Potential biological control agents found for fungal diseases of soybean.

A new research carried out in the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) suggests we take a closer look at viruses because viruses are everywhere. They affect all forms of life, from complex mammals down to the mere fungus. We may not give much thought to fungal viruses, or mycoviruses. It turns out there are good reasons to care about mycoviruses. Fungal diseases account for approximately 10 percent yield losses annually in corn and soybean. When certain mycoviruses infect those fungi, they can become less virulent -- good news for crop yields. These forms were the targets of a recent investigation by Domier and his colleagues,the research team. The team extracted genetic material, DNA and RNA, from five major types of plant-pathogenic fungi and used computers to search for genetic sequences that resembled those of known viruses. "We found a lot of sequences that were very similar to previously described fungal viruses, but also found some encapsidated forms that were similar to plant viruses. Those were the ones they were most interested in, because they reduce fungal virulence and can be transmitted outside the fungus. This key combination may make it possible for these viruses to be used as biological control agents. "Some mycoviruses have been shown in laboratory or greenhouse studies to be very effective biocontrol agents," Domier says. One day, the encapsidated forms they discovered may be sprinkled on a field to kill pathogenic fungi and improve soybean yield. This study was published in the Journal of Virology.

The new fertility tracker band.

The wristband tells you when you are pregnant, the fertility tracker collects millions of data points while you sleep. 

The high-tech wristband has been launched in the UK that promises to help women get pregnant, by highlighting the time in the month when they are most likely to conceive. The Ava BRACELET contains sensors that monitor nine physiological parameters — including pulse rate, breathing rate, sleep quality, heart rate variability and temperature. 

 All of these parameters are affected by a rise in the reproductive hormones estradiol and progesterone, which are produced when a woman is fertile. The bracelet is designed to be worn at night. It collects more than three million data points while you sleep, and then syncs with an app on your smartphone in the morning. In this way, it claims to be able to detect an average of more than five fertile days per CYCLE in real time, while avoiding the hassles, mess and invasiveness of other fertility tracking methods like ovulation strips and BBT thermometers.

 The Ava bracelet, developed by Swiss medical technology company Ava, is already available in the US, where it is registered as a Class 1 medical device. In a clinical study at the University Hospital of Zurich, it was proven to detect an average of 5.3 fertile days per CYCLE with 89% accuracy. A second clinical study is currently underway, with results expected later this year. continue

Insecticides mimic melatonin, creating higher risk for diabetes.

A study published in Chemical Research in Toxicology, shows that synthetic chemicals commonly found in insecticides and garden products bind to the receptors that govern our biological clocks. The research suggests that exposure to these insecticides adversely affects melatonin receptor signaling, creating a higher risk for metabolic diseases such as diabetes. The research combined a big data approach, using computer modeling on millions of chemicals, with standard wet-laboratory experiments. Disruptions in human circadian rhythms are known to put people at higher risk for diabetes and other metabolic diseases but the mechanism involved is not well-understood. This study demonstrates how environmental chemicals found in household products interact with human melatonin receptors, research focused on two chemicals, carbaryl, the third most widely used insecticide in the U.S. but which is illegal in several countries, and carbofuran, the most toxic carbamate insecticide, which has been banned for applications on food crops for human consumption . It is still used in many countries, and traces persist in food, plants and wildlife.

Pig gene advance could boost sperm stocks from prized animals.

Pig gene advance could boost sperm stocks from prized animals.Gene-editing techniques could help to improve stocks of farmed pigs by boosting supplies of sperm from prized sires. The study is published in the journal Scientific. Scientists have created male pigs that could be used as surrogates capable of producing sperm that contains the genetic blueprint of sought-after pigs. Researchers say the breakthrough will allow farmers to preserve sperm from prized animals in perpetuity. The surrogates have functional testes but do not have specialized stem cells that are required to produce sperm containing their own genetic information, the researchers say. Stem cells from male pigs with desirable characteristics such as greater resilience to disease could be transplanted into the surrogates to produce limitless supplies of their valuable sperm.

CDC quietly cancels long-planned climate summit.

CDC quietly cancels long-planned climate summit.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention quietly and abruptly canceled a major climate change summit scheduled for next month shortly after Donald Trump was elected president, according to emails sent to those scheduled to speak and obtained by E&E News. The Climate and Health Summit was scheduled to be held in Atlanta, where the CDC is headquartered, in February. Agency leaders did not directly address why the summit was canceled and instead forwarded an email sent to participants indicating it may be rescheduled. Trump has made no secret of his opposition to climate change policy. He has called climate change a "hoax," and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said the president believes warming is "a bunch of bunk." One of the Trump administration's first moves yesterday was to replace the Obama administration whitehouse.gov site with issue platforms — the first of which vows to dismantle "harmful and unnecessary" climate change policies. continue

French company Ynsect keen to replace fish and pet foods with crushed insects.

French company Ynsect keen to replace fish and pet foods with crushed insects.The current systems in place for feeding fish, pigs and poultry are not sustainable and crushed insects will be a far better alternative, according a French entrepreneur. Insect breeding specialist Ynsect has raised $50 million ($US37 million) in the last three years from private investors which it used to build and scale up its fully robotic demonstration plant in France. At the same time, the European Union's regulation of animal feed has also changed, and from July 1, 2017, feeding farmed fish insect meal will be permitted. The company hopes to expand further and supply feed to poultry, pigs and pets. "The world's population is growing, people are eating more and more fish and meat, and that means we need to produce more feed for those livestock. "Those animals eat insects as part of their natural diet, and today the commercial diets don't include them." "We are producing insect feed to provide a more natural diet." Mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) are raised from eggs to larvae, and from there they are processed into a protein meal. By-products, like oil, are also used to produce animal feed. more

Cannabis medicines for pets developed by Aussie firm.

Cannabis medicines for pets developed by Aussie firm. An Australian pharmaceutical developer has received the European Union's first ever health registration to commercialise medical cannabis for pets. ASX-listed Creso Pharma is now registered with the EU and is in the process of applying for a global import and export license as it aims to sell two cannabidiol-based pet products by April. The products, which are essentially food additives for horses and dogs, are designed to help target behavioural disorders including anxiety and noise phobias as well as chronic pain, arthritis and diabetes. Shares in Creso Pharma, which has been developing cannabis- and hemp-derived supplements for both humans and animals, gained 2.5 cents, or 11.9 per cent, to 23.5 cents. Chief executive and co-founder Miri Halperin Wernli said the registration marked a huge milestone for cannabis-based therapies, with the market currently lacking a lot of therapeutic alternatives for vets and pet owners. Many of the ones available are human-based medicines that have been poorly adapted for animals, the unique CBD-based nutraceutical products are developed specifically for companion animals and are an alternative therapeutic options to a number of common medical conditions among pets that often remain poorly treated. source