How bacteria develop antibiotic resistance.

A study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has shown how bacteria evolve and resist antibiotics. The scientists Using quantitative approaches from physics, biophysicists discovered a surprising way that bacteria can evolve resistance to antibiotics. 

 The new research published in the journal Science, researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem report a startling alternative path to the evolution of resistance in bacteria.The bacteria evolve a sleeping mechanism after which the bacteria can then wake up and evolve resistance 20 times faster than normal -- at which point continuing to administer antibiotics won't kill the bacteria. 

 The results indicate that tolerance may play a crucial role in the evolution of resistance in bacterial populations under cyclic exposures to high antibiotic concentrations. To investigate this evolutionary process a group of biophysicists,exposed bacterial populations to a daily dose of antibiotics in controlled laboratory conditions, until resistance was established. 

By tracking the bacteria along the evolutionary process, they found that the lethal antibiotic dosage gave rise to bacteria that were transiently dormant, and were therefore protected from several types of antibiotics that target actively growing bacteria. 

 Once bacteria acquired the ability to go dormant, which is termed tolerance, they rapidly acquired mutations to resistance and were able to overcome the antibiotic treatment. First the bacteria evolved to sleep for most of the antibiotic treatment, and then this "sleeping mode" not only transiently protected them from the lethal action of the drug, but also actually worked as a stepping stone for the later acquisition of resistance factors.

Improving plant biosecurity in Africa.

Plant biosecurity management can be a boon to agricultural economies in sub-Saharan Africa, and Australia has a wealth of expertise to share. That’s the logic behind a mentoring program that helps the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and the Plant Biosecurity CRC partner with fellows working at agricultural institutions in 10 African countries. The resulting program, the Australia-Africa Plant Biosecurity Partnership, aims to transfer skills in designing, delivering and managing plant biosecurity — measures to safeguard plants from pests and diseases. continue

Nigeria seeks reversal of EU’s ban on beans export.

Plans are in top gear by the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) to get the European Union EU lift its ban on exportation of beans from Nigeria to its member countries. The Coordinating Director of the agency, Dr. Vincent Isegbe, who disclosed this at the opening of a two- day training workshop on Plant Health Inspection and Certification of Vegetables for exporters and farmers, said all hands are on deck to ensure that the EU lifts the ban before 2019. Noting that the EU ban on Nigerian beans has severely affected the economy, Isegbe said there was a need to avoid future rejection of Nigeria’s agricultural commodities even as he pointed out that the agency is doing its best to revert the situation. continue

VETERINARY MEDICINE: 25 Amazing Veterinary Breakthroughs in the Last 10 Years.

VETERINARY MEDICINE: 25 Amazing Veterinary Breakthroughs in the Last 10 Years. As medicinal breakthroughs in human health are made, so too do the advances of veterinary medicine,from surgeries to the latest advancements in therapies. The list below says it all; 1) Stem Cell Therapy Not just a point of conversation and debate for human medicine, it is available in veterinary medicine as well. Its goal is to stimulate and activate dormant stem cells ensuring maximum uptake achieving best possible results. It is offered by many practices, including Medivet. 2) Cancer Vaccine In this aspect, veterinary medicine seems leaps ahead of human. This vaccine is intended for melanoma, or a type of skin cancer. Since dogs spend most of their time exposed to the sun without any kind of sunscreen, they can be susceptible to melanoma. 3)Laser Surgery Not just for corrective eye surgery in humans anymore. Concentrated light sources can be used in spays and neuters, declaws, ear surgery, and many more. continue

A German startup is using technology to help Indian farmers.

Progressive Environmental and Agricultural Technologies (PEAT) has, over the last couple of years, been working with 30,000 Indian farmers. Agriculture today is a $500 billion opportunity and there are more than 30 Indian startups that are using technology to solve problems in the industry. According to the World Bank, India has 395 million acres of land available for cultivation, of which only 215 million acres are cultivated. PEAT was set up in 2015. But it all started in South America. Four of PEAT's seven founders met during a German-Brazilian five-year research project in Amazonia, dealing with greenhouse gases (GHG), sustainability and land use change. There main research topic was the emission of GHG induced by land use change and options for action to mitigate them. PEAT’s India entry was through International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), which has its global headquarters in Hyderabad. ICRISAT, which works on improving their mandate crops (mainly pulses) around the world, started work on digital agriculture. This year, PEAT, along with ICRISAT, has rolled out Plantix, a free app for farmers in South India. The app is adapted to important crops in the region and is offered in local languages.continue

India to help Nigerian farmers plant pulses for export.

The Head of Chancery, High Commission of India, in Lagos, Mr Jagdeep Kapoor, on Thursday announced his government’s plans to encourage Nigerian farmers to plant more pulses that would be exported to India. Kapoor said in Lagos that the initiative would create a source of income for Nigerian farmers, as well as ensure steady flow of the produce to India. The Indian Official said that the project would be a priority in India and Nigeria’s 2017 Civil Aviation and Agriculture Cooperation Agreements, that would soon be formalised by both governments. He said, “Nigeria and India’s fresh areas of cooperation in 2017 would focus mostly on the signing of the Civil Aviation and Agriculture Agreements, that would soon be formalised by our two governments.more

How Pets Support People With Mental Illness.

Researchers from the University of Manchester interviewed 54 people with long-term mental health problems regarding the role of pets in their lives. They were given a diagram with three concentric circles surrounding a square meant to represent themselves and asked to fill in their sources of support (with the most important sources filling in the closest circle and then radiating outward). Nearly half of the participants included pets (dogs, cats, birds, hamsters, fish and more were part of the study) as part of their social network. Among them, 60 percent placed pets in the closest circle while 20 percent put them in the second closest. The participants noted many benefits of pet ownership, including being a source of physical contact and comfort, as well as providing a way to channel emotional energy. Many participants reported that their pets intuitively know when they're feeling unwell and act accordingly. The relationship between owners and their pets was so strong that it provided a distraction from negative feelings and symptoms, such as hearing voices among a person with schizophrenia. The researchers suggested pets could provide a therapeutic role in distracting their owners from suicidal ideation, feelings of loneliness and other symptoms of mental illness. In other cases, pets provided a much-need source of levity and humor. The participants noted their pets provided a source of unconditional love, accepted them for who they were without judgement or resentment. Among those with mental illness, many of whom feel stigmatized even by friends and family, this was invaluable. Many also noted the human-animal bond as being a reciprocal relationship, whereas human relationships in their lives were not regarded that way. Some even believed their pets to be struggling with similar symptoms (such as post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]), which helped alleviate feelings of isolation and alienation. It's noteworthy, also, that many of the participants were unemployed and struggling with daily life. The pets had a positive effect here, too, as owners felt pride and validation about successfully caring for the pet, keeping him healthy and teaching him tricks. The caring for pets helped the participants to develop routines and gain a sense of control over their lives.