Activity-health Monitors for Dogs.

Activity-health Monitors for Dogs. At the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM), veterinarians are using activity trackers in the form of a collar, to help keep dogs healthy. The activity monitors the CVM uses contain technology that can accurately monitor canine patients' key vital signs and health indicators, such as resting heart rate, resting respiratory rate, quality of rest, amount and level of activity, and expended calories. The trackers can also help identify early indicators of some diseases, such as heart failure and osteoarthritis by alerting the dog’s owner and veterinarian when vital signs and health indicators are abnormal. They can also be used to help monitor disease progression and evaluate the efficacy of therapy in a variety of conditions, such as pain management and weight loss management in obese patients. continue

Sheet mulching and its benefits.

Sheet mulching is a method of building a massive compost pile across the surface of a field or garden, instead of piling manure, leaves, crop residue, and other organic materials in a squat pile, you spread it all out where the compost is needed. This saves you the effort and time to build a pile, turn it, water it, and otherwise coerce it to break down into rich, brown earth, a process that can go on for months. Sheet mulching traps moisture in the soil, as mulching is a must to cut down on irrigation. Sheet mulches includes a layer of cardboard to keep grass and weeds from growing through ,and its a great way to remove unwanted vegetation and turn a dry lawn into a garden. The cardboard used in sheet mulching is much more effective at trapping moisture than typical wood chips or straw normally used in other mulches. Another reason to use sheet mulching is that earthworms love cardboard and when they eat it they excrete rich, dark compost that contains five times more nitrogen, seven times more phosphorus and 11 times more potassium than ordinary soil. This dark compost improves soil structure and this increases yield of fruits and vegetables that taste better and last longer in the field without any need for chemicals for packaging. How to do sheet mulching ; Materials needed are 1) cardboard 2) mulch 3)organic matter. The size of cardboard will depend on area /space,cardboard. It is better to use biggest sheets of cardboard you can find,such as boxes from bicycles and kitchen appliances, to make things easier. Cardboard with glossy color print, as the ink which are not biodegradable should not be used. The use of thick layers of newspaper instead of cardboard is efficient for sheet mulching small spaces. The cardboard is spread and if the soil you’re planning to sheet mulch is already very moist, you dont need to wet it.When the soil is not moist then you need to soak the soil before spreading the cardboard . All the tape must be removed from the cardboard before the cardboard is laid over the soil/weeds while working from one end of the space to the other. Its important to overlap the pieces of cardboard by six inches to prevent the more tenacious weeds from weaseling through the gaps to the surface, where they will quickly become re-established in the rich soil you’ve made for them. Once the cardboard is in place, wet it down until it becomes heavy and limp so it doesn’t shift around or blow away in the wind as you add layers of mulch and/or compost materials on top. The next step is to spread what you intend to use as mulch in an even layer at least 2 inches thick on top of the cardboard and the process is complete.When you want to use manure,then spread it in two-inch layers alternated with a one-inch layer of organic material between each one,and finish with a final layer of mulch on top.

Early exposure to pets can reduce allergy and obesity.

A new study by University of Alberta has shown that early exposure to pets can reduce allergy and obesity by altering gut bacteria in immune-boosting ways. This new study has showed that babies from families with pets of which 70% were dogs showed higher levels of two types of microbes associated with lower risks of allergic disease and obesity. The theory is that exposure to dirt and bacteria early in life from the dog's fur or from its paws can create early immunity.The study shed more light by understanding the connection and identifying that exposure to pets in the womb or up to three months after birth increases the abundance of two bacteria, Ruminococcus and Oscillospira, which have been linked with reduced childhood allergies and obesity, respectively. The numbers of the two bacteria were increased twofold when there was a pet in the house, meaning that the pet exposure was shown to affect the gut microbiome indirectly -from dog to mother to unborn baby -- during pregnancy as well as during the first three months of the baby's life. In other words, even if the dog had been given away for adoption just before the woman gave birth, the healthy microbiome exchange could still take place.

Sunflower seeds are sources of toxic mold and potent liver carcinogen.

Sunflower seeds traced as sources of toxic mold and potent liver carcinogen.Sunflower seeds are frequently contaminated with a toxin produced by molds and pose an increased health risk in many low-income countries worldwide, researchers at the Michigan State University have discovered. The study carried out in Tanzania and documented in PLoS ONE, the team of scientists documented frequent occurrence of aflatoxin -- a toxin produced by Aspergillus molds that commonly infect corn, peanuts, pistachios almonds and in sunflower seeds and their products. This is one of the first studies to associate aflatoxin contamination with sunflower seeds. Chronic exposure to aflatoxin causes an estimated 25,000-155,000 deaths worldwide each year, from corn and peanuts alone and it is one of the most potent liver carcinogens known. The aim of study was to detect and limit the presence of aflatoxin in sunflower seeds and their products could help save lives and reduce liver disease in areas where sunflowers and their byproducts are consumed. Smallholder farmers in Tanzania grow sunflowers for the seeds, which are sold to local millers who press the seeds for oil and sell it to local consumers for cooking. The remaining cakes are used as animal feed. When the seeds become infected by Aspergillus flavus or Aspergillus parasiticus, molds that produce aflatoxin, the feed spoilage caused by the growth of these undesirable molds will cause heating of feed. This thus reduces the energy, vitamins A, D3, E, K and thiamine available to the animal. These moldy feeds tend to be dusty reducing their palatability and causing respiratory distress in animals. Animals fed with moldy feed or in contact with heavily contaminated bedding are usually prone to abortions due to Mycotic placentitis. Infection by mold organisms that grow in the fetal membranes (mycotic placentitis) is a common cause of abortion in individual animals. The ingested mold localize in the cows’ intestinal tract and then spread to the placenta through the blood,and this condition is rampant during raining season.

Topical application of turmeric gel to treat burns and scalds.

In a recent research paper published in the open access journal BioDiscovery, researchers stress that use of topical curcumin gel for treating skin problems, like burns and scalds, is very different and appears to work more effectively, when compared to taking curcumin tablets by mouth for other conditions. Curcumin is an ingredient found in the common spice turmeric. Turmeric has been used as a spice for centuries in many Eastern countries and gives well known dishes. The turmeric gel appears to work much better when used on the skin because the gel preparation allows curcumin to penetrate the skin, inhibit phosphorylase kinase and reduce inflammation. The study shows that the use of curcumin after burns and scalds were found to reduce the severity of the injury, lessen pain and inflammation, and improve healing with less than expected scarring, or even no scarring, of the affected skin.

New antibiotic resistance gene found in milk.

New antibiotic resistance gene found in milk according to a new study by researchers in the University of Bern. A new antibiotic resistance gene has been found in bacteria from dairy cows. This gene confers resistance to all beta-lactam antibiotics including the last generation of cephalosporins used against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. A transfer to S. aureus which is likely according to the researchers would jeopardize the use of reserve antibiotics to treat human infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria in hospitals. Researchers of the Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology of the University of Bern have identified a new methicillin resistance gene in strains of M. caseolyticus isolated from milk. Macrococcus caseolyticus is a harmless bacterium naturally found on the skin of dairy cows which can spread to milk during the milking process. It can also be present in dairy products made from raw milk like e.g. cheese. The transfer of the gene to Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria found on the skin and mucosa of animals and humans, would have dramatic consequences for public health as experimental investigations of the "resistance island" showed that it also has the potential for integration into the chromosome of S. aureus. It is not impossible that this may happen in nature, since S. aureus and M. caseolyticus share the same habitats. This methicillin resistance gene would turn this bacteria into a hazardous methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), which is known to cause difficult-to-treat infections in hospitals. M. caseolyticus containing the novel mecD gene has been so far mainly found in cattle but in one case it has been isolated from skin infection in a dog indicating that this bacteria has the potential to colonize different animal species.

Zika virus persists in the central nervous system and lymph nodes of rhesus monkeys.

The Zika virus persists in the central nervous system and lymph nodes of rhesus monkeys as the virus was seen in tissue weeks after it cleared from blood. A study published online in Cell,reveals that Zika virus can persist in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), lymph nodes and colorectal tissue of infected rhesus monkeys for weeks after the virus has been cleared from blood, urine and mucosal secretions. The researchers infected 20 rhesus monkeys with Zika virus and noted that although virus was cleared from peripheral blood within 7-10 days, it was detected in CSF for up to 42 days and in lymph nodes and colorectal tissue for up to 72 days. Immunologic data showed that the emergence of Zika virus-specific neutralizing antibodies correlated with the rapid control of the virus in plasma. However, Zika-specific antibodies were not detected in CSF, which could be why the virus remained there longer. These findings suggest that persistent virus in the central nervous system may contribute to the neurological issues associated with Zika virus infection in people.