• Theme of the month
• CEU Editor Focus
• New CEU's on eCPD
• Feature Article of the month
• Industry News
• Articles of Interest
• Upcoming Conferences
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Mary Smorenburg
Editor: Medical Technology
Mary joined State Labs again in 1982 and worked in Microbiology for the following 10 years. At this time she also
did some lecturing in Parasitology to Higher Diploma students at the Cape Technikon. In 1991 she transferred to 2 Military
Hospital where she worked towards her Clinical Pathology Diploma which she acquired in 1997. Mary was HOD in the Microbiology
Department until about 1999 and a Laboratory Manager, in 2004. Mary retired from the Military in 2007, but after a few months
at home, she began doing locum work for a private laboratory at Constantiaberg Medi-Clinic till since.
Mary have never regretted her choice of career and have always found it thrilling and fascinating, never boring.
The secret is to never stop learning.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank her for her contribution to eCPD.
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| Feature Article of the month |
Organ donation by living donors
Most organs for transplantation come from cadavers, but as these have failed to meet the growing need for organs,
attention has turned to organs from living donors. Organ donation by living donors presents a unique ethical dilemma,
in that physicians must risk the life of a healthy person to save or improve the life of a patient.
Read Full Article |
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) involves genetic analysis of artificially fertilised embryos to
select an embryo with a desired genotype before it is implanted. Since the 1980s, over 2500 cycles of PGD
have been performed worldwide. The technique has been used to test for disorders caused by a single gene
(cystic fibrosis, thalassaemia, sickle cell disease, muscular dystrophy) and chromosomal abnormalities
(Down's syndrome, trisomy 18).
Read Full Article
Reducing the Risk of Blood Transfusions
There are continuing concerns over the safety of the nation's and the world's blood supply.
The need for new donor screening assays to protect the integrity and purity of the blood supply must be balanced
against the loss of potential donors and the cost of developing and implementing these new screening assays.
Read Full Article
Consent and using body material
In Britain the Alder Hey scandal brought to public attention the fact that body material left over after diagnostic
procedures may be used for teaching and research – usually without the patients consent. This source article provides
a philosophical debate on whether consent should be needed for using leftover body material for scientific purposes.
Read Full Article
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South African Transplant Congress 2009
Stellenbosch: 24 – 27 September 2009
The meeting will be held at the Spier Conference Centre, situated in the heart of the Cape Winelands.
This will be an opportunity for scientists and clinicians from all over South Africa to share their knowledge
and experience. The meeting will include lectures by international speakers, oral communications, poster presentations
and a workshop on organ procurement as well as practical nursing management for transplant patients.
Read more...
XIX FIGO World Congress of Gynecology & Obstetrics
Cape Town: 4 – 9 October 2009
FIGO is delighted to announce that the dates of the XIX FIGO World Congress of Gynecology & Obstetrics have now been
finalised. The event - the largest gathering of obstetricians and gynecologists from around the world - will take place
at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in Cape Town, South Africa. The FIGO World Congress of Gynecology &
Obstetrics is the only event on this scale that brings together specialists in obstetrics and gynecology from all parts
of the world.
Read more...
2nd Paediatric Neuropsychology Symposium - South Africa
Johannesburg: 19 – 23 October 2009
They look forward to sharing the enthusiasm of local and international practitioners for this fascinating field of
work regardless of which professional or lay field you are from. They aim to provide you, within a single week, with a
firm and complete grounding in the principles and practice of paediatric neuropsychology - from the anatomy of the developing
brain to neuropsychological disorders, neuropsychiatric presentation and radiology.
Read more...
2nd Wonca Africa Regional Conference
Rustenburg: 25 - 28 October 2009
Wonca organises a World Congress every three years. Over 2000 attended the 2001 world conference in Durban, South Africa.
Topics include: The African context - culture and diversity in health, values, traditional beliefs, family,
generalists, connecting, leadership; Primary Health Care and Family Medicine – relationship, equity/advocacy,
intersectoral work, COPC; Training: the development of Training Complexes, the context of training and many more.
Read more...
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Thousands of patients in South Africa are in desperate need of organ and/or tissue transplants.
They have found that Green Rooibos, the unfermented version of the tea, significantly inhibits the growth of cancer cells.
They believe this H5N1 infection changes the curve. It makes the brain more sensitive to another hit, possibly involving other environmental toxins.
For 10 out of the 13 nutrient categories analysed, there were no significant differences between production methods in nutrient content
Australian scientists have developed the first genetically-engineered malaria vaccine and the vaccine will be trialled in humans early next year.
Researchers have developed a new technique that allows them to make a movie of bacteria infecting their living host.