PIG HEART TRANSPLANT FOR BABOON .

Scientists have kept a pig heart alive in a baboon for more than two years, the work described in the journal Nature Communications.The result could boost hopes for the successful transplantation of animal organs into people, amid a shortage of human donors. Cross-species transplants provoke a powerful immune reaction, leading to rejection of the organ by the host. The a US-German team used a combination of gene modification and immune-suppressing drugs to achieve success. This is very significant because it makes the method one step closer to using these organs in humans . Muhammad Mohiuddin, from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in Maryland, told the AFP news agency. "Xeno transplants - organ transplants between different species - could potentially save thousands of lives each year that are lost due to a shortage of human organs for transplantation." Dr Mohiuddin and colleagues used a previously established line of donor pigs with three genetic modifications that allowed for a degree of immune tolerance in recipient baboons. A combination of antibodies and drugs were then used to help prevent rejection of pig hearts transplanted into five baboons. The hearts did not replace those of the monkeys, but were connected to the circulatory system via two large blood vessels in the baboon abdomen. The transplanted heart beat like a normal heart, but the baboon's own heart continued the function of pumping blood - a known method in studying organ rejection. The median (or "middle") survival time was 298 days, while the maximum survival was 945 days - just over two-and-a-half years. This exceeded previous records by the same group of researchers of 180 and 500 days, respectively. Given their genetic proximity to humans, primates were initially thought to be the best donor candidates. But there is no large source of captive-bred apes - which take long to grow and mature, and some, like chimpanzees, are endangered. Their genetic closeness also poses a higher danger of inter-species disease transmission, as well as ethical questions. Pigs have since emerged as better donors as their hearts are anatomically similar to ours. They pose a lower risk in terms of disease transmission and they mature fast. The team opines that this regimen appears potentially safe for human application for patients suffering from end-stage organ failure who might be candidates for initial trials of xeno transplantation. source; wired.co.uk

Cattle Feeding Probiotics offer alternative to in-feed antibiotics.

Focusing on gut health may help cattle producers find replacements for in-feed antibiotics now that the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) is in place. By 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will require medically important antibiotics — those approved for use in both humans and animals — to be used in animals only under the order of a veterinarian. When producers incorporate specific medications into feed, the rate and timing must be based on a VFD issued by a licensed veterinarian. Producers will also be required to retain VFD records for two years. An easy, cost-effective additive — that is not regulated under a VFD — is a probiotic or direct-fed microbial (DFM). These natural products help tip the balance in favor of beneficial microbes in the gut. Supporting the dynamic and robust bacterial communities in the lower intestinal tract can naturally promote a positive systemic immune response within the animal. In turn, this positive response can act as a natural preventive to help reduce the need for treatment or even the use of on-arrival antibiotics. One probiotic, Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii CNCM I-1079, has been proven to naturally activate cattle’s immune response and decrease the need for treatment. In fact, S. c. boulardii CNCM I-1079 has been shown to improve cattle feed uptake, lower morbidity and lower mortality. In a study of cattle sourced from auction barns across the southeastern United States, cattle fed S. c. boulardii CNCM I-1079, had 39 percent fewer re-treatments for Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex (BRDC) as compared to controls.2 “Probiotics offer an alternative way to fight the battle against BRDC,” Dr. Barling says. “In many respects, the lower gut powers the day-to-day immunity and health of any animal.” Active dry yeast probiotics like S. c. boulardii CNCM I-1079 can be fed to cattle before or during a period of known stress. Then, it is typically fed after arrival while cattle are adjusting to their new surroundings. In addition, S. c. boulardii CNCM I-1079 can be fed in conjunction with vaccination and either feed grade or injectable antibiotic treatment programs. Instead of thinking about treating disease,think about improving an animal’s well-being so they’re better prepared to fight off health challenges. The losses are reduced on all fronts: losses from treatment expenses, costs from the additional labor required to pull and treat cattle, production declines and losses from mortality. source; drovers

Trace Mineral Nutrition in the Cow.

Mineral nutrition is vital to overall cow performance. Without an appropriate balance of minerals, cows may not perform as expected or could exhibit detrimental effects. Minerals are divided into two groups based on the quantity of the mineral required by the cow: macro minerals and trace minerals (micro minerals). The macro minerals are required as a percent of the diet, while the trace minerals are required in ppm (parts per million). There are six trace minerals of significant importance in a cow’s diet. These are cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), iodine (I), manganese (Mn), selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn). They each play important roles in the body and can have negative impacts if they are deficient or in excess. 1) Cobalt The requirement for Co is 0.10 ppm and is typically adequate in summer range and many silages, but can be deficient in low-quality forage (e.g., winter range, crop residue). Cobalt deficiency is characterized by depressed appetite, listlessness, decreased growth, reduced milk production and a rough hair coat. Cobalt is necessary for the rumen microbes to produce vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is used by the rumen microbes in metabolic processes to produce propionate, which is a volatile fatty acid that provides energy to the cow. The cow does not readily absorb Co, but the rumen microbes use it for vitamin B12 synthesis. 2) Copper and molydenum Copper plays many important roles in the cattle’s systems, including red-blood cell health, collagen development, reproduction, and immunity. Not only does Cu play important roles by itself, but the combination of Cu, S, and Mo creates several important enzymes involved in nucleotide and vitamin metabolism. The challenge is ensuring that the Cu:Mo ratio is correct and will not cause a negative interaction. This ratio needs to be between 2:1 and 4:1. The cow’s requirement for Mo is very small and frequently met by forages in grazing cattle. Depending on soil type, Cu availability may be reduced, specifically in alkaline soils. Multiple minerals besides Mo and S can also interact and decrease Cu availability. These include zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), selenium (Se) or phosphorus (P). The forage Cu level may be adequate, however secondary deficiencies can occur as a result of increased levels of the minerals listed above, which can tie up Cu and make it unavailable to the cow. Cattle with a Cu deficiency are characterized as having a lighter colored hair or faded hair coat, reduced conception rates, severe diarrhea, brittle bones and reduced immune response. 3) Iodine The requirement for I is very low (0.5 ppm), however deficiencies are more prevalent than toxicities . Iodine plays a key role in maintaining metabolic rate by producing the hormone thyroxin from the thyroid gland. If I levels are low, thyroxin production is reduced and results in lower metabolic rates, that has a snowball effect on decreasing milk production, weaning weights and overall herd health. Cows that are deficient in I while they are pregnant can have calves that are born blind, weak, hairless or stillborn. Another symptom of deficiency is goiter, an enlargement of the thyroid gland. 4)Manganese Manganese plays an important role in growth and reproduction. The requirement for Mn in growing and finishing cattle is 20 ppm, while the requirement in pregnant and lactating cows is 40 ppm. Cattle have a high tolerance level for Mn, up to 1,000 ppm. However Mn interacts with other minerals so deficiency effects could be noticed at lower Mn levels. If Mn requirements are not met, the primary indicator will be reduced conception rates. Other indicators are poor growth rates, low birth weights and increased abortions 5)Zinc Zinc plays a role in immune response, enzyme systems and hoof health. The requirement is 30 ppm and forages, grains and proteins are all sources of Zn. Forages average 20 ppm Zn, grains are approximately 35 ppm Zn, and protein sources average between 60 to 70 ppm Zn. Therefore, if cattle are fed forage based diets, additional Zn supplementation may be necessary. Signs of Zn deficiency are reduced feed intake and weight gain, excessive salivation, rough hair coat and eventually swelling of the feet and legs. When it comes to supplementing trace minerals, providing a trace mineralized salt that contains Co, I, Cu, Mn and Zn is a good insurance policy for decreasing the occurrence of deficiencies. In certain situations, a trace mineralized salt will be adequate to alleviate mild deficiencies; however there are other situations when an additional mineral supplement will be necessary to overcome interactions or more extreme deficiencies. Mineral nutrition and balance is key to animal performance and productivity. Take some time to evaluate your mineral program and determine if your mineral supplement is meeting the cattle’s needs. It is often stated that mineral supplements are formulated for the region, but there can be huge variations in mineral content of forages from one side of your ranch to the other. It might be time to sample your forages and water to get a better understanding of what is available to your cows and what they need in the form of a custom-formulated supplement. The final article in this series will address reading the mineral tag and understanding bioavailability of the ingredients in mineral supplements. source; drovers..

PROPOSED PET FOOD REGULATION.

The call by the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) for a change to the regulatory oversight of animal feed ingredients, without clear resolution on which ingredients will need additional information and on the feed ingredient approval process as a whole, has led to confusion and uncertainty within the pet food and animal feed industries, stifling innovation and growth for new feed products. Within the last seven years, it has become apparent that the relationship between CVM and the states’ Association of Federal Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has been evolving and changing, especially in regard to the evaluation and approval of new feed ingredients. Historically, there have been three routes to animal feed ingredient approval: submit a food additive petition (FAP) to CVM, determine that the ingredient is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) or submit a petition under the AAFCO ingredient definition process (the ingredient is then published and recognized in the AAFCO Official Publication, or OP). This information is vital for pets and pet lovers,get more details @ pet food news.

SODIUM NITRITE,HOT DOGS , WILD PIGS. AND YOUR HEALTH.

The chemical, known as sodium nitrite, is a cancer-causing "color fixer" and meat preservative added to processed meat products to give them a pink hue that consumers mistake for being "fresh." When sodium nitrite combines with the hydrochloric acid (HCl) found in stomach acid, it forms cancer-causing nitrosamines. These nitrosamines go on to directly promote pancreatic cancer, colo-rectal cancer, leukemia, brain tumors and other cancers throughout the body Sodium nitrite is the reason why processed meats drastically raise the risks of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Eating sodium nitrite, in other words, is a lot like eating a slow death in the form of cancer while in feral pigs, the same chemical kills quite rapidly. A paper posted online by the USDA states, " The toxin, sodium nitrite, a common meat preservative that prevents botulism, had previously been shown to be a quick-acting and low-residue toxicant for feral pigs in Australia and has since been patented." A preservative chemical that's routinely added to hot dogs, beef jerky, bacon and breakfast sausage is now being deployed by government researchers as a fatal bait to poison wild hogs to death. Development of the deadly hog poison is being pursued by none other than the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the same agency that legalizes the same toxic chemical to be used in processed meat products approved for human consumption. Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/053556_wild_hog_bait_sodium_nitrite_processed_meat_additive.html#ixzz44yafHF8Z

NEW STEM CELL REPAIR SYSTEM.

Stem cell therapies capable of regenerating any human tissue damaged by injury, disease or ageing developed following landmark research led by UNSW Australia researchers.The UNSW-led research has been published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal. The repair system, similar to the method used by salamanders to regenerate limbs, could be used to repair everything from spinal discs to bone fractures, and has the potential to transform current treatment approaches to regenerative medicine. The Study lead author, haematologist and UNSW Associate Professor John Pimanda, said the new technique, which reprograms bone and fat cells into induced multi-potent stem cells (iMS), has been successfully demonstrated in mice. The team are currently assessing whether adult human fat cells reprogrammed into iMS cells can safely repair damaged tissue in mice, with human trials expected to begin in late 2017. There are different types of stem cells including embryonic stem (ES) cells, which during embryonic development generate every type of cell in the human body, and adult stem cells, which are tissue-specific. There are no adult stem cells that regenerate multiple tissue types. "This technique is ground-breaking because iMS cells regenerate multiple tissue types," Associate Professor Pimanda said. "We have taken bone and fat cells, switched off their memory and converted them into stem cells so they can repair different cell types once they are put back inside the body." The technique developed by UNSW researchers involves extracting adult human fat cells and treating them with the compound 5-Azacytidine (AZA), along with platelet-derived growth factor-AB (PDGF-AB) for approximately two days. The cells are then treated with the growth factor alone for a further two-three weeks. AZA is known to induce cell plasticity, which is crucial for reprogramming cells. The AZA compound relaxes the hard-wiring of the cell, which is expanded by the growth factor, transforming the bone and fat cells into iMS cells. When the stem cells are inserted into the damaged tissue site, they multiply, promoting growth and healing. The new technique is similar to salamander limb regeneration, which is also dependent on the plasticity of differentiated cells, which can repair multiple tissue types, depending on which body part needs replacing. The therapy has enormous potential for treating back and neck pain, spinal disc injury, joint and muscle degeneration and could also speed up recovery following complex surgeries where bones and joints need to integrate with the body. Research shows that up to 20% of spinal implants either don't heal or there is delayed healing. The rates are higher for smokers, older people and patients with diseases such diabetes or kidney disease.Spinal implants currently used to replace damaged or troubled discs don't always weld with the adjacent bones, so by transplanting these reprogrammed stem cells,it will fuse these implants better to the host bone.

GOLD FISH GETS HARNESS TO SWIM.

This disabled goldfish had trouble maintaining buoyancy, so her owner constructed a harness to help her float, swim, and above all, not lie at the bottom of the fish tank all day. source; dailyflicksandpicks