What causes watery semen, and does it affect fertility?   Reviewed by Jamie Eske and Alana Biggers, MD, MPH Semen is typically a thick, white fluid, but it can vary in color and consistency. Watery semen can occur due to low sperm count, lifestyle factors, and nutritional deficiencies. In this article, we explore some of the possible causes of watery or clear semen. We also discuss whether watery semen can affect fertility, the meaning of discolored semen, when to see a doctor, and treatment. Low sperm count Having a low sperm count does not automatically mean that a person is infertile. The World Health Organization (WHO) define low sperm count, or oligospermia, as producing fewer than 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen. Having a low sperm count can make it more difficult for a person to conceive but does not necessarily mean that a person is infertile. There is not always an obvious cause for having a low sperm count. However, some genetic conditions, ...

What causes dry skin on a baby's face? Reviewed by Gillian D'Souza and Karen Gill, MD It is relatively common for newborns and older babies to have some dry skin on their faces. In most cases this dry skin is harmless, and it tends to clear up without treatment. Babies often have dry skin on their faces because their skin is more sensitive than adults. Their skin may be adjusting to the environment outside the womb, or it may be reacting to allergens in products or clothes. Dehydration and skin conditions can also cause dry skin. Most cases are minor, temporary, and of little cause for concern, though some may need specialist advice, treatment and continued observation. The following sections look at the causes of dry skin in a baby's face and treatments. 1. Newborn skin peeling It is common for babies to have dry skin on their face occasionally. It is common for newborn babies to have peeling skin for a week or two after birth. In the womb, amniotic f...

Is it safe to mix Flagyl and alcohol? Reviewed By Jessica Caporuscio, PharmD and Alan Carter, PharmD Drinking alcohol while taking Flagyl can cause serious side effects. Doctors and pharmacists advise people to avoid alcohol entirely while using the medication in any form, including oral Flagyl tablets and topical Flagyl creams. Flagyl is an antibiotic that treats many infections, including abdominal and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). While not all antibiotics interact with alcohol, drinking while using certain types — including Flagyl — can have serious health consequences. People should generally avoid alcohol for up to 3 days after the last dose of Flagyl. In this article, we look at what Flagyl is and the risks of mixing it with alcohol. We also describe when it is safe to drink alcohol again. What is Flagyl? A doctor may prescribe Flagyl to treat various infections. Flagyl is the brand name of the antibiotic metronidazole. Metronidazole is part of ...

Diabetic shock..... What you need to know By Jenna Fletcher Reviewed by Maria Prelipcean, MD Diabetic shock occurs when blood sugar levels drop dangerously low. Diabetic shock is not a medical term, but people often use it to describe a state of severe hypoglycemia that requires another person's help. People with mild low blood sugar, which doctors call insulin reaction or hypoglycemia, are usually conscious and can treat themselves. People experiencing hypoglycemia often experience headaches, dizziness, sweating, shaking, and a feeling of anxiety. When a person experiences diabetic shock, or severe hypoglycemia, they may lose consciousness, have trouble speaking, and experience double vision. Early treatment is essential because blood sugar levels that stay low for too long can lead to seizures or diabetic coma. Hypoglycemia can sometimes happen rapidly and may even occur when a person follows their diabetes treatment plan. Knowing the symptoms, potential complicat...

Replacing red meat with plant protein reduces heart disease risk   By Chiara Townley Fact checked by Isabel Godfrey A meta-analysis of trials comparing the health effects of red meat consumption with those of other diets found that substituting healthful plant protein for red meat helps lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. Eating plant proteins, such as tofu, may benefit cardiovascular health. Many studies throughout the years have linked the consumption of red meat to cardiovascular disease and cancer, but the results have been inconsistent. A 2015 study comparing the effects of plant protein and animal protein on the risk of cardiovascular disease found that the evidence was inconclusive. Recent studies further investigated the link between red meat consumption and heart disease and found that red meat does not significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease when a person sticks to the recommended intake. Most of these studies focused on the potentia...

Is it better to get nutrients from food or supplements? Fact checked by Jasmin Collier Researchers have found that nutrients from food may be linked to lower risks of death, while excess intake of certain supplements may have the opposite effect. Research examines the effects of nutrients from food and supplements. Taking supplements leads to an increased level of total nutrient intake. Dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, and enzymes. Suppliers sell them in different forms, including tablets, capsules, powders, and liquids. Common dietary supplements include calcium, fish oil, and vitamin D. Dietary supplements should not replace complete meals, which are essential to nurturing the body. Talking to healthcare providers before making the decision about whether to take supplements is a good practice. Doctors can help people achieve a balance between nutrients from food and supplements. Many supplements also contain active ingredients ...

Buhari Signs N30,000 Minimum Wage Bill Into Law President Muhammadu Buhari assents to the minimum wage President Muhammadu Buhari assents to the Minimum Wage Repeal and Re-Enactment Act, 2019 at the Aso Villa in Abuja on April 18, 2019. President Muhammadu Buhari has signed into law, the Minimum Wage Repeal and Re-Enactment Act, 2019. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, disclosed this to State House correspondents on Thursday in Abuja, the nation’s capital. According to him, the President expects that Nigerian workers and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) will show more commitment to work. Senator Enang said President Buhari also asked them to understand the current economic situation facing the nation, as the Federal Government tries to boost road, power and rail infrastructure. President Muhammadu Buhari assents to the Minimum Wage Repeal and Re-Enactment Act, 2019 at the Aso Villa in Abuja on Apri...

  Can cheese control blood sugar? A new study shows that cheese improved insulin sensitivity in prediabetic rats, but industry funded the research. Can people with diabetes benefit from eating cheese? According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), 30.3 million adults in the United States live with diabetes, and the condition is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. In type 2 diabetes, a person's body is unable to properly use insulin to absorb sugar from the blood into cells. Cheese loaded with fat and salt is a contentious subject when it comes to diabetes and health in general. While many people enjoy it as part of their diet, the ADA recommend reduced-fat varieties over regular fat cheese. The big problem with research into the effects of cheese is that many studies receive backing by dairy organizations. Often, it is not clear how much a funder is involved in the design and interpretation of a particular study. Public mistrust of these stud...

House dust microbes degrade cancer-causing chemical New research finds that household dust hosts microbes that can break down cancer-causing environmental chemicals. However, the byproducts of this degradation may also harm health. The microbes in our household dust can fight off cancer-causing chemicals, but at what cost? Our households are riddled with all kinds of microbe, some of which are good and some of which are dangerous. From our dishwashing sponges to our toothbrush holders, there are plenty of places in our homes where these tiny microorganisms can hide. In particular, the dust that settles on our furniture and other surfaces contains a wide variety of fungi, as well as bacteria from the Staphylococcus and Streptococcus families. Although such bacteria may harm our health particularly if we have a weak immune system. new research finds that the microbes present in household dust also have an additional role: They help break down harmful environmental chemicals. ...

Mohamed Salah's incredible long-range rocket helped Liverpool back to the top of the Premier League with a crucial 2-0 win over Chelsea. Manchester City's 3-1 win at Crystal Palace earlier on Saturday piled pressure on the Reds and they passed the test thanks to two second-half goals in almost as many minutes. Star man Salah rose to an emotionally charged occasion with a thumping 25-yard effort that whistled into the top-left corner and doubled the home side's lead following Sadio Mane's headed opener. The victory, Liverpool's first against Chelsea at Anfield in seven Premier League meetings, restored a two-point lead at the top for Jurgen Klopp's men and exorcised the demons of the infamous 2-0 loss in this fixture that shattered their 2013-14 title hopes.

The first privately funded mission to the Moon has crashed on the lunar surface after the apparent failure of its main engine. The Israeli spacecraft - called Beresheet - attempted a soft touch down, but suffered technical problems on its descent to the Moon's surface. The aim of the mission was to take pictures and conduct experiments. Only government space agencies from the former Soviet Union, the US and China have achieved soft lunar landings. Israel hoped to become the fourth country to do this. "We didn't make it, but we definitely tried," said project originator and major backer Morris Kahn. "I think that the achievement of getting to where we got is really tremendous, I think we can be proud," he said.

Public and state officers must declare their wealth or quit, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has said. EACC chief executive officer Twalib Mbarak such declarations are important in the fight against corruption. Mbarak spoke at a workshop in Nairobi to validate administrative procedures on declaration of income, assets and liabilities. He said the workshop is part of strategies the commission has put in place to fight corruption in the national and county governments. The EACC boss said the commission faces a lot of resistance from corrupt individuals who try to implicate the commissioners as they carry out their duties.

Manchester United defender Chris Smalling says "bring it on" when asked about the prospect of facing Barcelona's Lionel Messi. United will host Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday with the Catalan giants looking to reach the semi-final stage for the first time since the 2014-15 season, when they went on to win the competition. This year, five-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi has managed 43 goals and 21 assists in all competitions and is playing some of his finest football. Despite Messi and the Barca team looking in formidable form, United defender Smalling is embracing the chance to face an all-time great. "It's something to relish I think," said the United centre-back. "This season, we have been lucky enough to face Ronaldo, (Kylian) Mbappe and they are all challenges that I definitely relish and I think players at this club relish. "I say bring it on."

Manchester United never know when they are beaten and must not be underestimated by Barcelona in the Champions League, says Gerard Pique. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side set up the quarter-final tie after producing a stirring comeback against Paris Saint-Germain last month in the last 16. And Pique – who spent four years at the Red Devils before returning to his boyhood club in 2008 – has cautioned against complacency if they do leave England with a first-leg advantage. "I've seen the replay of Manchester United v PSG," he told a media conference. "It's a good example. "You can never leave Manchester United unmarked. You've got to finish off the job. They showed that in the second leg against PSG. "They've got a lot of good young players. The penalty at the end is a big example of what can happen. We know how dangerous United are."

Pep Guardiola has confirmed he dropped Kevin De Bruyne from the Manchester City starting line-up for Tuesday's loss to Tottenham for tactical reasons. De Bruyne only came off the bench in the 89th minute at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and was unable to inspire a late comeback as City fell to a 1-0 defeat in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. City boss Guardiola insists his side played well, though, having explained he left out De Bruyne to make the core of his side more defensively sound. "I decided to play with two holding midfielders in that position to be a bit more solid," he told a news conference. "I decided for the other ones. I know it is tough for him [De Bruyne]." He said of the result: "Now we know what we have to do. I have the feeling the game was quite good. We controlled them and arrived with some quality situations. "In the high competitions, at a high level, you have to live these situations. Now we have another ...

Cristiano Ronaldo is fit enough to start for Juventus in Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Ajax. Head coach Massimiliano Allegri has confirmed the 34-year-old has recovered sufficiently from a thigh injury sustained while on Portugal duty last month. Ronaldo has not played for the Serie A leaders since scoring a hat-trick in the 3-0 last-16 second-leg win over Atletico Madrid on March 12. As a result, he's missed out on wins over Genoa, Empoli, Cagliari and AC Milan as Juventus have moved within a step of claiming the Serie A crown. Ronaldo has made scored 19 goals in 26 league matches for the Serie A leaders while also adding four goals in seven Champions League appearances for the club. "Cristiano has trained well with the team. He will start tomorrow night," Allegri told a news conference on Tuesday.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has given a breakdown of the Commission’s 2019 budget proposal of N45.4 billion. The electoral body also disclosed that it will release the timetable and schedule of activities for the governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi States before the end of next week. The elections are billed to hold at separate dates later this year. INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, stated this when he led other members of the Commission to defend the Commission’s 2019 budget proposal before a joint session of the Senate Committee on INEC and House Committee on Electoral matters. Yakubu, while breaking down the Commission’s 2019 budget proposal of N45.4 billion, said, “This year we are going to conduct two end of tenure elections into the offices of the governors in Kogi and Bayelsa States. “This year towards the end of the year we are going to conduct governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsea. “Let me ...

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, has come under heavy criticism for releasing the names of five Nigerians arrested for alleged robbery in Dubai, UAE, with the intention of “stereotyping an ethnic group.” Dabir-Erewa on Wednesday released the names of the Nigerians who were accused of robbing a Bureau De Change to the tune of Dh 2.3 million Dinars in Sharjah Area of Dubai. The presidential aide, in a statement by her special assistant, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, gave the names of the suspects as “Chimuanya Emmanuel Ozoh, Benjamin Nwachukwu Ajah, Kingsley Ikenna Ngoka, Tochukwu Leonard Alisi, Chile Micah Ndunagu.” Dabiri-Erewa described the alleged action of the suspects as “despicable and shameful.” She lamented that the suspects went to a foreign land to disgrace the country. “We need to tell our brothers behaving badly to behave. Let’s get the names of those involved to ...

The House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abia State has received a petition seeking to oust the Speaker of the State Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kanu, from office. The petition was filed by the All Progressives Congress House of Assembly candidate for Isiala Ngwa South state constituency seat in the just-concluded election, Nnaemeka Otagburuagu. The APC candidate, in the petition filed at the tribunal is challenging the declaration of Kalu, as winner of the March 9 State Assembly election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission,INEC, in Isiala Ngwa south local government area of the state. Otagburuagu claimed that the House of Assembly election held in Isiala Ngwa south constituency was marred by excessive malpractices ranging from alteration of the election results by the respondent(Speaker). The petitioner also asked the tribunal to cancel and order a rerun of the March 9 House of Assembly election conducted in Isiala Ngwa South constituenc...

The remains of the father of former Speaker Federal House of Representative, Alhaji Salisu Buhari, was on Wednesday laid to rest in Kano. The late business tycoon died in an Egyptian Hospital on Monday at the age of 83 after undergoing medical treatment, NAN reports. His remains which was flown from Egypt, arrived Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) on Wednesday late evening and was received by family members and business associates. Among the prominent personalities that were at the Airport to receive the corpse include the Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, his DEPUTY, Alhaji Nasiru GAWUNA, members of the state executive Council as well as members of the business community. The funeral prayer was led by the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, in company of Chief Imam of Kano Central Mosque, Prof. Sani Zahradeen, Emir of Daura, Alhaji Faruk Umar Faruk, members of the Kano Emirate council, Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje and his Deputy, Alhaji Nasiru Gawuna.‎ ...

The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, says inability to do away with human contacts in port operations is affecting its efficiency. Amaechi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday that the country had not developed enough technology to run the ports without human contacts. He said continuous training of ports workers in technology would translate to its efficiency and ultimately become competitive. “You move in your goods and take it out in 24 hours and this makes the ports more competitive than keeping goods for 40 days. “When you compare Nigerian economy with the economy of other countries, you have to look at the factors of production. “If those factors of production are cheaper in those countries, then the cost of goods in those countries will be cheaper than the cost of shipping goods there. “It also includes seaports. If the seaport activities are costly, it will be less competitive,” Amaechi said.

At least four persons were feared dead with several houses burnt in a fresh communal clash between Jukun and Tiv ethnic groups in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba on Monday. According to NAN, a witness, Jerry Luka, told NAN that trouble started in Kente village in the evening when youths from both ethnic groups clashed over a misunderstanding. “The misunderstanding led to the killing of two people in Kente and this morning two others were killed around General Hospital in Wukari. “The argument started over cultural heritage issues between the two tribes which have festered for some time now,” he said. Chairman of Wukari Local Government Council, Mr Daniel Adi, who confirmed the crisis, said two people were killed and houses burnt. According to him, trouble started on Monday when some some Tiv kinsmen were prevented from bringing goods to Kente Market. “One woman who defied their order and brought yams to the market for sale was molested; the action ...

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) said it will not condone lateness by candidates to its 2019 Mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), scheduled for Monday, April 1. The board’s Head, Media and Information, Fabian Benjamin, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, in Lagos. NAN reports that a total of 157,631 candidates have been scheduled to sit for the optional examination in some accredited Computer Based Centres (CBT) across the country. According to Benjamin, all is now set for the conduct of the examination by the board. “Just like the main UTME, candidates are expected to adhere strictly to all the rules guiding the test. “I want to say that we are fully set to conduct the mock examination, which is scheduled to hold tomorrow, Monday across some centres nationwide. “We will also like to appeal to candidates to ensure that they get to their various centres early enough for the ne...