Synthetic biology approach for a new antidote to coral snake venom.

Coral snake venom carries significant neurotoxicity and human injuries can be severe or even lethal. Despite this, antivenom treatments are scarce due to challenges collecting adequate amounts of venom needed to produce anti-elapidic serum. Currently, coral snake antivenom is produced by immunizing horses with the venom and collecting the anti-elapidic serum produced. Despite its high toxicity, venom yield from coral snakes is very low, and the snakes are difficult to keep in captivity. Since 2003, the only FDA-approved coral snake antivenom has been discontinued, leading to patients being hospitalized for treatment while the effects of the venom wear off. A new approach is therefore urgently needed to produce antivenom more efficiently and cheaply. The researchers identified 5 toxins within the snake venom and used a technique called SPOT-synthesis to identify the sections of the toxin (epitopes) that are recognized by coral snake antivenom antibodies. They then designed two DNA strings that coded for these epitopes and used them to genetically immunize different groups of mice. The serum collected from the animals, which contained antibodies to the five toxins, was then tested for antivenom capabilities -- by mixing with coral snake venom before being administered to healthy mice -- and was found to neutralize venom by 40%. To improve on this result, the researchers used recombinant DNA techniques to generate purified recombinant proteins from the designed multiepitope DNA strings, and gave the mice a series of protein booster shots to increase their immune response. This approach resulted in a final serum with 60% neutralization against coral snake venom. The use of synthetic DNA bypasses the need to capture and keep snakes, a difficult and expensive process. Story culled from science daily.

Urgent need to transform key food producing regions in Africa by 2025

Urgent need to transform key food producing regions in Africa by 2025: Agriculture in parts of sub-Saharan Africa must undergo significant transformation if it is to continue to produce key food crops, according to a new study. The study shows that maize, beans and bananas are most at risk from climate change.

Cancer cells eat their neighbors' 'words': Cancer cells capable of using information packets as energy source

Cancer cells eat their neighbors' 'words': Cancer cells capable of using information packets as energy source: Cancer cells are well-known as voracious energy consumers, but even a veteran cancer-metabolism researcher was surprised by their latest exploit: Experiments in his lab show that some cancer cells get 30-60 percent of their fuel from eating their neighbors' 'words.'

THE EXPORT POTENTIAL OF SNAIL SHELLS.

The rearing and processing has been highlighted in earlier posts. The new angle to story is the use of the snail shells as decorative pieces and art work that also command export potentials.

 The shells are used in creative artistic works that graced a number of art shops abroad,the unique designs on shells make them masterpiece material.

AGRIBUSINESS: HOW TO MAKE FISH FLAKES .

 

 Materials; 1) fish meal.

 2) cray fish. 

3) flour.

 4) vitamin C. 

 Method. Measure out fish meal @60% ,then add cray fish @30%..

 Add vitamin C @ 1 teaspoon and mix with a bit of water to form paste(use the flour as binder). 

 Allow paste to dry ,and cut in desired shapes and sizes.

STRESS COULD BE DESTROYING YOUR BRAIN .

Stress destroys brain leading to memory loss,according to a research published in journal of neuroscience. Long-term stress can have lots of effects on the body—it can cause chronic muscle tension, heart problems, and fertility issues in both men and women. Now researchers have performed a new study in mice that they believe reveals another effect of chronic stress on the brain: Inflammation, which can lead to memory loss and depression. In the study, the researchers stressed out several mice by periodically putting a much more aggressive mouse into their cage. After six days of exposure, the stressed mice could no longer recall the location of a hole to escape a maze, which they remembered easily before the stressful period began. "The stressed mice didn't recall it. The mice that weren't stressed, they really remembered it," said Jonathan Godbout, a neuroscience professor at Ohio State University and one of the study authors in a press release. For four weeks after the trauma, the mice continued to cower in corners, the mouse equivalent of social avoidance, a major symptom of depression. The researchers suspected that the stress was affecting the mice’s hippocampi, a part of the brain key to memory and spatial navigation. They found cells from mice’s immune system, called macrophages, in the hippocampus, and the macrophages were preventing the growth of more brain cells. The stress, it seemed, was causing the mice’s immune systems to attack their own brains, causing inflammation. The researchers dosed the mice a drug known to reduce inflammation to see how they would respond. Though their social avoidance and brain cell deficit persisted, the mice had fewer macrophages in their brains and their memories returned to normal, indicating to the researchers that inflammation was behind the neurological effects of chronic stress. This study points out the connection between chronic stress and memory loss, or between inflammation and depression. It provides a new, promising link between all four. That could help doctors prescribe more immune-focused treatments for conditions like anxiety and depression, some of which are being tested now, as the New Scientist reports. read more here;http://www.popsci.com/chronic-stress-causes-inflammation-in-brain.

Moments of intense joy can damage your heart.

Even in heartbreak, pain, misery and ennui, brief episodes of happiness can buoy us, inspire us and give our lives meaning. They can also, according to a new study, cause the left ventricle of the heart to suddenly weaken. Unfortunately for fans of joy, a report from the University of Zurich has found that moments of intense happiness can cause breathlessness and chest pains. This is because they can induce takotsubo cardiomyopathy, a heart condition that causes the left ventricle to temporarily weaken. It's normally caused by stress, anger, grief or fear -- around 75 percent of reported cases come from strong negative feelings. According to the study, around one in twenty cases are caused by joy. Problematic incidents included birthday parties, weddings, a reunion between two long-estranged friends, winning a jackpot and an all-clear from a CT scan and 95 percent of the patients were post menopausal women. Findings from the study were published in the European Heart Journal. "We've shown that the triggers for takotsubo syndrome can be more varied than previously thought," said Dr Jelena Ghadri, who worked on the report. "A takotsubo syndrome patient is no longer the classic 'broken-hearted' patient, and the disease can be preceded by positive emotions too." "Clinicians should be aware of this and also consider that patients who arrive in the emergency department with signs of heart attacks, such as chest pain and breathlessness, but after a happy event or emotion, could be suffering from takotsubo syndrome just as much as a similar patient presenting after a negative emotional event," Ghadri added. Luckily for victims of the syndrome, it's only temporary -- after treatment is given, the heart returns to normal after a few weeks. culled from wired.co.uk