also noted that property counters in the stock market have been on the rise from January 2023 to June 2024.

Out of 100 property counters on Bursa Malaysia, approximately 76 counters experienced an increase in share price, 22 counters showed a decrease in share price and two counters maintained their share price despite fluctuations.

For instance, DPS Resources Bhd experienced 600% growth in its share price, UEM Sunrise Bhd saw a 347.06% increase and WMG Holdings Bhd also showed a 326.31% growth from January 2023 to June 2024.

A total of 23 counters have at least doubled their share price in the period, based on data provided in Nga’s statement.

Meanwhile, the minister highlighted the impressive growth in Malaysian property transactions.

“In 1Q23, Malaysia’s property market transactions were valued at RM42.31bil, with more than 89,000 transactions recorded. In contrast, in 1Q24, property market transactions reached RM56.53bil, with more than 104,000 transactions, marking an increase of RM14.22bil in terms of value.

“This significant growth indicates that Malaysia’s property market is recovering well and on the rise,” he said.

About three weeks earlier, Nga reportedly said that the country’s property overhang was clearing up. Quoted by Bernama, Nga said that since the Madani government took office, the number of completed but unsold property units had decreased by over 40% with a drop from 37,066 units to fewer than 24,000 units.

Source link 

Related:

PROPERTY

Malaysia's property market to be stable in 2024 with sustained...


Housing boom in the south


Johor Baru unexpectedly topped residential sales last year, beating property hotspots in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. The positive growth of the property market in the state can be attributed to economic projects and transport links...



Chang'e-6 bags precious lunar sample in Earth-returning vehicle, US alone in 'space race' narrative: observers

 

A picture of the Chang'e-6 lunar probe's lander and ascender vehicles on the surface of far side of moon taken by a mobile camera on June 3, 2024  Photo: Courtesy of the CNSA

A picture of the Chang'e-6 lunar probe's lander and ascender vehicles on the surface of far side of moon taken by a mobile camera on June 3, 2024 Photo: Courtesy of the CNSA

Two days after lifting off from the moon's surface, the ascender of China's Chang'e-6 lunar probe completed a rendezvous and docking with the orbiter-returner combination, delivering the world's first lunar samples collected from the far side of the moon to the Earth-returning vehicle on Thursday afternoon.

The Global Times learned from the China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Thursday that the rendezvous and docking took place at 2:48 pm Thursday and the safe transferring of lunar samples at 3:24 pm. This marks the second time China has achieved a lunar orbit rendezvous and docking, following Chang'e-5.

After its epic lift-off from the far side of the moon on Tuesday morning, the ascender of Chang'e-6, carrying the lunar samples, entered the lunar orbit and carried out four orbit adjustments, per the CNSA. 

When the ascender was about 50 kilometers ahead and 10 kilometers above the orbiter-returner combination, the orbiter andreturner combination used close-range autonomous control to gradually approach the ascender, completing the orbital rendezvous, according to mission insiders. 

The orbiter's three sets of K-shaped grappling claws aligned with the three connecting rods on the ascender's docking surface, securely connecting the two devices by tightening the claws, precisely completing the docking. 

After that, the container holding the precious samples from the far side of the moon was safely transferred from the ascender to the returner.

The Chang'e 6 orbiter and returner combination will next separate from the ascender and enter a lunar orbit waiting phase, preparing for a lunar-to-Earth transfer orbit control at an opportune time, according to the mission plan. 

After undergoing key steps such as the lunar-to-Earth transfer and the separation of the orbiter and returner, the returner is scheduled to land with the lunar samples at the Siziwang Banner landing site in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Open to cooperation with US

Chang'e-6 completed the world's first-ever mission of collecting samples from the far side of the moon and is on its way home. This is a historic step in humanity's peaceful use of space, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said during a routine press conference on Thursday. 

When commenting on reports of NASA's congratulations on the latest leap in China's decades-long moon exploration, Mao told the Global Times on Thursday that China is always open toward space exchanges and cooperation with the US. 

The two sides established mechanisms such as the working group on Earth science and space science cooperation, and the China-US Civil Space Dialogue. At US request, the competent authorities of the two countries established a mechanism to exchange orbit data on each other's Mars probes to ensure long-term successful mission operation, according to the spokesperson.

There are, however, difficulties in China-US space cooperation at the moment, which are caused by US domestic legislation such as the Wolf Amendment that prevents normal exchanges and dialogue between Chinese and US space agencies, Mao said.

"If the US truly wants to push forward space exchanges and cooperation with China, it needs to take practical steps to remove these obstacles," Mao noted. 

The achievements of China's ongoing Chang'e-6 moon probe mission thus far have evidently become a source of anxiety for the US amid the Western media's fabricated hot saga of the US-China space race, Chinese space observers said on Thursday.

When covering the ascender of Chang'e-6's lift-off from moon surface, US media outlet CNN reported on Tuesday that the successful return of the samples would give China a head start in harnessing the strategic and scientific benefits of expanded lunar exploration - an increasingly competitive field that has contributed to what NASA chief Bill Nelson calls a new "space race."

When asked which country would be the first to have a base on the moon, Keith Cowing, former American rocket scientist and current editor of NASAWatch.com, bluntly said that it might be China. "We (the US) are trying to get there first… but we will land next to them (China), roll down our window and say 'Hi, y'all, where do you want us to park our big lander'."

During the same interview with DW, David Ariosto, an American journalist and founder of Space Watch Daily, said that China has the edge at this point, but that could change.

The anxiety and sour grapes mentality are quite evident on the US side, Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Thursday.

When handling ties with China, the US is desperate to hold an absolute edge over China in all spheres including the space domain to deal with China's rapid development. The obstacles are rooted in this mentality, Li noted. "Strategically, the US is also unwilling to be on an equal footing with China in space. This mind-set is deeply ingrained and traditional, making it difficult to change. This is also an important factor."

US media and the head of NASA have repeatedly tried to stir up the US-China space race narrative, aiming to increase investment in the space sector and accelerating technological progress and related activities in space, Chinese observers said. 

The US wants to create a scenario of mutual confrontation rather than cooperation, which has led to the so-called space race the US desires. However, at present, the conditions for such a race do not exist because China and other countries are not willing to participate. If only the US is invested in it, it can't be called a race. In the end, it becomes a one-sided effort by the US, they said. 
Source link 
RELATED ARTICLES