and other factors such as habitat loss and disease which can all contribute to colony failure.
For some time now the impact of environmental stressors during pregnancy on allergy risk among newborn children is a main research topic at Leipzig Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research (UFZ.
From the results that were published recently in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology one thing is certain:
later on in life respiratory diseases diabetes type II asthma or cardiovascular diseases were also more common. However the exact molecular mechanisms and processes that are behind such developments still struggle researchers.
which in turn prevent an overactive immune system and thus autoimmune diseases. If there are insufficient Treg cells or if their function is impaired the self-regulatory function of the immune system will be reduced possibly resulting in allergies.
To investigate the relationship between smoking mothers during pregnancy on the one hand and their children's risk of developing allergies on the other the scientists from Leipzig examined microrna-223 microrna-155 and regulatory T cells--not only in the blood samples of pregnant women (36 weeks pregnant
) but also at birth in the cord blood of their babies. At the same time questionnaires were filled out and urine samples of the pregnant women were tested to substantiate the effect from exposure to tobacco smoke
whether or not these micrornas link exposure to smoke regulatory T cells and the risk of developing allergies.
Finally it could be shown that low regulatory T-cell numbers in umbilical cord blood was an indication that children exposed to tobacco smoke were more likely to develop an allergy before the age of three compared to those children with normal values for mir-223 and Treg cells.
Furthermore the probability of developing eczema was almost twice as high for these children. After already being able to demonstrate the influence of prenatal smoking on regulatory T-cell numbers in cord blood from our LINA study the current epidemiological investigation delves even deeper into molecular processes Dr. Gunda Herberth
Moreover the developing fruit also has to contend with the attentions of pathogens and pests.
These compounds help to protect the developing fruit against predators pathogens and abiotic stresses. When the seeds are ripe the Anr gene is turned off.
In her investigation Egamberdieva has spotted beneficial soil salt-resistant bacteria that help plants grow better causing no harm to men.
#Aggressive fungal pathogen causes mold in fruits, vegetablesa research team led by a molecular plant pathologist at the University of California Riverside has discovered the mechanism by
which an aggressive fungal pathogen infects almost all fruits and vegetables. The team discovered a novel virulence mechanism--the mechanism by
which infection takes place--of Botrytis cinerea. This pathogen can infect more than 200 plant species causing serious gray mold disease on almost all fruits
and vegetables that have been around even at times in the refrigerator for more than a week. Study results appear in the Oct 4 issue of the journal Science.
Many bacterial fungal and oomycete pathogens deliver protein effectors--molecules the pathogens secrete--into the cells of hosts to manipulate
The new study represents the first example of a fungal pathogen delivering RNA effectors specifically small RNA effector molecules into host cells to suppress host immunity
and achieve infection of the host plant. To date almost all the pathogen effectors studied or discovered have been said proteins lead author Hailing Jin a professor of plant pathology and microbiology.
Ours is the first study to add the RNA molecule to the list of effectors.
We expect our work will help in the development of new means to control aggressive pathogens.
The process is similar to how protein effectors weaken host immunity in the case of most pathogens.
What we have discovered is a naturally-occurring cross-kingdom RNAI phenomenon between a fungal pathogen
if the novel mechanism they discovered also exists in other aggressive pathogens. Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by University of California-Riverside.
#Health of honey bees adversely impacted by seleniumtraditionally honey bee research has focused on environmental stressors such as pesticides pathogens and diseases.
In areas of Se contamination honey bees may be at risk because of the biotransfer of the metal from Se-accumulating plants.
Se contamination is a global problem originating from naturally contaminated soils and a multitude of anthropogenic sources including mining
According to Hladun knowing which contaminants are the most important to regulate is key to minimizing the exposure of honey bee hives to contaminants.
New treatment for common allergiesresearchers have tested successfully treatments for people with allergies to grasses and to dust mites.
There are two treatments one for grass allergy which is commonly known as hay fever and the other for dust mite allergy.
They are expected to be helpful for the millions of people who as a reaction to grass pollen
It is estimated that together these allergens are responsible for more than 50%of allergic respiratory disease. Between 15 and 25 per cent of the population in North america and Europe is sensitive to pollen from different grass species. One in four people is sensitized to house dust mites more than any other common allergen
The 280 patients in the phase two clinical trial for the grass allergy treatment recorded their allergy symptoms
while exposed to grass pollen in a controlled environment both before treatment and at the end of the hay fever season.
During the clinical trial for the dust mite treatment 172 patients who received four doses of the treatment over 12 weeks had improved significantly allergy symptoms a year after the start of treatment compared to patients who received a placebo.
This result is an important validation of the approach we are taking to treat allergic diseases said Mark Larch who led the design of the treatments.
Positive results first with a cat allergy therapy and now with house dust mite and grass allergy treatments suggest that this approach may be used for many common allergies.
Hay fever is a seasonal response to many different grass pollens which are heaviest in the spring and fall.
With 30 million pigs produced in Denmark each year genomics scientist at University of Copenhagen Haja Kadarmideen decided to turn this to his advantage with his latest research on people's eating habits surrounding obesity and diabetes.
and sometimes unhealthy) food and why some of us overeat so consequently developing obesity and diabetes both
and potentially develop diseases like obesity and diabetes. Thus addressing the question some humans may have a genetic disposition to overeat.
and treat this'unhealthy eating behaviour'as a disability issue. I believe more follow-up studies would strengthen our findings that some people cannot stop pigging out as it is written in their DNA.
and could one day be used to prevent the transmission of deadly vector-borne diseases such as malaria dengue West Nile virus and yellow fever.
and inconvenient for use in Africa and other parts of the world where hundreds of millions of people suffer from insect-transmitted diseases.
(More than a hundred compounds still await testing in Ray's lab.)The research was supported partially by the National institutes of health's National Institute of Allergy
and Infectious diseases (grants R56ai099778 and R01ai087785) and the National Institute of Neurological disorders and Stroke (grant R21ns074332) and internal funding from UCR.
#Protecting the weedy and wild kin of globally important cropsover the past few decades crop breeders have relied increasingly on the wild and weedy relatives of domesticated crops as new sources of disease resistance drought
and Florida gama grass a source of disease resistance and other useful traits in corn that is only found in Florida and Cuba.
and eggs and revealed its relationship with cervical and liver cancer in humans. The research won the National Award in Food Science
It explains that both types of cancer can be originated by the ingestion of food contaminated with aflatoxins produced by the fungi Aspergilus flavus and A. parasiticus.
and cervical cancer in humans therefore aflatoxins are a very important factor in triggering this diseases.
This research is the first in the world to report that cervical cancer can also be caused by ingesting aflatoxin contaminated food.
This carcinogenic has also been detected as a trigger of colorectal pancreatic breast and lung cancer. The specialist clarified that Human Papillomavirus is more carcinogenic and prone to trigger cervical cancer than aflatoxins.
The toxins-the researcher said-are in the water soil and airborne the fungi that produce them are an olive green mold that can be found in refrigerators besides they are very resistant to high temperatures.
and generate disease. To avoid these substances the UNAM researcher suggests properly storing food which would control the production of the toxin.
and prostate cancer to determine if there is an association with aflatoxins. These initiatives are promoted by the PNCTA (National Award in Food Science and Technology.
The hot flash the bane of menopausal women also can affect men who are undergoing hormone therapy for prostate cancer.
Hot flashes occur in approximately 80 percent of men who are undergoing hormone manipulation as treatment for prostate cancer.
The class of compounds studied includes those used by some plant pathogens to coordinate their attacks.
A freely available food supplement could help in this respect scientists from ETH Zurich have demonstrated in roundworms.
In roundworms these reactive oxygen species prolong life says Ristow. No scientific evidence for usefulness of antioxidantsthis might seem surprising as reactive oxygen species are considered generally to be unhealthy.
After all the metabolic pathway initiated by niacin is very similar in roundworms and higher organisms.
Ristow and his team's work now suggests that the activity of sirtuins actually prolongs life in roundworms.
Studying genetically modified roundworms that were unable to convert nicotinamide into certain other metabolic products the scientists did not observe any lifespan extension even after overexpression of sirtuins which otherwise lead to an increased life expectancy.
and a pathogen said Yan Liang a co-author of the study and postdoctoral fellow at MU.
The UN and the International Livestock Research Institute list trypanosomosis among the ten diseases of cattle with the greatest impact on the poor.
In Africa the disease is known as Nagana which translates literally as being in low or depressed spirits.
The disease is caused by a parasite that enters the animals'blood as a result of the bite of the Tsetse fly.
When they are infected Baoul cattle develop fever and lose weight but do not necessarily die. Their immune system is
and farmers as each type of trypanosome causes a slightly different disease progression and requires a different type of treatment.
Zebus produce more meat and milk than Baoul but fall severely ill when infected with trypanosomes.
and Zebus with such high parasite levels would have been too ill to be included in our study says Silbermayr.
and assess the environmental fate of emerging contaminant classes. There are a variety of bioactive pharmaceuticals
It just might be harder to characterize the adverse effects associated with contaminant exposures these days.
and vegetable consumption reduces all-cause mortality and especially cardiovascular disease mortality. The benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption are not a new discovery.
This reduction is more significant in the case of deaths from cardiovascular disease. The analysis recently published in the'American Journal of Epidemiology'was directed by researchers from ten countries including Spain as part of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC.
The sample analyzed includes 25682 deaths (10438 due to cancer and 5125 due to cardiovascular disease) among the 451151 participants studied over more than 13 years.
This study is the most significant epidemiological study that this association has examined to date Marã a Jos Sá
nchez P rez director of the Andalusian School of Public health's (EASP) Granada Cancer Registry and one of the authors of the research explains to SINC.
According to the results a combined fruit and vegetable consumption of more than 569 grams per day reduces the risk of mortality by 10
and vegetable consumption in accordance with the recommended daily allowance prevents the development of chronic diseases
%There is now sufficient evidence of the beneficial effect of fruit and vegetable consumption in the prevention of cancer and other chronic diseases Sá
Fruit for the hearta diet rich in fruit and vegetables reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality by 15%.
%Furthermore more than 4%of deaths due to cardiovascular disease could be prevented by consuming more than 400 grams of fruit and vegetables a day.
%With regard to cancer mortality no statistically significant risk reduction was found although it will be necessary to assess this according to specific types of cancer Sá
nchez adds. Nevertheless the expert highlights that given that fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with the risk of certain cancers--colon and rectal stomach lung etc.
--it is to be expected that their consumption will also have a positive effect on mortality due to these tumours.
Greater effect in people with bad habitsthe mortality risk reduction due to fruit and vegetable consumption was greater in those participants who consumed alcohol (around 30-40%risk reduction
and vegetables in preventing chronic diseases and their associated mortality risk Sánchez concludes. Story Source:
#Hope for halting incurable citrus diseasethe devastating disease Huonglongbing or citrus greening looms darkly over the United states threatening to wipe out the nation's citrus industry
Recently however a research team led by a University of California Davis plant scientist used DNA sequencing technologies to paint a broad picture of how citrus greening impacts trees before they even show signs of infection offering hope for developing diagnostic
tests and treatments for the currently incurable disease. Florida is seemingly in the death grip of citrus greening
and many experts believe it is just a matter of time before the disease appears full force in California said plant molecular biologist Abhaya Dandekar lead author on the study.
The new findings indicate that the bacterial disease interferes with starch and sugar metabolism in young
and matures leaves and fruit while also wreaking havoc with hormonal networks that are key to the trees'ability to fend of infections.
Because the disease has a long latent phase during which there are no symptoms of infection
and the bacteria are resistant to being grown in the laboratory the only option for halting transmission of citrus greening has been to apply chemical pesticides to control the insect that spreads the bacteria Dandekar said.
HLB or citrus greening is the most destructive citrus disease worldwide. It is caused by three species of the Candidatus Liberibacter bacteria including Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus
These disease-causing bacteria reside in the tree's phloem--the vascular tissue that carries vital nutrients throughout the tree.
The disease affects most citrus species causing yellowing of shoots blotchy and mottled leaves lopsided and poorly colored fruit and loss of viable seeds.
Other than one infected backyard tree found in 2012 in the Southern California community of Hacienda Heights the disease has not been detected in California.
In this new study the researchers studied four categories of healthy and diseased citrus trees with the goal of better understanding how HLB affects trees physiologically during the very early stages of infection.
Because these factors which normally accompany plant diseases were not present we suspected that the disease was causing metabolic imbalances
Their analysis confirmed that in infected trees HLB disease caused starch to accumulate in the leaves blocking nutrient transport through the phloem
or boosting the tree's innate immune response to effectively fight the infection. Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by University of California-Davis. Note:
#Model to study human response to bacteria that cause peptic ulcers developedresearchers at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech have developed a new large animal model to study how the immune system interacts with the stomach bacterium Helicobacter pylori the leading
cause of peptic ulcer disease. The discovery in the October edition of the journal Infection and Immunity may inform changes in the ways doctors treat patients.
An estimated 4 million Americans have sores in the stomach lining known as peptic ulcers according to the American Gastroenterological Association.
Although the bacterium is found in more than half the world s population most people do not develop diseases.
However some experience chronic inflammation of the stomach or gastritis which can lead to the development of ulcers or cancer.
In addition to its role as a pathogen the bacteria have beneficial effects preventing certain chronic inflammatory and metabolic diseases including Type 2 diabetes and obesity.
When bacteria reside within host cells the immune system typically recruits a type of white blood cell called T cells#in this case CD8+cytotoxic T cells#to destroy the infected cells.
In patients with H. pylori-associated gastritis higher numbers of cytotoxic T cells are present indicating that these cells may contribute to the development of gastric lesions.
To study immune responses in H. pylori-mediated disease researchers at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute s Nutritional Immunology
and gerbil models of H. pylori infection. However the rise of the cells in pigs mirrors the recent findings in human clinical studies.#
Laboratory and the Center for Modeling Immunity to Enteric Pathogens. The results from our new pig model closely mimic
Researchers within the Center for Modeling Immunity to Enteric Pathogens are using results from the pig model and other experimental data to develop a computational model of H. pylori infection.
Such modeling efforts aim to develop faster more efficient ways to predict initiation progression and outcomes of infection.
The Center for Modeling Immunity to Enteric Pathogens is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases part of the National institutes of health under Contract No.
Additionally there is also contamination of soil and waterways by agricultural chemicals as well as carbon costs because of vehicles and artificial fertiliser necessary to maintain the pasture.
(and less runoff) encourages predators of harmful animals minimizes greenhouse gas emissions improves job satisfaction for farm workers reduces injury
enigma of why melatonin has metabolic benefits in treating diabetes and hyperlipidemia. In earlier publications the researchers analysed the effects of melatonin on obesity dyslipidemia high blood pressure
and type 2 diabetes mellitus associated with obesity in young obese diabetic Zucker rats--an experimental model of metabolic syndrome.
In view of their most recent results it seems the key lies in the fact that chronic melatonin consumption not only induces the appearance of'beige fat'in obese diabetic rats
but also increases its presence in thin animals used as a control group.''Beige fat'cells are found in scattered lentil-sized deposits beneath the inguinal skin in obese diabetic Zucker rats.
Melatonin is a natural hormone segregated by the human body itself and melatonin levels generally increase in the dark at night.
and prevent cardiovascular diseases associated with obesity and dyslipidemia. The study--coordinated by University of Granada lecturer Ahmad Agil--showed that chronic administration of melatonin sensitizes the thermogenic effect of exposure to cold heightens the thermogenic effect of exercise
to confirm these findings in humans by administering melatonin to help combat obesity and diabetes.
#Sports medicine specialists make pitch to prevent overuse injuries in young athletesit stands to reason that young people who play organized sports are going to get injured.
But while young athletes are susceptible to the ankle sprains wrist fractures and other acute injuries that are common among competitors of all ages numerous studies indicate that approximately half of the sports-related injuries among children
and adolescents in this country are caused by overuse. These injuries--pitcher's elbow swimmer's shoulder runner's knee tennis elbow tendinitis--are the result of repetitive stress on tendons bones and joints.
Because they develop gradually over time they are not as obvious as bruises or breaks and can be more difficult to diagnose and treat.
Overuse injuries in young people are said definitely preventable Dr. David Martin an orthopedic surgeon at Wake Forest Baptist Medical center.
But the incidence of overuse injuries in young athletes has increased at a much quicker rate across all sports for reasons that are no mystery to sports medicine experts.
and more overuse injuries than you normally would see. Playing different sports on the other hand is good for young people on multiple levels said Dr. Daryl Rosenbaum who specializes in family medicine and sports medicine at Wake Forest Baptist.
You also want to avoid an overuse type of injury. It's tough to go pro
That view is echoed by Dr. Michael Freehill a Wake Forest Baptist orthopedic surgeon who specializes in shoulder injuries and assists as team physician for the Winston-salem Dash.
or shoulder as you would by playing the same sport all the time Proper rest is also a key factor in minimizing the risk of overuse injuries.
But Martin for one believes that overuse injuries can be taken out of the picture. The key is said education he.
and coaches to recognize the signs of overuse to catch things before they develop into real injury.
We need to be doing it with overuse injuries too and I think that will come.
and chronic movement disorders resembling Parkinson's disease. It is also a developmental toxicant that has been shown to impair fetal development
either selectively neutral in wild plants or if they have a benefit it depends on environmental factors like insects diseases
and tested the effectiveness of a new apple snack impregnated with tangerine juice that reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in obese children
and in the long term prevent diseases such as atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of the arteries caused by the accumulation of fat cholesterol
while also helping to prevent embolisms--the spread of air pockets in the tree. In wood fallen to the forest floor it controls the rate that fungi advance through the wood cells to cause decay
It is accepted generally that acid rain harms trees but the value of our study is that it proves the causal link between the chronic loss of soil calcium caused by decades of acid rain
and now this demand is being linked to the contamination of Central america's crocodilians. New research published in Environmental Toxicology
In Costa rica which ranks second in the world for intensity of pesticide use the problem of contamination is compounded by environmental conditions and lax enforcement of regulations.
Frequent heavy rains can wash pesticides from plantation areas leading to contamination and the reapplication of sprays to the crops said Grant.
or washing application equipment in rivers also contributes to contamination downstream. The team collected blood samples from 14 adult caiman and analyzed them for traces of 70 types of pesticide.
MRSA bacteria are resistant to antimicrobial agents that are essential for treatment of treating life-threatening infections in humans.
Otherwise healthy people may carry MRSA without showing any symptoms or signs of infection. The problem with people who are carrying MRSA is that the bacteria can spread at hospitals if not discovered in time.
Of the 1556 people positive 54%had an infection when MRSA was identified. In immunosuppressed people or hospitalized patients MRSA can lead to serious infections.
As in previous years the number of hospital acquired cases continued to be very low:
whom 92 had an infection at the time of diagnosis (63 in 2011). The continued increase in the number of cases of MRSA particularly in people who are in contact with pigfarms causes problems both for those affected
MRSA guidelines are effective The low incidence of hospital-acquired infections indicates that the Danish regulations function very well
and the occurrence of this MRSA type in tank milk may be attributable to contamination from pig production explains Yvonne Agersã¸Senior Researcher at National Food Institute Technical University of Denmark.
Staphylococcus aureus can cause a wide range of infections ranging from superficial wounds and abscesses to serious infections such as Osteitis and Endocarditis.
In hospitals Staphylococcus aureus is the most frequent cause of post-surgery infections. In 2012 MRSA was identified in 1556 people.
Of those infected with pig-type MRSA 92 (40%)had an infection when the diagnosis was made compared to 62 (38%)in 2011.
The risk of meat constituting a source of MRSA infection in humans is considered still to be very small.
and further understand diseases attacking the muscular system. But logistically looking at the protein structures within a moth's muscle cells is no easy task.
but it can also mean suffering from seasonal allergies seasonal allergies. Ragweed pollen and lingering mold can create double the symptoms for some allergy sufferers.
The daunting task of yard work can be favorable for allergy sufferers if they know how to reduce allergens in the areas surrounding the home said allergist Richard Weber MD president of the American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).
Many people think you can only control the environment inside the home but there are also precautions you can take to help eliminate allergens outside as well.
While completely avoiding pollen and mold is an impossible feat the following tips from ACAAI allergists allergists can help you breathe a little easier.
if you have pollen allergies. Pollen counts are the highest during this time making early morning and evening hours more suitable.
and shirts to prevent skin irritation while keeping allergy-causing stinging insects away. Choose Wisely--The worst allergy offenders might be in your own yard.
If you are considering adding new trees grasses and plants into your landscape be sure they aren't the worst offenders.
While everyone's allergies are different these are typically safe:#¢#¢Trees: Apple Dogwood Pear Plum Begonia flower#¢Plants and Flowers:
Taking allergy medication long before you head into the great outdoors can help suppress allergy symptoms.
For those with severe seasonal allergies an allergist may prescribe immunotherapy also known as allergy shots which provide great relief.
The above story is provided based on materials by American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI.
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