We compared published primer pairs with newly published plastomes for many species to select highly variable unique fragments says Dr. Ann Willyard one of the authors of the study.
#Involvement of gene in lentivirus infections of sheep, goats has been establishedin her Phd thesis Helena Crespo-Otano has studied the mechanism of the action of the small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) a type of virus
in the same family as HIV and which infects sheep and goat species. Lentiviruses are viruses responsible for slow infections that damage the immune system and
which cause a range of clinical symptoms (nervous pulmonary arthritic and mammary). The thesis is entitled Papel del receptor de la manosa y de la polarizaciã n de macrã fagos en la infecciã n por
lentivirus de pequeã os rumiantes Role of the mannose receptor and the polarization of macrophages due to lentivirus infection in small ruminants.
In her work she identified and characterised the ovine mannose receptor (MR) a cell receptor involved in the infectious process
and are therefore a key component in the development of a beneficial immune response for the individual.
As Helena Crespo explained what is observed in the flocks infected by the small ruminant lentivirus is a fall in productivity an increase in mortality caused by secondary infections
Mannose receptorright now there are no effective vaccines or treatments to combat infections of this type so innate immunity factors are being studied as an effective alternative to treat
or prevent these infections. The cells of the immune system like the macrophages have mechanisms to counteract the infection.
For example in their membranes they have so-called pathogen pattern recognition receptors which enable them to recognise
and neutralise them pointed out the researcher. Specifically the so-called MR (mannose receptor) could be a safe door of entry for certain bacteria protozoa parasites and viruses like SRLVS into the target cell
which would encourage infection and the development of associated pathologies. In this context the thesis deals in depth with hitherto unknown aspects of infection by small ruminant leniviruses.
We have identified and characterised the ovine MR gene and have determined its involvement in the entry of the virus into the cells that express it.
The author of the work studied the role played by this molecule in the development of various pathologies associated with infection So after analysing the MR expression in 124 tissue samples from 31 animals we saw that there was a greater expression of the mannose receptor in the more affected organs.
Firstly the existence of differentiated populations of macrophages was demonstrated in sheep and goats the so-called M1 (proinflammatory) and M2 (anti-inflammatory)
which have opposite restrictive capacities over lentiviruses. Furthermore it was observed that the infection induces M2 polarisation
which favours the establishing and evolution of the disease opening up the possibility of identifying new therapeutic targets to combat lentiviral infections.
Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by Elhuyar Fundazioa. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length n
This would cost very little money said senior scientist Dr David Edwards of the University of Sheffield's Department of Animal and Plant sciences.
Lead researcher Dr James Gilroy from the University of East Anglia's school of Environmental sciences carried out the research while at the Norwegian University of Life sciences.
which plants are able to better defend themselves against disease-causing pathogens. The work led by Dr Jurriaan Ton
and Dr Estrella Luna at the University of Sheffield has identified the key receptor binding a chemical called BABA (Î-aminobutyric acid)
which is boosting plant immunity. BABA has long been known for its protective effects against devastating plant diseases such as potato blight
but has so far not been used widely in crop protection because of undesirable side effects. We have found that the plant receptor binding BABA is an'aspartyl trna synthetase
but had never been linked to immune responses in plants Dr Luna said. Binding of the chemical to this protein triggers a secondary function that'primes'the plant immune system against future attacks by pests and diseases.
Dr Ton added: Plant immunity that is controlled by a single resistance gene on which most conventional breeding programs are based is comparably easy to overcome by a pathogen.
By contrast priming of multi-genic immunity by BABA is difficult to break thus offering more durable crop protection.
Dr Oliver Berkowitz a Research Associate in the ARC Centre for Excellence in Plant Energy Biology and the School of Plant Biology at the University of Western australia was involved also in the research.
Importantly our study also revealed that the undesirable side effect of this vaccination a reduction in growth can be uncoupled from the beneficial immune reaction Dr Berkowitz said.
Since plant immunisation by BABA is primed long-lasting crops would require fewer applications of fungicides thereby increasing sustainability of crop protection.
However this low amount of herbage allowance did not cause any health problems. It is therefore economically sensible to increase concentrate feeding
#Insects represent link for antibiotic resistance traitsthose pesky house flies buzzing around your home or invading your springtime picnic could be doing more harm to human health than you realize.
According to a recent study by Kansas State university published in the Applied and Environmental Microbiology journal insects carry antibiotic-resistant bacteria from one point to another including from food animal farms and wastewater treatment
facilities for example to urban areas. There are a number of insects that are associated commonly with animals such as house flies
and poultry farms as well as wastewater treatment facilities that collect waste from multiple sources including hospitals.
and again we found house flies with multi-drug resistant bacteria. The house flies collected from the wastewater treatment plants likewise carried the same bacteria found in the waste itself he said.
House flies collected several miles from the wastewater treatment plants in surrounding urban areas had a lower prevalence of the antibiotic-resistant bacteria than those examined from the facilities themselves
The study led the researchers to conclude that insects primarily house flies can pick up antibiotic-resistant bacteria
They have great potential to move multi-drug resistant bacteria to urban areas. In addition Zurek's team showed that bacteria in the house fly digestive tract can exchange antibiotic resistance by horizontal gene transfer.
The resistant strains multiply in the fly and can be left behind on food by fly regurgitation or spitting and defecation.
Background on antibiotic resistanceantibiotics since their discovery 70 years ago have saved millions of lives Zurek said.
Unfortunately because of the intensive use of antibiotics in human medicine we pose high pressure on bacteria
and they respond by developing resistance he said. The resistant strains then survive and are selected by antibiotic treatments.
Currently we have situations where people get infections they die from because the antibiotics are not effective anymore.
The bacteria that caused the infections are multi-drug resistant. According to a 2013 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (http://www. cdc. gov/drugresistance/threat-report-2013) at least 2 million people become infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria
and at least 23000 people die each year as a direct result of these infections in the United states. Currently two places where antibiotics are used most widely are hospitals
and food animal production facilities Zurek said. Antibiotics in food animal production are used not only to treat infections in animals
but also in helping animals grow. Antibiotics in low doses are added as feed additives primarily in poultry
and swine diets he said. The outcome is that the animals grow faster. At the same time if you use low doses of antibiotics extensively that poses selective pressure on bacteria in the digestive tract of these animals and results in antibiotic resistance.
Humans experiencing more problems with antibiotic resistance could be due to many potential reasons Zurek said including overuse of antibiotics in human medicine and human connection to antibiotic use in food animals.
There are likely many other potential environmental connections as well so it's hard to pinpoint specific infections
and where the antibiotic resistance originated. In addition to the insects Zurek and his research team have showed also that wild birds such as ravens
and crows carry multi-drug antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Wild birds can pick up the antibiotic resistant bacteria from fields where animal manure was used as a fertilizer he said.
We still don't know how significant these birds are as carriers. We just know there are multiple venues where wildlife can acquire resistant strains and move them around in the environment.
Making strides on the issueto help eliminate the potential connection to food animal production the U s. Food
and Drug Administration last December released its first request to antibiotic manufacturers to voluntarily remove antibiotics from the list for animal growth promoters.
The plan is to phase out antibiotics as a feed additive for growth promotion in United states in the next three years.
The European union (EU) took a precautionary step in 2006 to combat human antibiotic resistance. All EU countries banned antibiotic use as growth promoters in food animals.
Lowering the use of antibiotics in animal industry will be another step to lower prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the environment
and in human infections Zurek said but because antibiotic resistance in human infections is such a serious global health problem that has led to higher patient mortality rates prolonged hospitalization
and increased healthcare costs it needs to be tackled from many angles. Clearly pest management and trying to minimize the pest populations on farms
and outside of the farms is one way he said. House flies aren't just a nuisance.
They can carry antibiotic resistant bacteria so they should be taken seriously as a vector. Story Source:
The above story is provided based on materials by Kansas State university Research and Extension. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference e
#How Brazilian cattle ranching policies can reduce deforestationthere is a higher cost to steaks and hamburgers than
what is reflected on the price tags at grocery stores and restaurants. Producing food--and beef in particular--is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions
which are projected to grow as rising incomes in emerging economies lead to greater demands for meat.
But an encouraging new study by researchers at the University of California Berkeley and international collaborators finds that policies to support sustainable cattle ranching practices in Brazil could put a big dent in the beef and food industry's greenhouse
mitigating genetic risk for diabetesas the number of people with type 2 diabetes continues to rise
and its toll increases scientists are scrambling to unravel the complex genetic and lifestyle factors behind the disease.
A new study finds that African american children with a genetic predisposition to diabetes may be able to reduce their risk by getting the USDA-recommended dose of calcium.
Even though life expectancy for people with diabetes has gone up the disease has a significant impact on quality of life
so finding ways to prevent people from developing diabetes is said critical Laura Tosi M d. director of the bone health program at Children's National Medical center and one of the study's lead investigators.
We were excited to find that higher calcium intake appears to mitigate the impact of some of the risk genes for type 2 diabetes
An estimated 25 million people in the United states have diabetes or about 1 in 12 people.
and the trajectory for the disease is often set in childhood. The researchers analyzed DNA samples detailed nutrition information body mass index
and other health indicators in 142 African american children age 5-9. None of the study participants were diabetic
Among children who tested positive for gene variants known to be associated with type 2 diabetes those who consumed higher amounts of calcium had a significantly lower body mass index and percent body fat than those with lower
Body mass index and percent body fat are strong indicators of a child's risk for developing diabetes later in life.
Co-investigator Joseph Devaney Ph d. said the study could help lead to a more personalized approach to diabetes prevention.
or her specific risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes and then develop a targeted preventative approach to mitigate those risk factors with specific lifestyle interventions such as increasing calcium intake
or physical activity for example said Devaney director of DNA technologies at Children's National Medical center.
or related dietary factors may cause epigenetic changes that affect how the diabetes-linked genes are expressed.
and environmental factors in children is especially helpful for a disease as complex as diabetes said Devaney.
By the time an adult is diagnosed with diabetes there are usually numerous risk factors that need to be addressed.
or at least delay full-blown disease said Devaney. Joseph Devaney presented the findings during the Experimental Biology 2014 meeting on Monday April 28.
#Technological advancements extend long-term survival of transplanted hearts across speciescardiac transplantation is the treatment of choice for end stage heart failure.
According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National institutes of health approximately 3000 people in the US are on the waiting list for a heart transplant
Therefore for the cardiac patients currently waiting for organs mechanical assist devices are the only options available.
and have issues with power supplies infection and both clotting and hemolysis. Transplantation using an animal organ
Muhammad M. Mohiuddin MD of the Cardiothoracic Surgery Research Program at the NHLBI and co-investigators have developed now techniques to overcome some of the immunologic roadblocks that hinder successful xenotransplantation using genetically engineered pigs as a source of donor organs.
because their anatomy is compatible with that of humans and they have a rapid breeding cycle among other reasons.
thus reducing the immune reaction against them. These modifications should also allow transplants utilizing lower amounts of toxic immunosuppressive drugs.
These recent scientific developments in the field of genetic engineering along with the generation of novel target specific immune suppression and their favorable impact on organ and cellular transplantation may instill a new ray of hope for thousands
of patients waiting for human donor organs comments Dr. Mohiuddin. The NHLBI group was fortunate to have access to GE pigs through close collaboration with Revivicor Inc. Experiments using these GE pig hearts transplanted in the abdomen of baboons
Through the combination of a pig heart with certain gene modifications with drugs suppressing both T
and B cell immune responses investigators were able to prolong the graft survival in baboons to over one year.
This unique achievement by the NIH laboratory is twice as long as previously reported. The long-term surviving grafts exhibit normal histology (cellular architecture) and contractility.
The researchers'next step is to use hearts from the same GE pigs with the same immunosuppression utilized in the current experiments to test their ability to provide full life support by replacing the original baboon heart.
If successful this method could change the current transplant paradigm eliminating the shortage of donor organs including hearts livers kidneys intestine as well as insulin producing cells for treatment of diabetes concludes Dr. Mohiuddin.
The above story is provided based on materials by American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length h
As consumer interest in the health benefits of colorful foods increases small growers are capitalizing on novelty fruit and vegetable crops such as different-colored raspberries.
because they open the door for potential disease mitigation strategies that center around lowering ethylene emission rates on berries to reduce decay.
and resulting marketability of tomato juice growers have used traditionally techniques such as subjecting plants to salt and water stresses.
and water stresses the authors said They noted that basal wire coiling is less complex than other treatments such as subjecting tomato plants to salt or water stress
and animals and is found in many foods--on weed control efficacy crop injury and squash yields of yellow squash.
Analyses showed that increasing the PA application rate increased the crop injury rating at 1 and 3 days after each application;
maximum squash injury occurred for each application rate at 9 days after treatment. Yield analysis found that the 10-lb/acre PA treatment produced the highest squash yields
This research determined that a sequential postdirected application of pelargonic acid at 10-lb/acre in 40-gal/acre can consistently produce satisfactory weed control with low crop injury to produce weed-free
#Fungus implicated in potato blightscientists at the Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and development Neiker-Tecnalia led by the Doctor in Biology Josã Ignacio Ruiz de Galarreta have identified for the first time the existence in à lava-Araba
and A2 which would lead to rapid significant changes in the population of the Phytophtora infestans fungus with the appearance of new more aggressive strains resistant to routine phytosanitary teatments.
Data like these have prompted Neiker-Tecnalia to explore the disease in depth in order to find out the types of races existing across Spain as a first step towards improving the effectiveness of the fight against this fungus.
For this purpose they were crossed with reference strains of the A1 and A2 type. For there to be sexual reproduction between two strains one has to belong to type A1
and the other to type A2. The type A1 reference strains were crossed in the laboratory with five isolates collected by the experts.
Two of them produced oospores so they belonged to type A2; specifically they were taken the ones at Arkaute and Iturrieta.
These were gathered the strains in Gauna Heredia and Zuazo de San Millã¡n which were catalogued as type A1.
and A2 mating types exist in à lava-Araba leads to the possibility of sexual reproduction between different strains
Neiker-Tecnalia has in recent years been detecting new races of the pathogen with a hitherto unseen aggressiveness
while its development tends to be halted by temperatures over 27-30 Â C. Control methodskeeping an eye on the meteorological periods that encourage the development of the disease is helpful
The current trend consists of comprehensively controlling the disease by combining the systems for predicting the periods during the year that are more advantageous as far as the disease
Plant lesions become visible on day five following an attack by the fungus. The symptoms can be seen firstly on the lower leaves where a light-green
The lesions then spread across the remaining surface of the leaf and can be seen in the form of dark green grey-brown or black patches.
Findings published today in the journal Nature shows how a single bacterial strain (Methylocella silvestris) found in soil
Publishing their findings this week in the academic journal Agronomy of Sustainable Development research leads Dr Colin Tosh
and Dr Barry Brogan said this method of control could be an important step towards a more sustainable method of pest control.
while the TV's on and the radio's blaring out and someone's talking to you explains Dr Tosh based in Newcastle University's School of Biology.
Dr Brogan also based in the School of Biology adds: Plants talk to each other when they are under attack--producing chemicals
The observed effects of climate change have an impact on people's health land and marine ecosystems water supplies and people's livelihoods from the polar regions to the tropics and from small islands to continents.
Rising sea levels coastal flooding and tidal waves cause danger to life and risk of injury and hinder livelihoods in low-lying coastal areas and in small island nations.
Extreme weather events will hinder important basic services such as water electricity and health and rescue services.
and recipes health-related activities for school events family newsletters and guidance for school lunchrooms to encourage healthy eating for example by creating a salad bar.
Scherr said the results show that the program has a real impact on students'health.
Recent estimates indicate nearly one-third of U s. children are overweight or obese raising their risk of obesity in adulthood and a host of associated health problems.
#Critical end-stage liver disease discovery madea team of researchers in the University of Arizona's College of Pharmacy has discovered a molecular pathway that could be key to creating new therapeutics that would slow or even reverse
the progression of end-stage liver disease. Although cirrhosis of the liver is associated most commonly with alcohol or drug abuse the condition--marked by scar tissue replacing healthy liver tissue--also can result from viral hepatitis obesity and diabetes as well as certain inherited diseases.
According to the National institutes of health cirrhosis is the 12th leading cause of death by disease in the U s as with many other human pathologic conditions end-stage liver disease goes hand in hand with oxidative stress
which refers to damage inflicted to biological tissues by reactive oxygen molecules. Such molecules also called free radicals occur naturally as a byproduct of metabolic processes in the body
and are associated with many chronic diseases including cancer diabetes neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases. Cells keep oxidative stress under control through various mechanisms said Donna Zhang a professor in the UA Department of Pharmacology
and Toxicology explaining that most of these mechanisms involve Nrf2 a protein present in virtually every cell that acts as a molecular switch.
Nrf2 activates various biochemical mechanisms inside the cell that capture reactive oxygen molecules or dispose of damaged cellular components before they can cause more trouble.
The antioxidants found in many fruits and vegetables exert their healthful benefits by capturing reactive oxygen molecules.
Under normal healthy conditions when no oxidative stress response is needed an enzyme called Keap1 constantly chews up Nrf2 keeping its level low.
Then under stress from reactive oxygen molecules or when you eat antioxidants from certain plants like broccoli sprouts it prevents Keap1 from eating up Nrf2 allowing it to accumulate in the cell explained Zhang who is also a member of the UA BIO5 Institute.
when subjected to high oxidative stress to limit the damage from the destructive oxygen compounds. During liver cirrhosis Nrf2 should be induced by oxidative stress
but for reasons unclear until this study this does not happen. This was a puzzle before we did our study she said.
Somehow the protective mechanism mediated by Nrf2 is compromised by another factor other than Keap1 in liver cirrhosis. Adding to the mystery is the fact that drugs aimed at inhibiting Keap1 from chewing up Nrf2 have proven ineffective in a cirrhotic liver.
When Zhang and her colleagues studied tissue samples from a human cirrhotic liver they discovered the reason behind the inexplicably low Nrf2 levels in the face of rampant oxidative stress.
It turned out that another enzyme chews up Nrf2 and prevents the much-needed antioxidant response exacerbating the disease process.
As liver cirrhosis progresses excessive inflammation triggers the garbage-mediated stress response and Hrd1 becomes very abundant
The first author of the report is Tongde Wu a graduate of the UA Department of Pharmacology
and Toxicology who developed the project as part of her dissertation research. Fei Zhao and Eli Chapman in the same department also contributed to the research.
The discovery could change the way scientists develop therapeutics as it provides a new target for future drugs.
In laboratory experiments Zhang and her colleagues were able to restore Nrf2 levels in cirrhotic liver tissue by inactivating Hrd1 effectively reversing liver cirrhosis in mice.
The study Hrd1 suppresses Nrf2-mediated cellular protection during liver cirrhosis is published in the April 1 issue of the journal Genes and Development.
It also considers the health benefits of reduced meat consumption. The full report is published next month.
and soil pollution greenhouse gas emissions simultaneously reducing threats to human health biodiversity and food security.
and Hydrology said Human's use of nitrogen is a major societal challenge that links environment food security and human health.
Dr Alessandra Di Marco a co-author of the study and researcher at the Air pollution Unit of the Italian National Agency for New Technologies Energy and Sustainable Economic Development has been involved in a number of food pilot projects in Italian schools.
and health benefits associated with'smart food'.'This is a new concept in Italian schools where children are informed about health principle of nutrition
but it still misses the connection with environmental co-benefits of the healthy choice. Increasing the awareness of dietary choice in children is the starting point for cleaning the environment.
Researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch found that using a protein blend of soy casein
The study was conducted by researchers from UTMB in collaboration with Dupont Nutrition and Health. This study sheds new light on how unique combinations of proteins as opposed to single protein sources are important for muscle recovery following exercise
Together these studies indicate that the use of soy-dairy blends can be an effective strategy for active individuals seeking products to support muscle health.
and the sports nutrition market in particular said Greg Paul global marketing director for Dupont Nutrition and Health.
With more and more consumers recognizing the importance of protein for their overall health and well-being the results of this study have particular relevance to a large segment of the population from the serious sports and fitness enthusiast to the mainstream consumer.
The double-blind randomized clinical trial included 16 healthy subjects ages 19 to 30 to assess
if consumption of a blend of proteins with different digestion rates would prolong amino acid availability and lead to increases in muscle protein synthesis after exercise.
Muscle biopsies were taken at baseline and up to five hours after resistance exercise. The protein sources were ingested one hour after exercise in both groups.
Story Source The above story is provided based on materials by University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.
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