by admin on April 28, 2009
BBC
An outbreak of swine flu has claimed at least 23 lives in Mexico with more confirmed cases in the USA, Canada and Spain. There are also tests being carried out on suspected cases in the UK, France, Israel, Brazil, and New Zealand. So far the only fatalities are in Mexico and although 103 people have died, the virus has only been isolated in 23 of those cases.
This H1N1 strain likely originated in pigs, but with its assortment of genetic sequences from avian and human strains it can be directly passed from one person to another. It is the human to human transmissibility of this new strain that is worrying, with health officials talking of the possibilities of a global pandemic. A further worrying aspect of the current situation is that so far, the majority of those affected are in the non-elderly population, a feature of the Spanish flu pandemic also caused by a H1N1 variant, which claimed millions of lives worldwide between 1918 to1920.
Across the world, action is being taken to prevent further transmission of the virus. In the Mexican capital, Mexico City, 6 million masks have been handed out as measures to prevent airborne transmission with public events cancelled and schools closed. Some countries across the globe have now started screening air passengers for symptoms of the disease with TUI, Germany’s largest tour operator, suspending all flights to Mexico.
Whilst there is no specific vaccine against this new strain, oseltamivir and zanamivir, drugs currently used against influenza are reported to have been effective in the USA, although they require administration at an early stage. Work is already underway to develop a new vaccine but this may take some time, especially given the amounts that would be required in a true pandemic.
source: http://www.thelancetstudent.com/2009/04/28/human-swine-flu-outbreak-in-mexico/
by admin on September 23, 2008
Monash Graduate Scholarship, MGS (Australia)
The Monash Graduate Scholarship is available to Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and international students. Award holders receive an annual stipend paid fortnightly and may also be eligible for allowances, such as an establishment allowance, a relocation allowance and thesis allowance. Approximately 100 awards are offered annually.
Deadline: 31 Oct 2008
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by admin on September 23, 2008
The EIPRS attracts top quality international doctoral and masters students who undertake quality research in areas of research specialisation in individual institutions, and to support Australia’s research effort. The IPRS covers tuition fees for the student and overseas student health cover (OSHC) for the student and dependant(s). No other expenses are paid by this scheme, but award recipients may seek additional funding from alternative sources
Availability
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by admin on July 19, 2008
Scholarship Description
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico has officially opened its Call of Scholarships to receive applications from Non-Mexican citizens interested in applying for any of the following types of activities for the calendar year 2009: Masters Degree, Doctorate Degree, medical Specialization; Research Fellowships; Post-doctoral Study; Visiting Professors; Specialization; Artistic Fellowships; Expert Conferences; Research on Mexican Studies; Research on the Mexican Revolution; Research on the Mexican Independence.
Please refer to PDF for further details. Other information websites about Mexican educational institutions are: www.anuies.mx; www.conacyt.mx; and www.edumexico.org.
Availability
This scholarship is offered to an unspecified number of people. Open for applications until August 7, 2008.
Payment Information
The value of this scholarship is unspecified (total may vary). This award is to be used for research. This scholarship is paid unspecified.
Research Information
This scholarship is for any field of research.
Application Details
You can download a PDF with more information about the scholarship here.
Terms and conditions are subject to change.
Web Address: http://becas.sre.gob.mx
