Doctors in central China's Hunan Province have used 3D printing technology to greatly reduce risks related to a complex skull reconstruction surgery for a 19-month-old child, reports Xinhua.

The patient nicknamed Doudou suffered from narrow cranial disease, also known as craniosynostosis, a birth defect where the bones in a baby's skull join together too early.

The disease results in visible deformation and various brain dysfunctions, and surgery is the only way to treat it, said Fu Xing, a neurosurgeon with Changsha Central Hospital, affiliated with the University of South China.

To reduce the risks of this complicated operation, doctors applied 3D printing technology.

Doudou underwent a high-precision CT scan so that doctors could create a 3D reconstruction of the child's skull and print a replica. The surgery team conducted a "simulated operation" on the skull model and finally determined a safe and effective surgical plan.

The surgery took place in early September and lasted around four hours, the hospital announced on Monday.

"The surgery was very successful. Doudou's brain development will not be hindered in the future," said Fan Tianyu, a member of the surgical team.

Read Also: Public health at risk as PHO found with excessive trans-fats in city: study

Saudi Arabia's Heritage Commission has announced the discovery of ancient human and animal footprints dating back more than 120,000 years in Tabuk in northern Saudi Arabia, reports Xinhua.

Jasir Alherbish, head of the Heritage Commission, said during a press conference in capital Riyadh that the archaeological discovery in Tabuk, which represents the first scientific evidence of human life on the Arabian Peninsula, was made by a joint team of Saudi and international archaeologists.

The team identified footprint traces of seven humans, 107 camels, 43 elephants and other animals, according to the results of the archaeological survey.

In addition to the footprints, hundreds of fossils were found at the site, including 233 skeletal remains of elephants and oryx, along with signs of the presence of predators at the time by identifying traces of their tusks on the bones.

Alherbish said that such discoveries "help us better understand the journey of our forebears from ancient civilization to where we are today."

The Heritage Commission is currently overseeing the conservation and restoration of several archaeological sites, which will eventually be open to visitors.

Plans to host archaeological exhibitions locally and abroad are also underway.

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Welcome to the new normal; where you stay at home, work from home, and even order from restaurants and eat, at home. Home chefs have gained a newly found momentum in their food businesses due to the pandemic. Now, in Dhaka, it has become easy to order any type of cuisine from such chefs from the comfort of their homes.

Bake Away is such a bakery which is quickly making a mark in the dessert scene. They are currently taking orders through their Facebook and Instagram page only. I personally believe that it is the presentation of their desserts that sets them apart. from gold foils in their red velvet cupcakes to kiwi and strawberry topped lemon tarts this online bakery is trying to put a spin on classic dessert items.

Lemon Tart

These Lemon Tarts looked like desserts right out of Pinterest. I got a very subtle sour taste of lemon here which should've been stronger given its name. The Strawberry and Kiwis added a fruity flavor along with the thick custard filling. Had it been named fruit tart, I would’ve been sold for sure!

Chocolate Cup Cake with American Double Chocolate: Frosting

This is the best Chocolate Cupcake I've had in a while! It was really moist and well decorated. The chocolate flavor was not too intense and the frosting was extremely creamy! Despite of both the cake and frosting flavor being chocolate, it didn’t come off as too sweet which is perfect for me. Having Maltesers as topping is such a good idea as it added crunchiness as a texture. If you are someone who loves desserts but want the perfect balance, this is a must order I highly recommend it.

Profiteroles

These profiteroles melt in your mouth! They were airy and the cream filling was just the right amount. To me, the chocolate or vanilla coating doesn’t make much of a difference tastewise but they do make them look beautiful! The Choux of Pastryarchy (another online bakery are even lighter than this so do check them out too!)

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

The Red Velvet Cupcake with cream cheese frosting is loved by many! It’s a classic flavor that now many restaurants and bakeries offer on a regular basis too. But have you ever seen such a cupcake with golden foils? It just gives it a luxurious look that we can all definitely admire! While the frosting could’ve been slightly sourer, the cupcake was just perfect! Both the cupcake and frosting held their shapes perfectly despite them being home delivered!

(This article was first published on Dhaka Courier)

Amid debate among city dwellers over protecting stray dogs, Lal Sabuj Society, a voluntary organization, came forward with a unique initiative to save street dogs as well as  people.

The organization put reflecting belts around the necks of 50 stray dogs at TSC and Kala Bhaban area of Dhaka University on Sunday,  aiming to protect them from road accidents and make pedestrians aware about their presence, said a press release.

Reflecting belt is a type of belt that reflects light even if  slightest light from a distant place falls on it, read the release.

Drivers of different vehicles will realize from a distant place that there is a dog there and it will  help reduce the number of accidents as well as loss of lives of both human and dogs.

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC)  reportedly took an initiative to relocate stray dogs from the capital city to other parts of the country.

But hundreds of animal lovers put up a fight against the decision, urging the DSCC to change their stance over the issue.

Also read: Attention DSCC: "Dogs' Lives Matter"

Following an online campaign, animal lovers formed a human chain in front of Nagar Bhaban recently to press home their demand.

The participants said the move to relocate dogs from the city is a violation of the Animal Welfare Act, that was amended

Describing dogs as essential to the urban environment, they requested the authorities to retract  so as not to disturb the balance in the city's ecosystem.

Also read: Indonesian city slaughters, eats 13,000 dogs a month

In a retrospective study of patients tested for COVID-19, researchers at the University of Chicago (UChicago) Medicine found an association between vitamin D deficiency and the likelihood of becoming infected with the coronavirus.

The researchers looked at 489 patients at UChicago Medicine whose vitamin D level had been measured within a year before being tested for COVID-19, reports Xinhua.

Patients who had vitamin D deficiency, defined as less than 20 nanograms per milliliter of blood, that was not treated were almost twice as likely to test positive for COVID-19 compared to patients who had sufficient levels of the vitamin.

"Vitamin D is important to the function of the immune system and vitamin D supplements have previously been shown to lower the risk of viral respiratory tract infections," said David Meltzer, Chief of Hospital Medicine at UChicago Medicine and lead author of the study. "Our statistical analysis suggests this may be true for the COVID-19 infection."

Half of Americans are thought to be deficient in vitamin D, with much higher rates seen in African Americans, Hispanics and individuals living in areas like Chicago where it is difficult to get enough sun exposure in winter.

"Understanding whether treating vitamin D deficiency changes COVID-19 risk could be of great importance locally, nationally and globally," said Meltzer. "Vitamin D is inexpensive, generally very safe to take, and can be widely scaled."

The researchers are planning further clinical trials. They emphasize the importance of experimental studies to determine whether vitamin D supplementation can reduce the risk, and potentially severity, of COVID-19, as well as the need for studies of what strategies for vitamin D supplementation may be most appropriate in specific populations.

The study was posted on UChicago's website on Tuesday.

Read Also: 4 Vitamin D-Rich Drinks You Must Add To Your Diet To Avoid Vitamin D Deficiency