Alzheimer's could be treated with lab grown neural networks.

A team from Rutgers University, in a study published in Nature Communications, states that neuro-degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's could be treated with the help of a new, lab-grown, neural network. This is done by injecting neural networks into damaged mice brains a process that could help with treatment of such diseases.The process, which researchers refer to as "3D micro-scaffolding", has several stages. Neurons are grown in a lab by exposing stem cells to proteins, meaning they develop into neurons. These neurons grow inside the 'scaffold' of polymer fibres and are subsequently injected, as a network, into the brain. Several neurons, and neural networks, were injected into diseased mice brains. The researchers found that networks, rather than individual neurons, were far better at surviving in the brain - 40 percent more likely to survive, in some cases.This is a promising new platform that could make the transplantation of neurons a viable treatment for a broad range of human neuro-degenerative disorders . Though the team is as yet unsure how the neural networks will prevent the progression of the disease, they are hopeful that it will help treat the damage caused by degenerative diseases. culled from wired.co.uk

BIOTEMPUS AND CANCER TREATMENT IN DOGS.

Melbourne based biotechnology company Biotempus has made a remarkable discovery: cancer patients’ [both canine and human] immune systems run on a cycle and thus delivering treatment at the wrong times could be reducing the efficacy. Dr Noam Pik, the general manager at ASAP Laboratory, explained they hypothesised that a seven-day cycle was the key to the efficacy of treatment by building on previous medical research. “This discovery was made by Martin Ashdown while investigating AIDS with mice after noticing some responded better to the same treatment at different times post inoculation,” said Dr Pik. “This lead to the hypothesis that the immune system operates differently in the time domain. That is, at certain times it is more effective at eliminating disease.” Read more here; vetpracticemag.com.au/on-the-cusp-of-a-breakthrough/

CANINE CANCER TRIALS AND CANCER TREATMENT IN MAN.

MELBOURNE scientists say a new canine cancer trial has produced exciting results that could lead to a breakthrough in human treatment.Dr Noam Pik, head of the veterinary division at West Melbourne biotechnology research group Biotempus, is leading the free clinical trial and said early results were mind-blowing The 12-month trial, which is being conducted at 20 veterinary clinics around Australia, was launched in December and according to Dr Pik, several dogs had already shown signs of remission. Dr Pik said dogs were given a single dose of chemotherapy — a tablet — that did not target the tumour, but attacked (T-Regulatory) cells within the patient’s own immune system.If this trial proves effective, they plan to offer this service to canine patients within 24 months and then continue to humans. These cells suppressed the natural cancer-fighting mechanism of other (T-Effector) cells in the immune system ,if the T-Regulatory cells can be selectively killed, the T-Effector cells can get on with the job of eliminating cancer undisturbed. This method has been researched before but Dr Pik’s team has discovered a way to predict when the suppressor cells are most vulnerable — the optimum time to administer the chemo and kill the cells. The team discovered the immune system moves in cycles and can be mapped. Dogs are required to give blood samples every second day for up to three weeks, so experts can track their immune cycle and identify the best time to administer the drug. The last decade of research has shown considerable progress in the field of immunotherapy — using the patients’ own immune system to fight the cancer. The contribution of the tumor micro-environment is immense and has been previously largely underestimated. Thus, we believe it is important to aim treatment at both the tumor itself and the tumor environment with the aim of achieving more effective and durable cancer treatments. The chemo tablets cost less than $5, the treatment could potentially slash the cost of canine cancer treatment. The low-dose tablet is strong enough to correct the immune imbalance without the harsh side effects usually associated with chemo, such as nausea.

DNA KIT FOR DOGS TO ANALYSE DISEASE RISK AND TRACE GENETIC TREE.

A startup is kicking off and its using dog's saliva in its tool to give dog owners the disease of their breeds and trace the pedigree.The startup called EMBARK is a DNA KIT that will give information to owners about disease risk and also trace ancestry. The company founders rolling out the product says the real objective is that the research will help to conduct various tests with the DNA samples and use the potential of dog genetics to deliver advancements in human health. Dogs and humans share many of the same kinds of conditions, hence by studying the genetics of diseases in dogs, scientists may be able to figure out how these originate in humans. The kit by engaging mass numbers of dog owners, will provide data that will unlock the potential of the dog as a model system and that is the real idea behind Embark. The founders have figured out that it’s a lot easier to fund research if study participants — or their owners — pay for the privilege of taking part in a study. Cornell University School of Veterinary Medicine has already agreed to be an Embark research partner, and the company intends to conduct its own studies, under the guidance of Adam Boyko, Embark's chief science officer, a dog geneticist at Cornell University, and Ryan’s brother. This kit will provide a framework for breeders and dog owners and will also be an important planning tool in terms of insurance.Client education about various diseases ,management and life expectancy of certain conditions will really help to address issues of breeding and animal welfare. The snag about this test will be the limiting of certain breeds and excessive breeding of other breeds which will over time phase out some breeds. # data bank #gene pool # gene bank # breeders # genetics.

Green entrepreneurs tackle Indonesia's growing trash mountains .

ng-trash-mountains/#iRKkEwXYmmRuW319.15">Green entrepreneurs tackle Indonesia's growing trash mountains | NewsDaily Some residents of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, frustrated by the mounting trash problem across the sprawling metropolis, have started taking matters into their own hands. Hamidi, a young “green entrepreneur” became so concerned by the overflowing Jakarta city dump that he began turning discarded plastic into fuel. “At the very beginning I just wanted to start a business,” said Hamidi, who started his waste-to-energy initiative a year ago in Tangerang, a satellite city about 25 km (15 miles) west of Jakarta. Read more at http://newsdaily.com/2016/03/green-entrepreneurs-tackle-indonesias-growing-trash-mountains/#5ZWsDpmC5ixi3cDx.99

Meat turns up the heat as livestock emit greenhouse gases.

Studies by Carnegie institution shows that eating meat contributes to climate change, due to greenhouse gasses emitted by livestock. The research shows that livestock emissions are on the rise and that beef cattle are responsible for far more greenhouse gas emissions than other types of animals. The tasty hamburger has been fingered as a major culprit and It might be better for the environment if meat consumption is cut down. The effect of eating pork or chicken instead of beef has a much positive impact on environment . Carbon dioxide is the most-prevalent gas when it comes to climate change. It is released by vehicles, industry, and forest removal and also comprises the greatest portion of greenhouse gas . The methane and nitrous oxide are also greenhouse gasses and account for approximately 28 percent of global warming activity. Methane and nitrous oxide are released, in part, by livestock. Animals release methane as a result of microorganisms that are involved in their digestive processes and nitrous oxide from decomposing manure. These two gasses are responsible for a quarter of these non-carbon dioxide gas emissions and 9 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions overall. The researchers found a difference between livestock-related emissions in the developing world, which accounts for most of this increase, and that released by developed countries. This is expected to increase further going forward, as demand for meat, dairy products, and eggs is predicted by some scientists to double by 2050. By contrast, developed countries reached maximum livestock emissions in the 1970s and have been in decline since that time. Feeding manipulation and different management methods have demonstrated changes in levels of gas released.Cows fed on hay and pasture burp more due to ruminal activity on the feed thus releasing more methane than other cows on grains and corn where there is less emission.

DUNG BEETLES AND GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS.

Cattle contributes to global warming by burping and farting large amounts of greenhouse gases and Some of the same gases are also emitted from cow pats on pastures. Researchers have found that beetles living in cow pats may reduce emissions of the greenhouse gas, methane. By digging around in their food, dung beetles like Aphodius pedellus may aerate cow pats and thereby modify methane emissions which will prevent climatic changes according to a study published in the journal PLoS ONE. Agriculture is one of the biggest sources of the greenhouse gases responsible for global warming and among these, cattle farming for meat and milk are major sources of methane, a gas with a potent warming effect. A large percentage of this methane comes from the guts of ruminating cattle, but some escapes from dung pats on pastures. Cow pats offer a prime food for a large number of organisms there are probably as many beetle species living in dung . The dung beetles live and spend most of their entire lives within the dung pats. The beetles exert much of their impact by simply digging around in the dung, and the tunneling by beetles seems to aerate the pats. This will have a major impact on how carbon escapes from cow pats into the atmosphere. This aeration prevents the production of methane,thus preventing the warming effect of the gas.