Spread of diseases in farmed animals shown using social media analysis.

The Spread of diseases in farmed animals can be shown using social network analysis according to a research published in the PLOS. 

Researchers have shown that looking at movements of operators and vehicles between farms in the same way we look at contacts in social networks can help explain the spread of dangerous infectious diseases of livestock, such as foot-and-mouth disease and avian influenza. This research can contribute to the development of more accurate tools for predicting the spread of livestock diseases and may help implement more effective biosecurity measures in farms.

This research, published in PLOS Computational Biology, can contribute to the development of more accurate tools for predicting the spread of livestock diseases and may help implement more effective biosecurity measures in farms. The research showed that the network of contacts originated from on-farm visits by veterinarians in dairy farms of Northern Italy displays hidden features that cannot be detected by simply looking at the frequency of visits and unveils patterns of infection otherwise unexplained. 

The authors discovered that veterinarians' movements produce an unexpectedly large number of potentially infectious contacts between farms that can quickly spread dangerous livestock diseases. The research, made possible by the availability of high-resolution data in space and time on veterinarian movements in the study area, shed light on the actual significance of operator movements in disease spread, a still poorly understood topic due to the highly diverse and complex nature of such movements and to privacy issues in data collection. 

 The researchers compared the role of veterinarian movements on diseases spread with those of animal exchange between farms, which is recognized as the most effective transmission route for livestock infectious diseases. 

 They found that co-occurrence of operator movements and animal exchanges is synergistic, largely amplifying the potential for disease propagation. The study shows how multilayer network analysis substantially improves the way diseases spread can be described, thus contributing to their control.

12 year old Nigerian girl develops location app to help lost children.

It has not been the most positive of times in Nigeria considering the current economic climate but every now and then a story will pop up and lift the spirits of the country. Tomisin Ogunnubi from Lagos has provided such a story for her nation in Answers Africa. The 12-year-old girl from Lagos has developed an app to solve a problem which she had noticed in her community. Tomisin finished up the development of her Android mobile tracking app, My Location, just a few weeks ago. The motivation behind the app was to help lost children find their way back home. How it was developed: Tomision developed her app under the guidence of an Information and Communications Technology partnership, between her school, Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls, and New Horizons Computer Learning Center. Here, Tomision was able to learn the necessary skills and knowledge needed to develop her app. How it works: The “current location”setting on the app enables the child to see exactly where they are, as well as highlighting the neighboring streets around them. The other main functionality of the app will allow the child to save a location such as their house or school and it will direct them to their desired location. The My Locator App also features a button, which when pressed will alert the Lagos State Emergency Services. The app will call the services as well as show the child’s location so that they can be helped. source

Chevron Nigeria acts on commitment to develop agribusiness in the country.

Chevron Nigeria acts on commitment to develop agribusiness in the country.STAR Ultra Deep Petroleum Limited, a subsidiary of Chevron Nigeria has sponsored the training of 50 youths in Oyo State for a three months course at the OFFERCentre institute of Agriculture, Oluponna, Osun State and expressed its commitment to enhance agricultural business in Nigeria. Chairman, Star Ultra Deep Petroleum Limited, Mr Lanre Kalejaiye, who was represented by the acting Director, Deep Water and Product Sharing Contract, (DW and PSC) Chevron, Mike Kabi, during the valedictory ceremony of the first set of capacity building graduating students at the centre, recently said, "We are also committed to making social investments that will add value to the people's lives in several other spheres of human endeavor.” continue

11 things unsuccessful people do over the weekend.

Everybody's working for the weekend, but how you spend your two days off may say something about how successful you are. What you get up to doesn't really matter, per se. If you prefer lounging around the house to spontaneous adventures, that's great! You probably need that time to wind down.When it comes to weekends, the main thing that separates successful people from unsuccessful people is mindfulness. Are you planning ahead and truly thinking about how to spend your free time? Here are 11 things that unsuccessful people tend to do over the weekend — and why to avoid them:1) they dont have a plan. continue

Students given ‘300 coffees’ worth of caffeine in experimental error

Students given ‘300 coffees’ worth of caffeine in experimental error: A British University has been fined after a bungled nutritional experiment led to students consuming caffeine quantities equivalent to '300 cups of coffee.'

Students given ‘300 coffees’ worth of caffeine in experimental error

Students given ‘300 coffees’ worth of caffeine in experimental error: A British University has been fined after a bungled nutritional experiment led to students consuming caffeine quantities equivalent to '300 cups of coffee.'

Vitamin D may boost IBD treatment success: Study

Vitamin D may boost IBD treatment success: Study: Low vitamin D levels may reduce the chances of success of treatment for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as colitis and Crohn’s, according to a new study.

Anti-inflammatory diet could act to preserve bone strength: Study

Anti-inflammatory diet could act to preserve bone strength: Study: New associations between food and bone health have been outlined in a study, which suggests that anti-inflammatory diets could strengthen bone and reduce fractures.

Benefits of early detection of cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) in pets.

Cognitive dysfunction syndrome may be incurable, but if caught early, you can stave off its effects and even show pet improvement.While cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) is incurable, there are ways to stave it off and even get a pet to show improvement. Specialists say that too often cognitive dysfunction goes unnoticed by owners and therefore goes unreported to veterinarians. When obvious signs appear, treatment may start too late. A 14-year-old Lhasa Apso cross showed no signs of cognitive dysfunction until stress began to creep into his home. First, his owner was hospitalized for a period, so a dog sitter showed up. Then the other dog in the household died. By that time the Lhasa Apso was becoming needier and was experiencing sensory issues and apparent deafness. The absence of the owner was a stress for the dog, and that’s when it started showing its very clear indicators of cognitive decline. Dr. Nichol, who practices in Albuquerque, N.M., viewed the events that stressed the dog as fortuitous. Nichol started the dog on Novifit, fish oil, Senilife, gabapentin and Zylkene. “This dog has improved pretty significantly, and at this point it’s going on over a year now and he’s continuing to do better,” Nichol said. “[CDS] appears not to be advancing.” Supplements and diets are among the tools that specialists like Nichol use to treat CDS. That’s in addition to Anipryl (selegiline), a drug that many veterinarians prescribe for the disease. While Anipryl is widely accepted as a viable treatment, Nichol has heard from some practitioners who questioned the drug’s effectiveness. He believes that in many unsuccessful cases the pet was diagnosed in more advanced states of CDS. Dr Nichol's solution is for veterinarians to raise the subject as pet owners should receive a one-page questionnaire that has a simple scoring system using queries about disorientation, social relationships, sleep-wake cycles, memory and activity level. He

Cognitive dysfunction syndromes in dogs and cats.

Cognitive dysfunction syndromes in dogs and cats are degenerative brain diseases that are often missed until the signs become so advanced that it may be too late to help the pet or owner. in a study,researchers found that the overall prevalence of cognitive dysfunction was a little more than 14 percent, but only about 1.9 percent of cases are diagnosed. The same study found that the chances of having cognitive dysfunction increase with age, so that by the time dogs are 15 years old, 41 percent will have at least one sign consistent with cognitive decline. Neilson and Hart estimated the prevalence in geriatric dogs at 68 percent. In a 2011 review, Gunn-Moore estimated that one-third of cats 11 to 14 years old has age-related cognitive decline, which increased to more than 50 percent of cats 15 years old or older. Unfortunately, less is known about the cognitive effects of aging on senior cats than on senior dogs, but their management is similar. Cognitive dysfunction is a decline in learning, memory or awareness due to the age-related changes within the brain, and they are represented clinically by a group of signs related to varying states of dementia,although appearance is physical the root is psychological. The brains of dogs and cats undergo neuropathology as they age ,such as oxidative damage, neuronal loss, atrophy and the development of ß-amyloid plaques. These are similar changes in human brains with Alzheimer’s disease alongside other pathology that is not seen in canine (or feline) brains, they also develop these ß-amyloid plaques. The brains undergo similar pathology as they develop dementia, dogs are a great research model for human dementia. The knowledge gained from this research not only helps people, but can also help veterinarians help these pets.continue

Why Technology Isn’t One Size Fits All for Horses.

We live in a world dominated by technology. The pace of change has been breathtaking, and advances have made equine practice easier, more innovative and more efficient. But is technology the key to a successful 21st-century equine practice? Clients may view new technology as evidence that a practitioner is cutting edge and committed to the latest in equine care. As such, investing in technology may be thought of as a form of advertising. The equine world is filled with an almost limitless number of devices that blink, shine or magnetize. Practitioners should consider whether they can recoup their investment in treatment technologies. In some circumstances, technology clearly decreases the time needed to accomplish a task. For example, digital radiography offers significant advantages insofar as the speed with which radiographs are processed, ultimately allowing practitioners to take more radiographs compared to other technologies. Similarly, distributing the radiographs can be done via email, negating the need for telephone communication. As much as we may want it to be so, technology does not always result in greater efficiency. Practices that lean heavily on technology systems may be virtually paralyzed if a system breaks down or if a provider is unresponsive or, even worse, goes out of business. New technologies come with learning curves that can make implementation a struggle and result in lost productivity and frustration.continue

How Horses Can Help Couples Battling Dementia and Alzheimer’s.

A program at UC Davis is using collaborative efforts with horses to help couples dealing with Dementia and Alzheimer's."Horses have this innate ability to sense feeling and energy around them and they give you that immediate feedback," said Paula Hertel, who alongside Nancy Schier Anzelmo created the Connected Horse Project. Both have worked with horses their whole lives, and spent their professional careers focused on seniors' health issues like Alzheimers and Dementia. Between those subjects they drew a connection one not everyone saw at first. Most estimates from the Alzheimer's Association put the number of Americans suffering from Alzheimer's at more than five million - the majority are over age 65. In its worst stages Alzheimer's patients can lose their ability to speak entirely. Working with the horses takes nonverbal communication. At the heart of the research with Connected Horses, the idea that couples dealing with Alzheimer's can learn to interact better with each other by communicating with the horses. continue

Malaria drugs fail for first time on patients in UK.

A key malaria treatment has failed for the first time in patients being treated in the UK.The drug combination was unable to cure four patients, who had all visited Africa, in early signs the parasite is evolving resistance. A team at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said it was too early to panic. But it warned things could suddenly get worse and demanded an urgent appraisal of drug-resistance levels in Africa. Malaria parasites are spread by bites from infected mosquitoes. It is a major killer of the under-fives with one child dying from the disease every two minutes. Between 1,500 and 2,000 people are treated for malaria in the UK each year - always after foreign travel. Most are treated with the combination drug: artemether-lumefantrine. But clinical reports, now detailed in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, showed the therapy failed in four patients between October 2015 and February 2016. All initially responded to therapy and were sent home, but were readmitted around a month later when the infection rebounded. Samples of the parasite that causes malaria were analysed at the Malaria Reference Laboratory at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Dr Colin Sutherland told the BBC News website: "It's remarkable there's been four apparent failures of treatment, there's not been any other published account [in the UK]." All of the patients were eventually treated using other therapies. But the detailed analysis of the parasites suggested they were developing ways of resisting the effects of the front-line drugs.Two of the cases were associated with travel to Uganda, one with Angola and one with Liberia - suggesting drug-resistant malaria could be emerging over wide regions of the continent.continue

Off grid solar satellite television.

UK-based solar company Azuri Technologies and Kenyan satellite TV provider Zuku launched the service in Kenya in December. A solar panel is fixed to the roof of a customer's home, and connects to a battery which powers a range of appliances, including lamps, a mobile phone charger, and a 24-inch (61cm) TV which accesses Zuku's Smart satellite TV service. Users pay an upfront fee of 4,999 Kenyan shillings (£39) for the system, and thereafter pay 149 shillings(£1.15) per day. By the end of two years on this payment schedule, customers own the kit outright. While solar power products have been available in Kenya for several years, and some free-to-air terrestrial TV stations have been accessible in rural areas, this is the first time off-grid households have had access to a full range of satellite pay-TV channels.All powered by the sun. AzuriTV provides lighting in their home, including a security night light, as well as access to world news and entertainment. Azuri aims to go beyond lighting and to provide each customer with TVs, internet access, entertainment and a range of services. continue

Virtual reality and entertainment.

Imagine finding yourself on a futuristic stage with rock legends Queen as they blast out their greatest hit, Bohemian Rhapsody. A neon-rendered Freddie Mercury struts around you. Well, now that fantasy experience can be a reality - albeit a virtual one.

 Last year Queen collaborated with Google Play and Enosis VR to create a 360 degree virtual reality (VR) take on the groundbreaking video for the band's 1975 hit. 

 This video is is often credited with fuelling the boom in pop videos that characterised the 1980s. The interactive app uses 2D and 3D animations combined with motion-captured ballet dancers to immerse the viewer in the late Freddie Mercury's"subconscious mind". continue

Foods can improve your gut bacteria.

The gut microbiome - the diverse community of bacteria that inhabits our intestines . Almost every day we come across headlines claiming that it has the power to influence our health in new and surprising ways, whether it's our weight, our mood or our ability to resist infection. Unsurprisingly, given this explosion of interest in our inner ecosystem, our supermarket shelves and pharmacies now stock an array of probiotic products - products containing live bacteria and yeasts - that claim to be able to influence our gut microbiome for the better. But is any of this actually possible? see

Cats may be as intelligent as dogs.

Japanese scientists say cats are as good as dogs at certain memory tests, suggesting they may be just as smart. A study - involving 49 domestic cats - shows felines can recall memories of pleasant experiences, such as eating a favourite snack. Dogs show this type of recollection - a unique memory of a specific event known as episodic memory. Humans often consciously try to reconstruct past events that have taken place in their lives, such as what they ate for breakfast, their first day in a new job or a family wedding. These memories are linked with an individual take on events, so they are unique to that person. Saho Takagi, a psychologist at Kyoto University, said cats, as well as dogs, used memories of a single past experience, which may imply they have episodic memory similar to that of humans. Episodic memory is viewed as being related to introspective function of the mind; our study may imply a type of consciousness in cats,continue

Climate Change And Large-Scale Adoption Of Big Data Hydroponics.

Climate Change And Large-Scale Adoption Of Big Data Hydroponics.Food and water (in)security, changing weather patterns, and shifts in global demographics REQUIRE large-scale adoption of advanced hydroponics. Why? Because Global Food Systems are under attack and advances from agricultural mechanization in the 1920s and the Green Revolution from 1940-1960 have largely been exhausted. Farmers and ranchers are already facing devastating impacts from the realities of Climate Change – including severe floods, extreme heat and drought, and increased pressures from changing disease and pest patterns. This has resulted in protein unavailability and further malnourishment in many of the developing nations .continue

Beans and Sustainable Agriculture:.

Pulses are an amazing protein and might save the Planet,Pulses like chickpea and pigeonpea contribute towards the new Sustainable Development Goals to reduce poverty and hunger, improve health and gender equity, promote responsible consumption and help adapt to climate change. Beans as a means for sustainable agriculture for the following reasons; 1)Lower Carbon footprint. 2) Water . 3) Nitrogen Fixing & Soil Microbial Diversity. Pulses have a lower carbon footprint in production than most animal sources of protein. One study showed that one kilogram of legume only emits 0.5kg in Co2 equivalent, whereas 1kg of beef produces 9.5 kg in CO2 equivalent . Lentils are one of the foodstuff that contributes the least emissions, far fewer than turkey, salmon or other common sources of protein. How do Beans reduce Carbon Emissions? 1)Low water use results in low energy use. 2)Reduces nonrenewable energy in the entire crop rotation by 22-24%. 3)Pulse-Pulse-Wheat cropping has 34% less carbon footprint compared to a Cereal-Cereal-Wheat cropping pattern. 4) Better farming practices, including use of pulse crops, can lower the average carbon footprint by 24 to 37%. 5) Nitrogen fertilizers contribute to carbon footprint as its energy footprint is over 7.5 times more than other fertilizers such as phosphate and potash. 6) Pulses help reduce use of chemical fertilizers by fixing nitrogen. continue

Sustainability and Global Food Systems .

Farmers and ranchers are already facing devastating impacts from the realities of Climate Change – including severe floods, extreme heat and drought, and increased pressures from changing disease and pest patterns. Major advantages of conservation agriculture are:1)Reduced wind and water erosion of topsoil. 2)Increased water use efficiency through improved water infiltration and retention. 3)Increased nutrient use efficiency through enhanced nutrient cycling and fertilizer placement adjacent to seed. 4) Reduced oscillation of surface soil temperatures. 5)Increased soil organic matter and diverse soil biology. 6)Reduced fuel, labor and overall crop establishment costs. It’s a win-win situation for the environment AND the economy when it comes to introducing legumes into agricultural systems, says new research,Good for you, good for the planet, and good for the smallholder farmer. Pulses like chickpea and pigeonpea contribute towards the new Sustainable Development Goals to reduce poverty and hunger, improve health and gender equity, promote responsible consumption and help adapt to climate change. continue

Trifarm launches online portal for farmers.

Trifarm launches online portal for farmers.The new website, ‘trifarmltd.com’ connects producers and buyers of agricultural products in a novel way. The online portal is built on a predictive model which allows farmers to input crop data, enabling buyers to forecast market conditions months in advance. cccFounder of the company, Garvin Francis, stated that this platform will solve one of the major issues facing agriculture, which is market access – linking buyers such as hotels, restaurants and agro-processors to producers. For years, stakeholders were unable to access a market-forecasting model such as this. He continued to state that the potential benefits of this initiative are significant, noting that one hurdle in its implementation is the ability of farmers to make the transition online. Through a sustained re-tooling campaign, the company intends to equip farmers with the best practices required for this new platform. continue

Growing Hunger for Brazilian Chicken as Bird Flu Spreads.

The bird flu outbreak sweeping across Asia and Europe means you may soon be eating more Brazilian chicken. The world’s top exporter has been untouched by the highly contagious virus that led to widespread culling of birds -- more than 30 million in South Korea alone. After some key importing nations banned poultry from infected countries, Brazil is expected to see further demand for its products. The avian influenza outbreak is also good news for other virus-free nations that can fill the supply gap, such as the U.S., which is the second-biggest exporter and mostly evaded contamination since cases escalated in October. Because migrating wild birds carry the disease, there’s a risk that it will keep spreading, Societe Generale SA said in a report earlier this month.continue

Your dog loves you five times more than cat.

A new study has shown that your dog loves you 5 times more than cat. The study which found that the canines release the love hormone when they see their owners while the felines barely produce any. Scientists already know that canines and humans release the love hormone known as oxytocin when they are together. The scientist took saliva samples from 10 cats and 10 dogs prior to a 10-minute playtime session with their owners. He then took another saliva sample from all of the participants after their playtime encounter, testing it for the presence of oxytocin. According to the results, a 57.2% increase of the hormone oxytocin was found in dogs; whereas a 12% increase of the hormone was found in cats. "From this sample it is true to say that these dogs love their owners five times more than the cats do It was really surprised to discover that dogs produced such high levels of oxytocin,showing the dog level of 57.2% is a very powerful response, it shows these dogs really care about their owners.see

A new app helping pets to find paw-friends.

‘PetsApp’, an android app helps you find a play date for your pet.The ‘dating’ app for pets, works on a principle similar to that of Tinder’s. Once you create a profile for your dog, based on your location, you get a series of prospective mates for your pooch in the vicinity. Swipe left to ignore and right to like. If both users swipe right, it’s a match and they can chat and meet up. This app not only benefits canines, but also their owners. “You can chat with other dog lovers and start a connection based on this mutual love for pets,” says Yugal Pandey, who found a playdate for his five-year-old labrador, Benny via the app. Creators of the app, Delhi-based couple Sujata Kukreja and Akhil Nath were inspired for a project like this when one of their dogs struggled with “loneliness”.The app also includes some additional features. There is a chat-enabled adoption forum (no buying and selling is encouraged), lost and found option (with a GPS tracker), pet book (which is more like a pet Instagram, were you can click, share and upload pictures of your pets and their daily antics), and information centre (articles, tips and news relating to pets) There is a plan to add ‘Ask your Vet’ service, vaccination tracker, deals of the week on unique pet products and others after monitoring the progress of the app for two months. continue

Karnataka Tiger deaths: Wildlife experts call for trained professionals.

With the continuing deaths of tigers in Nagarhole-Bandipur region, wildlife officials and experts call for a dedicated team of vets and a separate veterinary cadre in the state forest department. There is also a need for a department of wildlife health monitoring, rescue and forensics in view of the rising man-animal conflict, especially in districts having tiger reserves. Five tigers and one leopard have died in the last 23 days. The rising pressure on the state forest department to capture and relocate tigers and leopards has in fact exposed the clear lack of veterinary expertise in dealing with both immobilization and post-treatment measures as also wildlife diseases. Given the gravity of the situation, more trained professionals in wildlife health are needed for the five tiger reserves.continue

Revolutionizing Cocoa Farming in Peru.

A technique pioneered by one family is helping thousands of cocoa farmers in Peru increase their yields – and inspiring chocolate enthusiasts around the world. -The small jungle town of Tocache, Peru, was notorious in the ‘80s and ‘90s as a hub of coca production, drug trafficking and violence. After successful coca eradication efforts in 2002, a government program helped coca farmers in the San Martín region migrate to cocoa production – reorienting from the drug market to the chocolate market. Yet most farmers lacked the knowledge to produce high yields on their new cocoa farms. Carlos Sierra and his family started growing cocoa along with other farmers in their community, but they quickly stood out. Through tireless trial and error, they developed an agronomy technique that resulted in productivity levels five times the local average. The Sierra farm became well known among cocoa farmers in the San Martín region, yet other farmers struggled to replicate their success. The technical experts spent a year working closely with the Sierras to document, standardize and adapt their agronomic practices for a wide audience. The result was a methodology called the Synchronized Fertilization and Pruning Technique, known by its Spanish acronym “TAPS.” TAPS focuses primarily on fertilization (adding nutrients to the soil) and pruning (trimming excess leaves and branches from trees) as drivers of productivity. Synchronized pruning and fertilization are recommended in three phases during the year, rather than the traditional annual approach. credit

New ultrasound technique is first to image inside live cells.

Researchers have developed a breakthrough technique that uses sound rather than light to see inside live cells, with potential application in stem-cell transplants and cancer diagnosis.Researchers at The University of Nottingham have developed a new nanoscale ultrasound technique that uses shorter-than-optical wavelengths of sound . The research published in the paper 'High resolution 3D imaging of living cells with sub-optical wavelength phonons' in the journal, Scientific Reports. Unlike light, sound does not have a high-energy payload, this has enabled the Nottingham researchers to use smaller wavelengths and see smaller things and get to higher resolutions without damaging the cell biology. People are most familiar with ultrasound as a way of looking inside the body but its being engineered to the point where it can look inside an individual cell. Nottingham is currently the only place in the world with this capability. Ultrasound in the cells causes no damage and requires no toxic chemicals to work, and this makes it possible to see inside cells that one day might be put back into the body,eg as stem-cell transplants.

Digital technology and food security.

Digital technology has made its way into various industries but its impact in agriculture has the highest advantages with food security being on top of the list.

Farmers have harnessed the use of technology as a tool to grow their business and also as a selling platform to reach out to consumers and connect to would be customers. 

 The task to feed the ever growing population estimated to reach 9 billion by 2050 is no small one and farmers,are employing all available tools to keep up with the demand. The use of precision agriculture is not a new concept as more and more farmers are imbibing this concept to promote growth and development of their agribusiness. 

Phones are the simplest tool in this digital transformation as this is used as a platform for training, dissemination of information ,marketplace and data management. 

Read more and this Digital technology is helping farmers and agribusinesses build resilience, achieve scale and develop sustainable solutions in Africa. 

This is what the “fourth industrial revolution” looks like for increasing numbers of the world’s smallholder farmers. Nearly a third of the global population relies on agriculture for a living, and growth in this sector has been shown to be at least twice as effective at reducing poverty as growth in other sectors. But progress can be frustratingly slow. 

The average African maize farmer, for instance, produces five times less per hectare than the average American grower. A variety of new digital applications are now accelerating interventions that have been shown to improve productivity and growth in this sector. 

Connected Farmer, for instance, is a mobile product started in East Africa from a public-private partnership between Vodafone, USAID and the nonprofit TechnoServe, to help farmers work with agribusinesses and better manage continue

Chewing your food could protect against infection.

A study, recently published in the journal Immunity, found that chewing food also known as mastication can stimulate the release of T helper 17 (Th17) cells in the mouth. Th17 cells form a part of the adaptive immune system, which uses specific antigens to defend against potentially harmful pathogens, while enduring "friendly" bacteria that can be beneficial to health. According to the study team, in the gut and the skin, Th17 cells are produced in the presence of beneficial bacteria. However, the researchers note that the mechanisms by which Th17 cells are produced in the mouth have been unclear, they noted that the mechanical force required by mastication leads to physiological abrasion and damage in the mouth. The researchers came to their findings by feeding weaning mice soft-textured foods, which required less chewing, until they reached 24 weeks of age. At 24 weeks, the release of Th17 cells in the rodents' mouths was measured. A significant reduction in oral Th17 cell production was noted, which the team speculated was down to a reduction in mastication-induced physiological damage. The researchers found that increasing the levels of physiological damage in the rodents' mouths by rubbing the oral cavity with a sterile cotton applicator led to an increase in the production of Th17 cells and so the researchers believe these findings indicate that chewing food may help to protect us from illness. However, the researchers caution that increased oral Th17 cell production may not always be beneficial; too many of these cells can increase the risk of periodontitis, or gum disease, which has been associated with numerous other health conditions, including diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. The team also found that long-term exposure to physiological damage caused by mastication can exacerbate the effects of periodontitis.

Victorian farmer group calls on Federal Government to subsidise Q Fever vaccine.

The Victorian Farmers Federation is calling for increased access to Q Fever screening services and for the vaccine to be subsidized. Farmers, livestock handlers and abattoir workers are most at risk of contracting the disease, which is carried by livestock, domestic and wild animals. Some larger rural businesses such as meat processors, saleyards and livestock transporters are required by WorkSafe to protect workers against the disease by screening and vaccinating for Q Fever.According to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, rates of Q Fever infection have fluctuated in recent years. There were 34 cases of Q Fever in Victoria in 2014, with 59 cases in 2015 and 48 last year. But figures from the Australian Q Fever Register, collated by the Australian Meat Processor Corporation, show the number of people being registered to be screened and tested for the disease in Victoria jumped from 4,502 in 2014-15 to 4,948 in 2015-16. A dairy farmer from Victoria's Gippsland region will have to outlay thousands of dollars to screen and vaccinate his staff against Q Fever after one of his employees contracted the disease. Greg Peddle milks 750 dairy cows on his property at Yarram, about 220 kilometres south-east of Melbourne.The worker was diagnosed and treated for the disease immediately and was only away from work for one day. But under instruction by WorkSafe, Mr Peddle must now enforce a "no jab no job" policy, which will require all workers employed on his farm to be screened and vaccinated.continue

Q-Fever.

This an infectious disease caused by a bacteria, Coxiella burnetti and its found worldwide. The bacteria naturally infects some animals, such as goats, sheep and cattle. C. burnetii bacteria are found in the birth materials such as placenta, amniotic fluid and also in urine, feces, and milk of infected animals. The disease is of zoonotic importance people who have close contact with farm animals such as farm workers, vets, abattoir staff and livestock agents carry the greatest risk of contracting Q fever. Abattoir workers are at risk of infection when working on pregnant animals. Farmers must be careful when assisting at calving and avoid direct contact with afterbirth materials. Aborted fetuses and afterbirth should be disposed of safely by burning. The Q fever bacteria is very tough and can survive for months in the environment as infected animals shed the organism in urine, milk, feces and placental fluids. Contact with fetuses and fetal membranes from aborted animals can expose individuals to high doses of infective material. Animals are infected with the Q fever organism by inhaling or ingesting infected material such as urine, milk, feces or after-birth from infected animals. People are infected most frequently by inhaling infected material from these same sources or from environmental contamination. Wind borne transmission of the organism in dust is an important source of infection. Animals with Q fever are not treated, but infected people should receive prompt medical attention to relieve symptoms and avoid serious complications.Tetracycline and doxycline are drugs of choice for treatment although a vaccine is also available for prevention.

Worm study provides clues to better fat-loss therapies for humans.

Scientists have discovered key details of a brain-to-body signaling circuit that enables roundworms to lose weight independently of food intake, and there are reasons to suspect the circuit exists in a similar form in humans and other mammals. Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have discovered key details of a brain-to-body signaling circuit that enables roundworms to lose weight independently of food intake. The weight-loss circuit is activated by combined signals from the worm versions of the neurotransmitters serotonin and adrenaline, and there are reasons to suspect that it exists in a similar form in humans and other mammals. The study, published by the journal Cell Metabolism noted that boosting serotonin signaling has been seen as a viable strategy for weight loss in people, but results hint that boosting serotonin plus adrenaline should produce more potent effects .The surprising discovery was that serotonin isn't the sole driver of this weight-loss pathway, but works in concert with another neurotransmitter, octopamine -- the C. elegans version of adrenaline (also called epinephrine) in mammals.

Scientists find brain hormone that triggers fat burning.

Scientists find brain hormone that triggers fat burning.Biologists have identified a brain hormone that appears to trigger fat burning in the gut. Their findings in animal models could have implications for future pharmaceutical development. Biologists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have identified a brain hormone that appears to trigger fat burning in the gut,work published in the journal Nature Communications.Earlier studies had shown that the neurotransmitter serotonin can drive fat loss. The newly discovered fat-burning pathway works like this: a neural circuit in the brain produces serotonin in response to sensory cues, such as food availability. This signals another set of neurons to begin producing FLP-7. FLP-7 then activates a receptor in intestinal cells, and the intestines begin turning fat into energy.

Leonardo DiCarprio unveils Google’s new high-tech tool to curb illegal fishing.

Google has joined hands with popular actor Leonardo DiCarprio’s foundation to crackdown on illegal fishing. The search engine giant and the foundation have launched a new high-tech tool to track down unregulated fishing. The tool named as Global Fishing Watch was launched by Leonardo DiCaprio on Thursday. Main aim of the tool, a surveillance system, is to keep a constant check on global fishing practices taking from space and help bring decline in illegal fishing in the oceans. At the event, DiCaprio encourage everyone to check out the technology, which as per him will make citizens to be better protectors of the oceans. Oceans are vital for the livelihood. In fact, it is the primary food source for millions of people.continue

Hair Loss Among Men Could Help Predict Risk of Prostate Cancer.

Anew research has shown that hair loss among men could help predict risk of prostate cancer. The team of researchers at the University of Toronto team evaluated cases of male pattern baldness and found a strong link between hair loss and prostate cancer risk. The Canadian research team added that high level of testosterone is considered as a reason behind hair loss and prostate malignancy. However, men facing hair loss should not start worrying about the results of this study. Majority of men suffer male pattern baldness as they age and the percentage of bald men rises with age. The research team from the University of Toronto checked medical records and male pattern baldness among 400 men who came to Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto for prostate biopsy. The research team asked these men about their degree of baldness at age 30. Their current hair loss status was also checked and evaluated on the Norwood scale A study published by the U.S. National Cancer Institute said that men with moderate baldness were more likely to suffer prostate cancer. The University of Toronto team found that men with higher extent of baldness had higher chances of suffering from prostate cancer, among the 400 men who came to Princess Margaret Cancer Center for testing. continue

Koycera Launches Washable Smartphone in Japan.

Japanese company Kyocera has launched a smartphone which can be washed with soap and water. While other smartphone vendors are boasting about water-resistant or waterproof smartphones, Kyocera has gone a step ahead and suggested that users can wash their smartphone with water and soap. Kyocera has launched ‘Rafre smartphone’ in Japan. The smartphone is the second washable phone launched by the company after its first in December 2015. The phone’s touchscreen even works while you wash it under faucet. In its official press release, Kyocera informed, “Like its predecessor, the new rafre features resistance to hot water and a touchscreen that be can be used even when the user’s hands are wet or when wearing gloves.” Using hand gestures, users can use the phone without even touching the screen. Gestures can help you scroll on certain apps without touching the screen and even answer calls. Rafre comes with 2GB RAM and 16 GB internal memory which can be increased by adding SD card. The smartphone offers high quality images with 13 mega pixel camera. The company added, “Furthermore, the new handset is equipped with a special cooking app which allows users to scroll through recipes, set timers and answer calls through hand gestures without having to touch the display. This allows use of the smartphone while users’ hands are coated with cooking ingredients.”continue

The secret of raising pigs from a millionaire farmer.

GASPARD Kabalisa is a management consultant, who has exploited his entrepreneurship and managerial experience and skills to rake in millions from pig rearing. Kabalisa currently owns a model piggery with 70 pigs at Gasanze cell in Nduba sector, Gasabo District. Kabalisa says he started the farm in 2012 with a partner, who later pulled out because of financial reasons. Piggery has many advantages to a farmer: they eat a wide range of feeds, making it easy for a farmer to get feeds.He argues that piggery is also the easiest business to control. Every business can be rentable if done professionally. He says most of the animal feeds, including forages like sweet pepper, taro, squash, sweet potatoes, egg plants, maize are produced on his farm, but he buy a few processed feeds. James Akananiyundi, the veterinary officer at Kabalisa’s farm, however, says cultivated forages are important to supplement the industrial feed, on one hand, and to reduce operational costs on the other hand.Recently, the vet introduced a high yielding variety of beans that are rich in iron to improve the animals’ nutrition and help fight against anemia, which he says is a serious disease pig farmers are wary of. He plans to increase my stock to at least 400 pigs in next five months, set up a modern slaughterhouse on the farm and a small meat processor in order to gain more from business.continue

The 7 hurdles to scale before you can succeed in business.

The startup grind, are you ready? Why do some people succeed in business, while others stutter, stumble and fail? Think about it for a moment. Successful entrepreneurs come in all forms, shapes and sizes. They don’t particularly fall into any specific categories that make them special. 1)Fear; Fear is the biggest hurdle of all. It’s not the most dangerous hurdle, but it’s the most common one that afflicts people who want to start a business and become entrepreneurs. But why is fear so common? Why does it exist? The fact is, fear exists because of uncertainty. The less we know about the outcome of something, the more afraid we are. That’s why the fear of failure is the biggest fear of all when it comes to starting a business.The fear of failure is so powerful and domineering that more than 95 percent of people who have brilliant business ideas cannot act on these ideas because they’re too afraid to fail. 2) Perfection ;When it comes to business and entrepreneurship, getting started is always better than being perfect.Starting a business is like learning to walk. When you were a baby, you didn’t have to wait until the perfect time, and then suddenly start to walk. Babies start by crawling, and then they learn to stand, and then make several attempts to walk. The first time they walk it’s not perfect and most babies stumble and fall, but they always stand up again because they know that every new attempt they make brings them better at walking. 3) Law of bounce;Successful entrepreneurs have a high bounce, they always bounce back up whenever they hit the ground. Disappointments, problems and challenges are normal in entrepreneurship. Successful entrepreneurs factor in setbacks when starting or running a business. 4) Unbelief ; you must believe in yourself,your product and basically belief that you have what it takes to deliver. Starting and running a business is tough and only people with a strong and positive mindset can survive the rough seas of entrepreneurship. A positive mindset is the key. 5) Myopic vision; most people have a short term approach to business,they want instant success. Building a business takes time and needs constant tugging at ,with a picture-perfect vision on the long term. 6)Procrastination; like they say its the thief of time.Delaying your startup only prolongs the learning curve and delays the expected income. Start now or never. 7) ...... fill in the blank.Think about it,what is holding you back,what is the glass ceiling all about? Think about it and cross the hurdle and get to work.

Sage a herbal remedy for pain , inflammation and cognitive disorder.

Salvia officinalis is a perennial, evergreen subshrub, with woody stems, grayish leaves, and blue to purplish flowers. Sage or garden sage as its commonly refered to ,is closely related to rosemary, and they are often considered “sister herbs”. The traditional use of sage in medicine is well-documented and dates back thousands of years,when it was used for the treatment of snakebite, protection against evil and boosting female fertility. According to research published in the British Journal of Pharmacology, the herbs sage and rosemary contain potent anti-pain and anti-inflammatory compounds. These compounds known as carnosol and carnosic acid are potent anti-inflammatory agents and also help reduce pain. In one study published in the medical journal Current Medicinal Chemistry, researchers found that sage’s ability to prevent the breakdown of a critical brain messenger hormone may make the herb helpful in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Sage has been found to be so powerful in its ability to treat Alzheimer’s disease that the German Ministry of Health is currently considering adding sage as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease to its Commission E Monographs—a compilation of the safety and effectiveness of herbs. While there are various species of sage, the one most commonly found to be beneficial for Alzheimer’s disease is Salvia lavandulifolia. The herb also help menstruating women who are suffering from excessive bleeding, nursing women who experience excessive lactation, as well as menopausal women who are suffering from hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. Another benefit of sage is actually its high level of vitamin K, an essential vitamin for the body that isn’t found in many common foods. Vitamin K is a crucial element for developing bone density and ensuring the integrity of our bones. Sage, particularly in its essential oil , has a history of use in the balancing of hormones. Sage is also available in tea form, dried or fresh herb, tincture, capsules or essential oils for those looking to take advantage of its anti-pain, anti-inflammatory and brain-boosting effects.

THE THREAT OF INVASIVE PESTS GROWS WITH GLOBAL TRADE.

A study shows that developing nations are the most vulnerable to damage from invasive species, and countries at the center of global trade are the most responsible for the spread of the pests.A moth with a voracious appetite for tomatoes made its way from its native South America across the Atlantic to Spain in 2006, before setting its foot in the Middle East and then recently Africa. The female tomato leaf miner lays a couple of hundred eggs that stick to the underside of tomato plant leaves before hatching into larvae that bore through every last part of the plant, destroying it and making fruits pockmarked and inedible. This is not such a big deal for backyard gardeners, but it is a huge problem for tomato farms, where the moth’s larvae have reduced crop yield by 80 to 100 percent in some places. Though invasive pests like this moth don’t really care where they proliferate, as long as their preferred host plant is in abundance, a new study published in the Proceedings of the Academy of Sciences shows that they are likely to have a much bigger effect on developing countries than on wealthier ones. continue

Social media and tragic selfies

On vacation with your family or friends, you see something great and you know that a million regular photos has been snapped before, with that exact scene. How to spice things up for your virtual friends of course, take a selfie. Taking a selfie comes with incredible risks attached to it. Driving, flying, or doing any other activity that requires you to focus is from the start not compatible with taking a selfie. If animals are involved, chances are they will not like your idea. We have chosen 17 innocent people who tragically died while trying to take a selfie in an attempt to raise awareness on the tragic phenomenon. People are dying before or after taking their beloved pics. Is it really worth it? Taking a selfie has become a second nature for most people and even professional photographers are dropping the charges on this new form of artistic expression. However, with so many cases where things went wrong, some measures need to be taken. Tourist officials are beginning to create selfie free areas, where this dangerous sport is allowed. At the same time, insurance company let no one go on a trip without asking first “Are you going to take a selfie while enjoying your vacation? Bull fighting selfie; In August 2015, a man was gored to death in the Spanish city of Pamplona. The 32-year-old David Lopez was foolish enough to leave the protected area and capture on film a feud between two bulls. Sick of running in vain, the animals sought revenge when they saw the man armed only with the latest iPhone in hands. We have reasons to believe the man died with a smile on his face. He had fulfilled a life’s goal by taking one of the best selfies ever. Unfortunately, the footage was confiscated and kept as evidence by the police. more

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Caloric restrictions extend life of Monkeys .

A new research has shown that dieting monkeys survive longer than others without caloric restrictions. Caloric restriction (CR) extends survival in rhesus monkeys, as senior authors Rozalyn Anderson, University of Wisconsin, Madison, and Rafael de Cabo, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, report in the January Nature Communications. This result in a nonhuman primate suggests scientists will be able to apply what they have learned about caloric restriction in shorter-lived animal models such as yeast and mice to humans. In monkeys, what and how much they eat absolutely influence how they age and with genetic similarity to people, there’s every reason to believe that would also be true in humans. The analysis combined two experiments begun in the late 1980s that tested whether caloric restriction improved health and survival in monkeys. One came from the University of Wisconsin, where scientists studied 76 adult monkeys . The other, from NIA, included 121 monkeys aged 1 to 23 and both studies put half the monkeys on a CR diet. At the NIA, some animals started the diet when they were young, and some when they were older. In the end, both studies agreed that there was a health benefit to CR if not an improvement in longevity. Animals on a restricted diet developed age-related conditions—such as bone and muscle loss, cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease—at half the rate of control animals.

The link between social media and animal cruelty.

There is a link between animal cruelty and social media,with craze for selfies with these animals causing deaths or discomforts in some cases. Recently,it was reported that a small dolphin died of dehydration when tourists took it out of water for selfies.Tourists killed a La Plata dolphin on a beach in the resort town of Santa Teresita. They passed the animal around while vying for selfies. Eventually it died of dehydration. Tourists mishandled two peacocks when taking selfies, resulting in the death of the animals. A man at Palm Beach in Florida dragged a small shark out of the water in order to take a selfie. Tourists snapping selfies in Costa Rica are stopping endangered sea turtles from breeding. And there is a dark side to those ‘cute’ viral videos of slow lorises. Many tourists see wild animals as exotic and adorable objects, as props for photos and nothing more. Social media highlights our tendency to view animals as merely things to be used, and often for the most trivial reasons. Selfies taken with wild animals and posted on Instagram may appear innocent and cute. Cruelty towards animals is not just wrong in itself as this kind of behavior may make people more cruel in general. continue

GPS tracking technology to ensure animal welfare.

GPS tracking technology to ensure animal welfare,because animal welfare on huge range-lands is a challenge. Researchers are now collaborating to find ways to help ranchers better manage livestock and improve animal welfare. Researchers in Australia are very close to having real-time or near real-time GPS tracking of livestock. Derek Bailey, professor in the New Mexico State University Department of Animal and Range Sciences, is working to find ways to help such ranchers better manage their livestock and improve animal welfare.His efforts include collaborating with researchers in Australia, where the rangeland is similar to that in New Mexico and other western states. On rangelands in New Mexico, in the western United States and in most of Australia, ranchers have extensive pastures on which they can't see the livestock all the time, the cows have to free -roam out in the range, so you can't watch them. The GPS device would be affixed to a collar that would send a signal to a nearby tower, potentially up to 10 miles away from the animal. That data would be collected and transferred to the ranch headquarters. Ideally, the information would be sent via the internet to a smartphone application.

Nordic countries and an energy transition.

Nordic countries are bringing about an energy transition worth copying. A new study by Professor Benjamin Sovacool at the University of Sussex offers some important lessons.The Trump administration's "First energy plan" criticizes the "burdensome" regulations on the energy industry and aims to eliminate "harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan" which was introduced by President Barack Obama. It has also deleted all mentions of climate change and global warming from the White House website. Given the American leadership vacuum on energy and climate change, national and local planners looking to bring about energy transitions will need to look elsewhere. Five Nordic countries -- Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden -- could hold answers for how to make the transition to a more energy efficient society generating energy through renewables. About 83% of electricity generation in Nordic countries is low-carbon, of which 63% comes entirely from renewable sources. The Nordic countries are also facilitating other low-carbon transitions across other sectors including heat, buildings, industry, and transport. A new study outlines broad lessons for how this transition could be replicated elsewhere. The energy transition pays for itself (if you factor in the costs of air pollution) The total estimated cost of the Nordic energy transition is roughly $357 billion more than business as usual, which comes to a total of less than 1 percent of cumulative GDP between now and 2050. Almost all of these costs will be offset by fuel savings. Even the external costs associated with the health impacts of air pollution alone in the Nordic countries (about $9 to $14 billion annually) are roughly equal to the additional investment needed to achieve a carbon neutral scenario. Trade and interconnection with other countries are key for reaching energy targets Trade and interconnection with Europe are instrumental to the Nordic countries reaching their carbon and energy targets. Nordic electricity trade must expand considerably -- underscoring the need for paralleled, coordinated grid development and interconnections with Great Britain, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. "It's as much a regional governance or European challenge as it is a national priority for individual Nordic states," says Sovacool, a Professor of Energy Policy at the University of Sussex's Science Policy Research Unit and Director of the Centre on Innovation and Energy Demand. Continue

Nanoparticle fertilizer could contribute to new 'green revolution'.

The 'Green Revolution' of the '60s and '70s has been credited with helping to feed billions around the world, with fertilizers being one of the key drivers spurring the agricultural boom. But in developing countries, the cost of fertilizer remains relatively high and can limit food production. Now researchers report a simple way to make a benign, more efficient fertilizer that could contribute to a second food revolution. Farmers often use urea, a rich source of nitrogen, as fertilizer. Its flaw, however, is that it breaks down quickly in wet soil and forms ammonia. The ammonia is washed away, creating a major environmental issue as it leads to eutrophication of water ways and ultimately enters the atmosphere as nitrogen dioxide, the main greenhouse gas associated with agriculture. This fast decomposition also limits the amount of nitrogen that can get absorbed by crop roots and requires farmers to apply more fertilizer to boost production. However, in low-income regions where populations continue to grow and the food supply is unstable, the cost of fertilizer can hinder additional applications and cripple crop yields. The researchers developed a simple and scalable method for coating hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles with urea molecules. HA is a mineral found in human and animal tissues and is considered to be environmentally friendly. In water, the hybridization of the HA nanoparticles and urea slowly released nitrogen, 12 times slower than urea by itself. Initial field tests on rice farms showed that the HA-urea nanohybrid lowered the need for fertilizer by one-half.

Dog Rescued From Meat Farm sleeps standing up.

Harriet arrived at the shelter scared, sad and exhausted. After what she'd been through, it was completely understandable.A little over two weeks ago, the three-year-old Korean Jindo had been stuck in a cramped cage at a dog meat farm in Wonju, South Korea, with about 200 other dogs. Like most dog meat farms in South Korea, the conditions were deplorable. If Harriet had stayed there, she and the other dogs would have been killed for their meat, and probably in a horrible, painful way. They're tortured, and they aren't always dead when they skin them. Harriet was now thousands of miles away from the horrors at the meat farm, but she was still traumatized.Harriet continued to sleep standing up until she was assisted to lie down on the fuzzy blanket, which acted as Harriet's very first dog bed. see

New NAFTA could be good for agriculture in Mexico.

Renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) could be an opportunity to extricate Mexican agriculture from rules that have harmed farming in Mexico. Sergio Barrales Domínguez, president of the Autonomous University of Chapingo (UACh) in Puebla, said threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to reopen NAFTA represent an opportunity to “make do without North American food” and fuel the domestic market and national food production. The university president referred to 56 programs the school has already created, which include rainwater collection systems for farming and human consumption, and its biofertilizer and gasoline saving programs. Pedro Ponce Javana, deputy director of the institution, backed the president’s stance and issued the admonishment that the government vision that agriculture is “only a business” should shift to one in which it is considered a strategic sector for the country instead. The statement pointed out that Mexico imports 30% of the beans it consumes, 50% of the wheat, 80% of the rice and over 17 million tonnes of yellow corn, as well as other vegetables, fruits, oilseeds and processed foods. continue

From Farm to Fork – Developing New Technologies to Analyze Veterinary Medicines in the Agri-Food Supply Chain.

Stuart Adams, Ph.D, a Senior Analytical Chemist at Fera Science Limited, UK, gave an informative presentation on targeted and non-targeted analyses of residues of veterinary medicines at the 130th AOAC meeting, 2016, Dallas, Texas. He discussed the development of a new LC-MS/MS multi-residue method based on high resolution accurate mass (HRAM) mass spectrometry (MS). Dr Adams began by noting that the EU guidelines for validation of methods for the analysis of veterinary medicines in food of animal origin and animal products were currently under review to include high resolution mass spectrometry. He is part of a team evaluating the Thermo Scientific™ Q Exactive™ Focus Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap™ Mass Spectrometer for the screening of 167 veterinary medicines in a single multi-residue method. - continue