Whitefly experimentation to prevent contamination of agricultureon November 8th Jove the Journal of Visualized Experiments will introduce a new technique to aid in the development of defenses against diseases threatening food crops worldwide.
The whitefly method provides a means of interfering with the plant-contamination process as well as the cultivation of plants that are altogether resistant to infection.
and her colleagues write that numerous genera of whitefly-transmitted plant viruses (such as Begomovirus Carlavirus Crinivirus Ipomovirus Torradovirus) are part of an emerging and economically significant group of pathogens affecting important food
while omitting the possibility of cross-contamination to other viruses--an easily encountered problem because of the sheer number of whiteflies used in testing.
Such contamination would jeopardize the results of an entire experiment. After exposing large numbers of a particular plant species to a specific whitefly-transmitted virus a researcher can then note which individual plants resisted infection and why.
This article outlines how to generate hundreds or thousands of infected plants year-round by exposing them to whiteflies each week.
Therefore the whitefly-assisted transmission method provides researchers with a powerful means for continued experimentation in developing plant defenses against the threat of whitefly-transmitted disease.
#You can have a food allergy, and eat it toohave food allergies? If you answered yes you know the best way to prevent a severe allergic reaction is to totally avoid the offending food.
But according to a presentation at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) you may no longer have to avoid the food entirely.
Different parts of food may have said different allergenicity presenter Sami Bahna MD allergist and ACAAI past president.
For example someone with an egg allergy may be able to tolerate egg yolk but not the whites.
And someone with a fruit allergy may be allergic to the seeds but not the pulp.
In his presentation Dr. Bahna noted not only can certain parts of food be safe to eat for some food allergy sufferers
but there are some substitutes that can be eaten as well. Just because someone is allergic to cow's milk doesn't mean they are allergic to milk from all other animals said Dr. Bahna.
Some sufferers might have to avoid several foods which can be difficult and cause malnutrition.
But there are substitutes that can be eaten without any side effects. Some food sensitivities may also predict other food allergies.
Different types of fruits and fish can often have substantial cross-reactivity meaning there may be several types that need to be avoided.
But it's more unlikely that someone allergic to shrimp is also allergic to squid.
While many food allergic individuals find they can eat certain parts of food or substitutes this isn't a one size fits all approach said Dr. Bahna.
Allergy manifests in everyone differently. If you have a food allergy evaluation by a board-certified allergist can identify the exact foods that you should avoid
and the substitute foods that you can safely eat. Allergy skin testing or blood testing are good screening procedures for food allergy.
Allergists often confirm the suspected foods by performing oral food challenges. During this test patients are fed tiny amounts of the suspected allergy-causing food in increasing doses under strict supervision by an allergist.
Although there is no cure for food allergies at present some sufferers may outgrow their allergy over time.
Milk allergy is commonly outgrown in childhood while a peanut or shellfish allergy usually lasts for many years or for a lifetime.
Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length h
#Oral allergy syndrome, high blood pressure medications can create lethal cocktailoral allergy syndrome sufferers that take high blood pressure medications may experience extreme facial swelling
and difficulty breathing the next time they bite into a juicy apple. When patients with oral allergy syndrome take angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors for hypertension
and congestive heart failure they are increased at an risk for a life-threatening allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis according to new research.
The case studies being presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Allergy Asthma
and Immunology (ACAAI) found use of ACE inhibitors can cause what is known as a priming effect in oral allergy syndrome sufferers.
When a sufferer's allergies are primed and they come in contact with a particular allergen they experience a more severe than normal reaction said allergist Denisa Ferastraoaru MD ACAAI member
and lead study author. Symptoms can include extreme facial swelling (angioedema) and difficulty breathing which can lead to death in some cases.
Hay fever sufferers that experience an itchy mouth or scratchy throat after eating certain raw fruits
or vegetables and some tree nuts may have oral allergy syndrome. It is also known as pollen-food syndrome
since it is caused by cross-reacting allergens found in both pollen and raw produce. Sufferers can often mistake oral allergy syndrome symptoms for food allergy said allergist David Rosenstreich MD ACAAI fellow and study author.
But it isn't a food allergy and often patients can eat that food when it is cooked.
For example an individual may have a reaction to a raw apple but not to apples baked in a pie.
When allergists advised patients to avoid raw produce and switched from ACE inhibitors to ANGIOTENSIN II receptor blocker (ARB) therapy no further oral allergy symptoms occurred.
Not everyone with a pollen allergy will experience oral allergy syndrome when eating raw produce and tree nuts.
However the syndrome is associated commonly with these allergens: While oral allergy symptoms are typically mild including mouth
and throat discomfort swelling and itching it is important sufferers discuss these symptoms with their allergist
because anaphylaxis can sometimes occur. Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length h
#Creating accountable anonymity online: Systems that currently allow users complete anonymity are being abusedthe World wide web is in many ways still the Wild west.
Though a large portion of internet traffic is monitored and traceable systems like the Tor Project allow users to post
#Plan to address hypoxia in Gulf of mexico urged by expertsdespite a 12-year action plan calling for reducing the hypoxia zone in the Gulf of mexico little progress has been made
Experts at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center dispel common myths and share new educational resources to address this persistent challenge.
Still lung cancer remains the number one cancer killer and the leading preventable cause of death in the United states. With the approaching 50th anniversary of the Surgeon general's Report Foxhall and other MD Anderson experts urge the public to take a proactive stance against this pervasive health
Even brief secondhand smoke exposure can cause harm. Exposure to secondhand smoke at home or work increases a person's risk of heart disease by 25 to 30%and lung cancer by 20 to 30%.
%That's because the amount of cancer-causing chemicals is higher in secondhand smoke than in the smoke inhaled by smokers.
Families that prohibit smoking in and around the home are on the right path said Wetter.
and sharing this knowledge with others are ways to action said Ernest Hawk M d. vice president of cancer prevention and population sciences at MD Anderson.
As part of MD Anderson's Moon shot program to end cancer Hawk and other experts have developed a comprehensive plan that addresses the burden of tobacco use in institutions communities states and nations.
More than 200000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer each year in the United states and about 150000 people die as a result of this disease.
Smoking contributes to almost 90%of lung cancer deaths and 30%of all cancer deaths. Story Source:
The above story is provided based on materials by University of Texas M d. Anderson Cancer Center. Note:
Materials may be edited for content and length h
#Clotting protein hardens aging heartsheart valves calcify over time and Rice university scientists are beginning to understand why.
The new work detailed in the American Heart Association journal Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology opens up a huge line of investigation Grande-Allen said.
and other valve diseases Grande-Allen said. Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by Rice university.
For patients smoking cessation improves their health by reducing the impact of smoking-related illnesses.
This in turn lowers costs in treating those illnesses. The paradox is that we still pay for the heart disease
and cancer that these smokers develop so it makes more sense to help them stop smoking explained Williams who recently became chair of New jersey Breathes a coalition working for a tobacco-free New jersey.
We must recognize that smoking has disappeared not but has become a vital issue for New jersey's most vulnerable citizens
and policies that focus specifically on underserved populations including individuals with mental health illness. For healthcare providers integrated programs could provide strategies for improving Medicaid reimbursement of tobacco treatment services.
#Tearless onions could help in fight against cardiovascular disease, weight gainonions a key ingredient in recipes around the globe come in a tearless version that scientists are now reporting could pack health benefits like its close relative garlic which is renowned for protecting against heart disease.
They published their laboratory analysis which suggests a similar heart-friendly role for the tearless onions as well as a possible role in managing weight gain in ACS'Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Because many fungal pathogens develop resistance to prolonged treatment with antifungal drugs it is desirable to find alternatives for their control in medical agricultural and those applications in which the fungi cause damage.
Chitosan and the antifungal additives some based on the identification of molecular targets of chitosan contribute to produce a novel alternative to control fungal diseases
In this regard the combination may have potential in the treatment of tumors. This novel composition can be used as a medicine for clinical or veterinary use for the treatment and/or prevention of fungal infections by pathogenic yeasts and filamentous fungi such as Candida spp.
Cryptococcus spp. Fusarium spp. and probably also in the control of tumor cells. In agriculture pesticide treatments preferably in the control of diseases caused by pathogenic fungi as Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium oxysporum.
In the food industry for example for coating foods to prevent microbial contamination and in the textile industry as a detergent for cleaning surfaces.
The research group has led numerous laboratory tests that have successfully proven the effectiveness of this novel composition of fungal growth inhibition of numerous species of pathogenic yeasts and filamentous fungi.
The industrial scale is simple and economically viable compared to the benefits of this invention in the various fields of application.
or prevent pathologies associated with the metabolic syndrome including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The metabolic syndrome (Mets) is a group of risk factors characterized by obesity hypertension inflammation dyslipidemia glucose intolerance
and insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction explains Dr. Klimis-Zacas a Professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Maine
and high blood pressure says Klimis-Zacas. Our new findings show that these benefits extend to the obese Zucker rat a widely used model resembling human Mets. Endothelial dysfunction is a landmark characteristic of Mets
and improve the balance between relaxing and constricting factors in the vascular wall improving blood flow and blood pressure regulation of obese Zucker rats with metabolic syndrome.
and endothelial function regular long-term wild blueberry diets may also help improve pathologies associated with the Mets. Story Source:
#Higher rates of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke in food desertthere is more to the cost of living in a food desert than higher prices for the few fruits
Researchers found that residents of the community have much higher rates of diabetes hypertension heart disease and stroke than in other areas of Marion County.
and can lead to higher levels of obesity and other diet-related illness such as diabetes and heart disease.
#The prevalence of colds and pneumonia in cows can be controlledrespiratory diseases in cattle are a great threat to animal welfare and lead to financial losses in the cattle industry.
The bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) is one of the main causes of respiratory disease in cattle.
A study of the prevalence and infection distribution of the virus shows that it is possible to control the virus
The BRS virus is equivalent to the human RS virus and causes most of the cases of serious pneumonia that lead to fatalities in calves and to epidemics
and infection distribution of the virus between Norwegian cattle herds and found that during the course of one year nearly half of the cattle herds were infected newly
while almost as many herds became free of infection. It therefore appears that the virus does not survive for a long time in one herd
and that it should be possible to reduce the number of infections by preventing the herds becoming reinfected.
The infection dynamics of the BRSV virus was studied in 134 randomly selected Norwegian dairy herds.
The frequency of new infections was the same irrespective of the season. 33%of the herds
which had tested originally positive managed to get rid of the infection after six months. The findings of this study indicate that monitoring the prevalence of the virus
and focusing on measures to combat infection in these herds ought to be effective strategies for limiting the prevalence and the consequences of BRSV infection in cattle.
The research group Viral infections in cattle at the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science which carried out this study is engaged currently in projects that seek to identify the most effective ways of preventing new infections in herds.
#Endometriosis risk linked to two pesticidesa Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research center-led study has found that two organochlorine pesticides are associated with an increased risk of endometriosis a condition that affects up to 10 percent of reproductive
and mirex had a 30-to 70-percent increase in endometriosis risk. The findings are published online ahead of the print issue of Environmental Health Perspectives a journal of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences part of the National institutes of health.
Endometriosis is a noncancerous condition that occurs when the tissue that lines the inside of the uterus or womb grows outside of the organ
For many women the symptoms of endometriosis can be chronic and debilitating negatively affecting health-related quality of life personal relationships
Since endometriosis is driven an estrogen condition we were interested in investigating the role of environmental chemicals that have estrogenic properties such as organochlorine pesticides on the risk of the disease she said.
This research is important as endometriosis is a serious condition that can adversely affect the quality of a woman's life yet we still do not have a clear understanding of why endometriosis develops in some women
The study involved 248 women newly diagnosed with endometriosis and for comparison 538 women without the disease.
and were associated with increased endometriosis risk Upson said. The take-home message from our study is that persistent environmental chemicals even those used in the past may affect the health of the current generation of reproductive-age women with regard to a hormonally driven disease.
Organochlorine pesticides have demonstrated generally estrogenic properties in laboratory studies of human tissue and adverse reproductive effects in laboratory studies of other model organisms altering the function of the uterus
and ovaries as well as hormone production Given these actions it's plausible that organochlorine pesticides could increase the risk of an estrogen-driven disease such as endometriosis Upson said.
The above story is provided based on materials by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research center. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Is it an allergy? Patients with non-celiac wheat sensitivity (NCWS) and other food sensitivities showed clinical laboratory
and histological characteristics suggesting they may be suffering from a non-Ige-mediated food allergy according to the article Non-Celiac Wheat Sensitivity as an Allergic Condition:
and other relevant medical literature focusing on NCWS patients who may suffer from non-Ige-mediated wheat allergy.
Food allergies are divided typically into two areas: Ige mediated or non-Ige mediated. In Ige mediated food allergies people develop symptoms almost immediately after eating
and when blood and skin tests are carried out there is a positive marker. Non-Ige mediated food allergies including celiac disease primarily affect the GI mucosa (the innermost layer of the gastrointestinal tract)
and have delayed a onset of symptoms which can make it difficult to diagnosis. Dr. Carroccio and his colleagues reviewed data on 276 patients diagnosed with NCWS using a double-blind placebo-controlled wheat challenge.
The data indicating a possible wheat allergy diagnosis and other data in the literature were examined.
The authors hypothesize that patients with NCWS may be suffering from non-Ige mediated food allergy.
and the basophil activation assay in food allergy as well as the histology findings in the food allergy diagnosis said Dr. Carroccio.
We compared patients suffering from NCSW and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to controls with IBS not due to NCWS.
Based on his review Dr. Carroccio concluded Non-celiac wheat sensitivity can now be considered the cause of gastrointestinal symptoms which overlap those commonly attributed to functional disorders.
#Gene responsible for hereditary cancer found to disrupt growth-regulating cellular pathwaywhitehead Institute scientists report that the gene mutated in the rare hereditary disorder known as Birt-Hogg-Dub cancer syndrome
This is an unexpected finding as some cancers keep this pathway turned on to fuel their unchecked growth and expansion.
In the case of Birt-Hogg-Dub syndrome the mutated gene prevents mtorc1 pathway activation early in the formation of tumors.
And in my view that's an important first step to understanding how it might be involved in cancer.
In the early 2000s scientists determined that mutations in the gene coding for FLCN caused the rare cancer Birt-Hogg-Dub syndrome
but the syndrome's symptoms offered little insight into FLCN's molecular function. Birt-Hogg-Dub syndrome causes unsightly but benign hair follicle tumors on the face benign tumors in the lungs that can lead to collapsed lungs and kidney cancer.
The syndrome is an autosomal dominant disorder which means that a child inheriting one mutated copy of the FLCN gene will eventually develop the syndrome.
Currently the disease is managed by treating symptoms but no cure exists. FLCN's dual roles--as a cause of a rare cancer in its mutated form
and as a trigger for a growth pathway that is often hijacked in cancer cells--has prompted Tsun
and Sabatini to rethink how a mutation can push cells to become cancerous. Basically the mtorc1 pathway is essential for life explains Tsun.
So when you lose this nutrient switch or if it can't be turned on then the cell seems to freak out
And this is actually what we see in patient tumors. For Birt-Hogg-Dub syndrome patients and their families better understanding of FCLN's function moves the field one step closer to developing a therapy.
Usually diseases are described first then the responsible gene or genes are identified and then that gene's molecular function is figured out says Tsun.
And you need to know the gene's function before you can start working on drugs or therapy.
#Banana disease spreading: Panama disease spreads among bananas againpanama disease is causing significant damage in banana cultivation in Southeast asia.
Together with a number of partners scientists from Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) have demonstrated that the disease--caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense--has migrated now also to Jordan.
This means that Panama disease is becoming increasingly widespread and major banana-producing countries in Africa
and Latin america are also under threat. A concerted international approach is needed to safeguard the food security of millions of people.
The results of the study were published in the scientific journal Plant disease. The banana is not just the world's favourite fruit--for many people it is a vital important source of food.
During the twentieth century tens of thousands of hectares of banana plantations in Latin america were destroyed by Panama disease.
There were suspicions a few years ago that some banana plantations in Jordan were infected with Panama disease.
It is unclear how Panama disease spread from Southeast asia. Gert Kema argues that it is only a question of time before TR4 reaches Africa.
and the introduction and spread of Panama disease would threaten the food security of millions. A concerted international approach is needed now to prevent the spread of Panama disease
and in the worst-case scenario contain it Kema states. Wageningen UR carried out this research together with the University of Florida the Jordanian National Centre for Agricultural Research and Extension and the University of Jordan.
Ana Rodriguez-Mateos and colleagues note that eating blueberries is associated with several health perks including improved thinking reduced risk for heart disease and reduced inflammation.
#Male birth defect weakly linked to pesticide exposurea study of several hundred chemicals used in commercial pesticides has found only weak evidence that any of them are associated with a common birth defect in male infants.
Any birth defect is concerning to parents and a defect in the genital structure often causes special concern said William Kennedy MD associate professor of urology at Stanford and associate chief of pediatric urology at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital.
#New drug to help common bowel diseasean international team led by University of Adelaide researchers has identified the mechanism of pain relief of a new drug for treating Irritable bowel syndrome with Constipation (IBS-C) based on nonclinical studies
Published in the journal Gastroenterology the study describes the pain mechanism of action for Linaclotide a recently approved drug for the treatment of chronic abdominal pain and constipation in adult IBS-C patients.
IBS is a potentially debilitating condition with abdominal pain bloating diarrhea and/or constipation. It affects up to 15%of western populations costing millions of dollars annually in Australia alone in lost productivity and health care.
However initial trials had shown that it also reduced abdominal pain associated with IBS-C independently of its action on improving constipation.
in order to reduce the number of childhood asthma cases. The research is signed by professors Toni Monleã n-Getino and Martã n RÃ os from the Department of Statistics of the University of Barcelona and experts Oriol Vall Carme Puig Ãcar
Asthma is the most common chronic illness during childhood and adolescence in industrialized countries. Several factors have been proposed to explain asthma.
It affects between 10%and 17%of children and teenagers in Spain. There is no treatment to cure this illness
which may decrease considerably patients'quality of life. Although its prevalence has been increasing over the last 40 years in many countries no statistical
or simulation model existed to forecast the evolution of childhood asthma in Europe. A model based on conditional probabilitythe study first presents a statistical
and simulation model--based on the theory of conditional probability--to forecast the risk of childhood asthma episodes.
and the project Asthma Multicenter Infant Cohort Study (AMICS) developed by IMIM researchers in order to analyse the relationship between environmental factors and childhood asthma development in different phenotypes.
On January 1 2006 a law that set anti-tobacco regulations in Spain came into force.
%but this reduction did not produce any remarkable effect on asthma incidence among children. Objective:
to reduce childhood asthmatoni Monleã n Getino first author of the article explains that the statistic model indicates that childhood asthma incidence is stable.
and mothers who smoke a reduction of childhood asthma prevalence won't occur alerts the researcher who started the study together with the Italian National institute of health.
Professor Martã n RÃ os states that asthma is caused an illness by several factors (genetic propensity environment food etc.
and asthma is not a cause-effect one but tobacco even environmental smoke or the one that remains on clothes favours asthma episodes in children.
Data proves that the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma in adults has been reduced in the last years due to smoke-free policy.
In the case of children maternal smoking and environmental tobacco smoke are some of the main risk factors for inducing new cases of asthma.
UB experts point out that there is no doubt that smoking and respiratory diseases in children are related. Even if it is difficult to prove
if alterations in respiratory functions begin to occur in the fetus or if they appear later during lactation altered respiratory function has been found in those children whose mothers smoke during pregnancy
of infectious diseases (tuberculosis meningitis etc. alert that nowadays there are not enough measures to avoid children's exposure to tobacco.
This can lead to grass tetany or milk fever in livestock but the problems don't stop there.
Low-calcium diets can also trigger human diseases such as osteoporosis rickets and colon cancer. Another major health concern arises from the chloride in KCL
I'm reminded of a recent clinical study that links cadmium intake to an increased risk of breast cancer.
The region's incredible flora and fauna is being lost to gold fever. Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by Carnegie Institution.
and disease resistance Fei says. Kiwifruit originated from the mountains and ranges of southwestern China and was known not really to the world until the early 20th century
They uncovered about 8000 genes that were common among all five species. The comparison revealed important evolutionary relationships including the development genes related to fruit growth ripening nutrient metabolism and disease resistance.
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