Scientists have produced new drugs to beat superbugs.

Scientists have produced new drugs to beat superbugs. Scientists have produced new, effective and simplified forms of teixobactin , a new generation antibiotic which defeats multi-drug resistant infections such as MRSA as part of a pioneering research effort to tackle antimicrobial resistance. The team successfully produced a number of synthetic derivatives of the highly potent teixobactin named the'game-changer' in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.This new study which directly targets MRSA bacteria, overcomes a further barrier in the race to combat drug resistant bacteria. MRSA is a type of bacteria that is resistant to many widely-used antibiotics, which means it is harder to treat than other infections. This 'superbug' mainly affects people who are staying in hospital and while they can usually be treated with certain antibiotics, concerns are growing around the world about the rate at which bacteria are developing resistance to existing drugs. It has been predicted that by 2050 an additional 10 million people will succumb to drug resistant infections each year. The development of new antibiotics which can be used as a last resort when other drugs are ineffective is therefore a crucial area of study for healthcare researchers around the world.more

Scientists work to develop heat-resistant 'cow of the future'.

Scientists work to develop heat-resistant 'cow of the future'. University of Florida scientists are working to breed the "cow of the future" by studying the more heat-tolerant Brangus cow ,which is a cross between an Angus and a Brahman. More than half the cattle in the world live in hot and humid environments, including about 40 percent of beef cows in the United States. By using genomic tools, researchers aim to produce an animal with superior ability to adapt to hot living conditions and produce top-quality beef. The scientists are tracking down DNA segments from the two breeds and then figure out which regions of the cow's DNA are important to regulate body temperature. The aim is to assist the cattle industry so as to increase tolerance of cattle to heat stress. The researchers believe this will increase efficiency of production, reproduction and meat quality thus increasing profit. The research also speaks to the challenge of climate change as the new breed of cattle will promote climate-smart production in an emerging hotter world.

A new leaf: Scientists turn carbon dioxide back into fuel.

A new leaf: Scientists turn carbon dioxide back into fuel. Researchers have found a way to convert carbon dioxide into a usable energy source. Carbon dioxide is produced by the burning of fossil fuels in power plants and car engines and it continues to accumulate in the atmosphere, warming the planet. The trees and other plants do slowly capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, converting it to sugars that store energy. Scientists and policymakers around the world try to combat the increasing rate of climate change, they have focused on the chief source which is carbon dioxide.In a new study from the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Illinois at Chicago, researchers have found a similar way to convert carbon dioxide into a usable energy source using sunlight. more

Plants use hydrogen peroxide as sun screen.

Hydrogen peroxide protects plants against sun damage. A new research shows that plants use hydrogen peroxide to control how their cells react to varying levels of light. The hydrogen peroxide is a by-product of photosynthesis in parts of plant cells called chloroplasts. The study by the University of Exeter and the University of Essex is the first to discover where and how the process happens. Its very important for plants to be able to detect how much light there is, so they can use it for photosynthesis. The plants also have to adjust to protect themselves, as high levels of light can damage leaves same as how humans get sunburn on our skin. more

Crawling out of Darkness.

Crawling out of Darkness, this is an unusual post but a timely one for women,young girls and adolescents . Women all over the world are facing similar issues,many battling with stuff drawing them into darkness that tends to eat at their core and redefining who they are. The issue of workplace harassment,rape,child marriages, abusive relationships and general gender insensitivity in economic affairs is restricting women,the girl-child and teens limiting their expressions and contributions to the society at large. Women are strong,making their mark in various fields and helping other women out giving support. Everybody has a story, every woman has a struggle but the good thing is that we dont allow it to define us,rather we push pass the experience making it a platform to reach out to the more people going through similar events. A month ago, i was robbed on way back from the office escaping with a dent in my car and without my wedding rings but thankful to be alive. Ive been replaying the events over and over and asking why! why!!why!!! setting myself up for the dark alley,but today i crawled out of that pit when i read the story of Terry Gobanga,who was ganged raped on her wedding day and went through hell,but crawled out of darkness and giving hope to others. #womenhelpingwomen #girlpower #women When Terry Gobanga - then Terry Apudo - didn't show up to her wedding, nobody could have guessed that she had been abducted, raped and left for dead by the roadside. It was the first of two tragedies to hit the young Nairobi pastor in quick succession. But she is a survivor. It was going to be a very big wedding. I was a pastor, so all our church members were coming, as well as all our relatives. My fiance, Harry, and I were very excited - we were getting married in All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi and I had rented a beautiful dress. But the night before the wedding I realized that I had some of Harry's clothes, including his cravat. He couldn't show up without a tie, so a friend who had stayed the night offered to take it to him first thing in the morning. We got up at dawn and I walked her to the bus station. As I was making my way back home, I walked past a guy sitting on the bonnet of a car - suddenly he grabbed me from behind and dumped me in the back seat. There were two more men inside, and they drove off. It all happened in a fraction of a second. A piece of cloth was stuffed in my mouth. I was kicking and hitting out and trying to scream. When I managed to push the gag out, I screamed: "It's my wedding day!" more

How Six Families Joined Hands to Grow Their Own Organic Food in Noida.

How Six Families Joined Hands to Grow Their Own Organic Food in Noida. A healthy diet begins with lots of fruits and vegetables, but some of the shiny, ‘perfect looking’ veggies available in the market may not good for your health after all. A study by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Union agriculture ministry threw up some unpalatable facts – vegetables and fruits on sale in the market may contain startling amounts of harmful chemicals. This is a result of the fact that, over the years, conventional farmers have been increasingly spraying synthetic pesticides on crops to kill insects and waxing the harvested produce to increase their shelf life. It’s time to take a closer look at what’s on our plates and where it comes from and what we are feeding our families. This is exactly what six families in Noida are doing, worried that the food their children were eating was laden with pesticides, chemicals and fertilizers, they decided to take up organic farming to source farm fresh vegetables for themselves.more

Female farmers in Kenya are collapsing gender and economic barriers.

Activities of 63-year-old Easther Tuiya and other members of the Elenarai Cooperative Women Society have turned the tide for Kenyan women farmers, in terms of economic opportunities and income generation in agriculture. This means good news for women empowerment, gender equality, and an overall balance of Kenya’s economic climate. The practice of conservation agriculture has become more prominent amongst female farmers in the country, and the Muchore Mutethia have made their way around middlemen to secure their income by being sole producers of food crop for a renowned brewery. All of these feats see Kenyan women farmers come a long way from agricultural restrictions that left them selling charcoal and firewood for a living, and arriving at a place where they make immense contributions to the country’s economy and environment. The frequent droughts and growing food insecurity in Kenya moved women farmers to discover other options to what was once a common trade for them. This was especially since the climatic conditions further prevent the business from thriving, and the journey to gather wood has become a risky venture for the women. To solve their problems, Easther Tuiya and her group of former charcoal and firewood traders started out with the vision to repair their landscape through the planting of trees and harvesting rain water. more