GENOMICS, FOOD AND DISEASE PREVENTION.

Eighty per cent of the global disease burden is preventable, Maloof, a health optimisation practitioner, told the audience at WIRED Health, and a large part of that is down to bad diet. Dr Molly Maloof keeps the entrepreneurs of Silicon Valley in peak physical condition, but you won't find many pills on her prescriptions. An appointment with Maloof is usually rounded up with a new Instagram to check out and five app recommendations ,that's because she believes that food is the best medicine. The diabetes epidemic is so bad that the UK public health journal The Lancet branded it a "public health humiliation." Type two diabetes is perhaps the most prevalent preventable disease – in 2013, 5.1 million people died from diabetes and there are as many as 382 million people currently living with the disease, costing the global economy billions of pounds. Maloof believes the answer is simple, there is a need to treat the root cause of our disease with better food. Although our bodies tell us that doing the wrong thing feels right and doing the right thing feels wrong,since the body is used to sugar/sweets overload. Maloof, said using drugs to control body weight only exacerbates the problem. Statins are commonly prescribed to limit blood cholesterol and lower the risk the risk of heart attacks and strokes, but are also associated with an 12 per cent increased risk of diabetes. "Are people trading a heart attack for diabetes?" said Maloof. A visit to Maloof,she usually prescribes a strict regimen of boxed meal kits (such as Hello Fresh), fresh produce and inspirational food Instagrams. In most people, it's simple changes over time that have the biggest result. Maloof's recommendations are openly available on the internet,but her secret weapon is Nutrigenomics. Maloof uses data from genome sequencing companies like 23andMe to produce a diet plan that she claims is unique to your genetic makeup. She also runs micronutrient tests that identify the nutrients her patients are low on and then provides a bespoke diet plan to supplement those deficiencies. Add in quarterly data from blood, saliva and stool samples, and Maloof said she can create a diet plan that responds to minute changes within your body. "The real blockbuster drug of this century is the activated patient," said Maloof. "They have to want better health." The patients have to take control over their own diets to really reap the benefits and there are no quick wins. culled from wired.co.uk

ATOPIC DERMATITIS(AD)

A new study from researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Penn's School of Veterinary Medicine, have uncovered important insights about the association of AD in dogs compared to humans. How AD arises isn't yet fully understood, but this study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology and sheds more light on atopic dermatitis. Atopic dermatitis (AD), a chronic inflammatory skin condition and the most common form of eczema, is estimated to afflict as much as 10 percent of the U.S. population, and is much more common now than it was 50 years ago. Veterinary clinical estimates also show that approximately 10 percent of dogs have atopic dermatitis. Canine AD shares important features of the human version. For example, in both humans and dogs AD has been linked to abnormal blooms of Staphyloccocus bacteria on the skin -- mostly Staphyloccocus aureus in humans, and Staphyloccocus pseudintermedius in dogs. The research team, comprised of veterinary dermatologists, microbiologists, pathologists, and primary scientists, tracked the bacterial populations, or "microbiomes," on dogs' skin, and key properties of the skin's barrier function during an occurrence of AD, and again after standard treatment with antibiotics. During the flare, researchers observed a sharp decrease in the diversity of the skin bacterial population as certain bacterial species proliferated, along with a decrease in the skin's protective barrier. With antibiotic therapy, both measures returned to normal levels. In both canine and human atopic dermatitis there is a similar relationship among skin barrier function, the immune system, and microbes, even if the individual microbe species aren't identical. The insights gained from this study and others like it will allow one day to treat this condition by altering the skin's microbiome without antibiotics. Thirty-two dogs (15 with canine AD, and 17 without) from Penn Vet's Ryan Hospital were enrolled in the study. On three occasions -- first during AD flares in the affected dogs, then after 4-6 weeks of targeted antibiotics, and finally 4-6 weeks after treatment concluded -- the team took swabs from several areas of skin on the affected dogs. They surveyed the microbiomes of these samples by amplifying and sequencing copies of a key bacterial gene whose DNA sequence is distinct for different bacterial species. Samples from the dogs with ongoing AD had almost ten times the proportion of Staphylococcus species, compared to the control dogs. Corynebacterium species also rose, as they typically do in humans with AD. A standard measure of the diversity of the dogs' skin microbiomes also decreased sharply, indicating that the abnormal bacterial proliferation -- chiefly from S. pseudintermedius -- had crowded out other, harmless or potentially beneficial bacterial species. At the second visit, immediately following completion of antibiotic therapy, the abundance of Staphyloccocus and Corynebacterium on the skin of affected dogs and the diversity of their skin microbiome had returned almost to the levels seen in the control dogs. Those measures remained largely the same in the third visit, after antibiotic therapy was finished. Impairment in the skin's ability to work as a "barrier" to keep moisture in and harmful bacteria out is considered a possible factor in triggering or advancing AD. Results showed that the low-bacterial-diversity state of AD flares -- corresponding to lesions of AD on the skin -- correlated with impairments in the skin barrier, as indicated by a standard test of the water loss rate through the skin This investigation is a prime example of the One Health approach to research, a recognition that we're dealing with the same disease processes in animals and in humans. Materials from University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

NON-HUMAN PRIMATES MAY BE INVOLVED IN ZIKA TRANSMISSION...

Zika-Infected Monkeys have been identified in Brazil. The viral strain scientists isolated from two nonhuman primates is identical to the one circulating among humans. A new study published in the scientist reveals that a small sampling of capuchins and marmosets from various sites around the state of Ceará, Brazil, have tested positive for Zika virus (ZIKV), researchers reported in a preprint posted to BioRxiv April 20. Further analysis of the virus from two animals revealed that it is identical to a strain circulating among humans in South America. “This is the first report on ZIKV detection among Neotropical primates, which stands as a caveat for the possibility that they could act as reservoirs,” the authors, led by Silvana Favoretto of the Pasteur Institute in São Paulo, wrote in their report. The team took blood samples or oral swabs from 15 free-ranging marmosets and nine capuchins, eight of which were pets. Four marmosets and three capuchins tested positive for the virus. The regions of the state from which infected animals hailed overlapped with regions where there have been either suspected or confirmed cases of Zika-linked microcephaly or other birth defects in humans. “The Zika virus outbreak in Brazil has been thought to have been mainly transmitted between humans by mosquitoes,” Vincent Racaniello of Columbia University in New York wrote on his Virology Blog. “However, the results of this new study suggests that nonhuman primates could also be involved.” culled from http://www.the-scientist.com/

Baby Born To Mother With Fatal Rabies Survives Without Infection.

This April in the Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases, Chinese doctors reported an extremely rare case of rabies — one that ended with a remarkable, if bitter-sweet, story of survival. In May 2013, a 25-year-old woman living in a rural region of the Henan Province was bitten by a dog she didn’t know was rabid while she was four months pregnant. Although the bite was quickly treated by her local village clinic, the woman never received the vaccine needed to prevent rabies and eventually developed symptoms right as she entered labor. Two days after she successfully delivered her child via cesarean section, she died from the viral disease. Somehow though, her newborn son made it through without having caught the infection, as did her husband. The doctors couldn’t be certain how the baby escaped transmission, but they theorized that the mother’s placenta may have played a protective role. Though there was ample opportunity for the virus to spread to the child during her final moments of labor, it’s possible it hadn’t spread widely enough throughout the mother’s bloodstream for that to happen. The son and husband were also given a preventative rabies shot following her death, another possible factor. In China, it’s thought that dogs attack hundreds of pregnant women annually. And while most receive a rabies shot afterwards, the vaccine is oftentimes too expensive a precaution for those living in less developed areas. Indeed, it’s the poorest people who make up the majority of deaths caused by rabies; a toll that reaches in the tens of thousands globally every year. According to the authors, there have only been six other documented cases of a pregnant woman with full blown rabies delivering a baby, with five out of six newborns surviving. As with the current case, the mothers themselves weren’t so lucky. However rare they are, preventing these needless tragedies will require the same sort of dedicated public health measures seen elsewhere, like widespread dog vaccinations and monitoring centers in areas where rabies is known to exist, the authors wrote. Previous successful experiences suggest that it is possible to fight the disease by means of virus control and prevention. Source: Qu Z-Y, Li G-W, Chen Q-C, et al. Survival of a newborn from a pregnant woman with rabies infection. BMC Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases. 2016.

AGRIBUSINESS: The role of water hyacinth in industrialization and the sustainable development goals.

AGRIBUSINESS: The role of water hyacinth in industrialization and the sustainable development goals. . The water hyacinth an invasive water plant has great potential for industrialization. The plant is not found on all water bodies in the world,but the nations that have this gift can actually power industrialization in other nations. Water hyacinth has so many uses and benefits,but i want to round up the values here stating how the benefits can go round and achieve sustainable development goals; The water hyacinth can produce clean cheap energy by means of bio gas,this can in-turn be a power source for generating cheap energy that can run industries making the cost of production less and produce easy access to cheaper goods. When power generation is cheap, manufacturing is cheaper,more goods are produced and more people are employed. The energy generated is termed clean energy because the degrees of pollution from emissions is minimal .The energy can be used to power animal houses,thus producing cheap heating source especially in piggery and poultry farms. The production of cheap energy will give rise to various industries and economic growth of participating countries.One of the goal is partnership to achieve the desired outcome of development, this can come in form of training,supply of equipment to harvest and process the hyacinth. The bio-digesters could be provided as technical support,mainly from the developed countries to the developing nation. AGRIBUSINESS: The role of water hyacinth in industrialization and the sustainable development goals. The processing of the water hyacinth can be broadened as most of the products can be exchanged for foreign currency.The climate is better for it as all the products are eco-friendly. The water plant though invasive,an aggressive approach in terms of processing and uses can make the plant an asset.

The water hyacinth and the girl-child education..

The role of women in agriculture and nation building cannot be overemphasized.Majority of food production,from planting to processing, and sales are handled by the women.The women mostly take their girl -child to the farm at a very tender age because of the belief that the boys should be educated instead. In developing countries where they know the value of education but are financially constrained,still opt to fund the education of the boys.The number of boys in school out-way the number of girls,not only because of lack of funds, but also because of certain cultures that restricts girls during their monthly cycle. Girls miss school because of pain, ill heath and their monthly cycle. Girls in poor nation miss school basically because they lack the resources to buy sanitary towels,and they rather stay at home than be seen dripping blood.The use of rags,old clothes and papers are not only unhygienic but also dangerous.These are usually sources of infection because use and disposal expose them to health risk. The lack of running water or other sources of water makes the period so difficult,they will rather sit still in a carved up hole. Water hyacinth is a source of relief for the girls,as it not only provides means of livelihood for the parents,but keep them in school by production of durable super absorbent sanitary towels. Sanitary pads can be made from water hyacinth,these are made from a prototype and the production outfit is set up as a cottage industry.This employs the women in the community and also keeps the girls in school. Paper made from the water hyacinth can be used for exercise books that are easily accessible to the children. The Water Hyacinth Sanitary Pad is biodegradable sanitary pads out , the production of a locally made pad provides girls and women a low cost, biodegradable product that sustains income-generating jobs and provides girls with access to necessary personal hygiene products, with the goal of breaking the stigma around menstruation and keep girls in school. The jani pad is the product name of the pad made from water hyacinth,they are working with village volunteers to help women and girls.

WATER HYACINTH AND THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS.

These 17 goals proposed by the UN is to transform the world and everybody has a role to play to ensure the success . The goals cut across board and borders and it spans health,education, environment, industrialization,partnership and peaceful coexistence. The goals really drives home the point that the world is a global village,and together we can accelerate growth,peace and development in various nations and industries. 

 The water hyacinth and the sustainable development goals, the plant is an invasive aquatic plant causing havoc in certain nations,by clogging up the waterways thus killing aquatic life and preventing easy movement on the seas. This plants can actually solve all these goals; Poverty can be eradicated by creating a source of income for those around the creeks and seas that the invasive plants occupy. The hyacinth can be harvested,processed and sold for money.when the rate of harvesting is doubled,there will be more space for aquatic life to flourish.The constant agitation of the water body by harvesters will oxygenate the water,making more oxygen available for fishes and other aquatic life.This harvesting will also save water life another goal. A community cottage industry built around the water hyacinth will not only end poverty because of the sale of various products that are derived from the water hyacinth.These products such as shown below will end poverty. The end to hunger can be achieved by incorporating the plant into animal feed,it has been shown to be suitable for pigs,and in aquaculture. The inclusion in animal feed normally promotes rapid growth and hence more food is produced. The hyacinth are also processed as food in man,there has been studies and trial sessions where the hyacinth has been used for bread and bean cake. The hyacinth are processed dry/fresh depending on the end product. The hyacinth is a goldmine and if properly harnessed more value will be derived. 

The hyacinth can be used to produce paper,this alone prevents deforestation which is one of the element of several climatic changes experienced and also spread of diseases,as man is moving further into forests making us more vulnerable to diseases. 

 The water hyacinth as a game changer in economics can be read here; http://veterinarymedicineechbeebolanle-ojuri.blogspot.com.ng/2016/04/water-hyacinth-our-green-gold.html