Scientists Produce Bacterial Bio Fuel From E.coli

South Korean scientists say they have managed to produce gasoline from genetically modified Escherichia coli, a bacteria that inhabits the lower intestines of warm-blooded animals. The research could one day lead to a new and sustainable source of clean fuel.watch video In another study, Researchers at Berkeley National Laboratory have made it easier than ever to turn plant matter into usable fuel. Watch this

Bananas another important source of bio energy.

Banana is one of the most important fruit crops in the world.Banana production is a tropical, herbaceous and perennial crop and belongs to the Musaceae family, which produces one huge flower cluster and then dies. The plant is cut to bring the crop down, thus the stem and leaves turn into lignocellulosic biomass. Once a bunch arrives at the packaging plant, the bunch rachis becomes residual biomass too. The ratio of banana waste and product is 2:1. The lignocellulosic biomass is either left on the ground or taken to open dumps. In the first case, the process leads to maintain the soil moisture and provide organic matter, but it is a potential risk of transmission of disease and, in both cases, the lignocellulosic biomass produce greenhouse gases as they decompose. Researchers from the Agro-Energy Group at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) have used geographic information systems to assess the potential use of the residual biomass of bananas produced in the province of El Oro (Ecuador) for bioenergy applications. Results show that the use of this waste could satisfy the 55% of the electrical demand of the region and the 10% of bioethanol demand nationwide. In addition to lignocellulosic biomass there is another residue, that

Genetically improving sorghum for production of environmentally friendly biofuel.

The bioenergy crop sorghum holds great promise as a raw material for making environmentally friendly fuels and chemicals that offer alternatives to petroleum-based products. Sorghum can potentially yield more energy per area of land than other crops while requiring much less input in terms of fertilizer or chemicals. New research examines how genetic improvement of specific sorghum traits, with an eye toward sustainability, could help maximize the usefulness of sorghum as a bioenergy crop.The researchers They highlight disease resistance, flooding tolerance and cell wall composition as key targets for genetically improving sorghum for sustainable production of renewable fuels and chemicals. Genetically improved sorghum will not only help with food security but also

Looking for a new pet?

Scientists name top five animals that are suitable to be kept as new pets. Responding to the growing trend in keeping exotic animals as pets a team of researchers has developed a methodology to assess the suitability of mammals to be kept domestically. The top five animals were: the Sika Deer, Agile Wallaby, Tamar Wallaby, Llama, and Asian Palm Civet. The team began by conducting a web-based survey to discover which animals were most frequently kept as pets in the Netherlands. Other mammals were then added to the list based on data from veterinarians and rescue centers. Read more here

Cloning dogs to live forever.

A lab in south Korea is helping pet owners extend the relationship between them and their pets by cloning their pets so they could live forever. People deal with the loss of their pets in very different ways. Some carry on as normal, some may cuddle their pet’s favorite chew toy while sobbing and others immediately rush out and buy a replacement. This extra bond between pet lovers/owners and pets has evolved into seeking perpetuation of there pets ,this is done by cloning their dogs. The clinic called Sooam uses the same method that brought Dolly the sheep (1996 nuclear transfer to clone the dogs. The cells are taken from the pet to be cloned and the nucleus, that contains the organism’s genetic information, is removed and saved. Then an egg cell from a donor pet is obtained and the nucleus is replaced with that of the pet to be cloned. The egg cell is then given a small electric shock to stimulate division, and after a few days the developing embryo is placed back inside a surrogate bitch. The surrogate doesn’t have to be of the same breed, but ideally they would be of similar size. The pets are not like the original dogs, but more of an identical twin. Some dogs may also appear slightly different; the clones may also not have the same temperament as the original dog. The potential of extending a genetic line is huge ,the economic implication may not make it viable for all pet owners. The business of cloning is very lucrative as the cost ranges from $100,000-300,000 per client,not every dog lover can afford this luxury,this is also coupled with the fact that not all cloned dogs are healthy as some are put down after cloning. The choice of cloning should be weighed against risks and benefits and its entirely a decision of pet lover.

New York City health officials report woman-to-man Zika Infection.

A report from the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report{MMWR) the first case of sexual transmission of zika virus from a woman to man in New York. The unnamed woman engaged in sexual act{vaginal intercourse) without condom with a male partner the day she returned to NYC from travel to an area with ongoing Zika virus transmission . A week later, the male partner also developed Zika symptoms, including fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis.By this time, the woman had already tested positive for Zika infection, and subsequent testing in the man confirmed that he, too, had contracted the virus. The man appeared to have no other opportunity to acquire the infection,the researchers concluded that it must have been transmitted during the sex act.“This case represents the first reported occurrence of female-to-male sexual transmission of Zika virus,” the researchers wrote in MMWR. They noted that other studies had identified the virus in the genital tract of infected women, and called for more research “to determine the characteristics of Zika virus shedding in the genital tract and vaginal fluid of humans.” The CDC, which publishes MMWR, said it is “currently updating recommendations for sexually active people in which the couple is not pregnant or concerned about pregnancy and for people who want to reduce personal risk of Zika infection through sex.”

Cataract removal from penguin.

Jeep, a chinstrap penguin from Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas, successfully underwent cataract surgery recently at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (CVM) Small Animal Hospital. Jeep’s surgery took 45 minutes and involved six fourth-year DVM students, as well as members of the school’s recently formed ophthalmology team. The penguin was able to return to Galveston the next morning. The hardest part of the operation was keeping Jeep from overheating, because the penguin is accustomed to icy temperatures. The team made sure Jeep’s environment was between eight to 15 degrees Celsius at all times. Shaman Hoppes, DVM, a Texas A&M zoological veterinarian and leader of the operation, believes cataract surgery could become a normal procedure for elderly penguins in the future, as their ability to live longer in captivity makes them vulnerable to cataract development. Cataract surgery is the one surgery I would do for any animal at any age because it improves their life so much,” Hoppes told Texas A&M Today. “To have any animal that’s lost its vision and have their vision back is huge. These are very social animals, and when they’ve lost their vision they become more isolated and less social. Getting their vision back is going to be key in getting them back into a social network with their other penguins.” The nearly 30-year-old Jeep is one of six Moody Gardens penguins identified as potential cataract surgery recipients by Texas A&M veterinary ophthalmologists and was the first to undergo the operation. While one of the six has since been removed from the group due to an inoperable detached retina, the remaining four will likely follow in Jeep’s webbed footsteps over the coming months. contributed by dvm360.