The veterinary fences--which had been built to keep wild buffalo from transferring diseases to cattle--were taken down in 2004.
#First probable person to person transmission of new bird flu virus in China; But H7n9 is not able to spread efficiently between humansthe first report of probable person to person transmission of the new avian influenza A (H7n9) virus in Eastern China has just been published.
The findings provide the strongest evidence yet of H7n9 transmission between humans but the authors stress that its ability to transmit itself is limited and non-sustainable.
Avian influenza A (H7n9) virus was identified recently in Eastern China. As of 30 june 2013 133 cases have been reported resulting in 43 deaths.
or had close contact with live poultry 7-10 days before illness onset. Currently no definite evidence indicates sustained human-to-human transmission of the H7n9 virus. The study reports a family cluster of two patients (father and daughter) with H7n9 virus infection in Eastern China in March 2013.
and tested for influenza virus. Of these one (a son in law who helped care for the father) had mild illness but all contacts tested negative for H7n9 infection.
but say that the most likely explanation for this family cluster of two cases with H7n9 infection is that the virus transmitted directly from the index patient to his daughter.
They believe that the most likely source of infection for the index case was the live poultry market and conclude:
Our findings reinforce that the novel virus possesses the potential for pandemic spread. So does this imply that H7n9 has come one step closer towards adapting fully to humans ask James Rudge
while this study might not suggest that H7n9 is any closer to delivering the next pandemic it does provide a timely reminder of the need to remain extremely vigilant:
whether the novel avian influenza virus possesses the capability to transmit person-to-person. She concludes that the infection of the daughter is likely to have resulted from her father during unprotected exposure
and suggest that the virus possesses the ability to transmit person-to-person in this cluster. She does add
however that the infection was limited and non-sustainable as there is no outbreak following the two cases.
#Illinois scientists put cancer-fighting power back into frozen broccolithere was bad news then good news from University of Illinois broccoli researchers this month.
In the first study they learned that frozen broccoli lacks the ability to form sulforaphane the cancer-fighting phytochemical in fresh broccoli.
As little as three to five servings of broccoli a week provides a cancer-protective benefit but that isn't true for bags of broccoli that you pluck out of your grocery's freezer she noted.
which is necessary to form sulforaphane the powerful cancer-preventive compound in broccoli she said.
and sell a product that has the cancer-fighting component that it lacked before he said.
and it will retain its cancer-fighting capabilities Dosz said. Jeffery hopes that food processors will be eager to adopt this process
Until they do said she that consumers can spice up their frozen cooked broccoli with another food that contains myrosinase to bring the cancer-fighting super-food up to nutritional speed.
But research by a team of University of Maryland biologists shows the timber rattlesnake indirectly benefits humankind by keeping Lyme disease in check.
Human cases of Lyme disease a bacterial illness that can cause serious neurological problems if left untreated are on the rise.
The disease is spread by black-legged ticks which feed on infected mice and other small mammals. Foxes and other mammal predators help control the disease by keeping small mammal populations in check.
The decline of these mammal predators may be a factor in Lyme disease's prevalence among humans.
Timber rattlers are also top predators in Eastern forests and their numbers are also falling so former University of Maryland graduate student Edward Kabay wanted to know
whether the rattlers also play a role in controlling Lyme disease. Kabay used published studies of timber rattlers'diets at four Eastern forest sites to estimate the number of small mammals the snakes consume
Because not every human bitten by an infected tick develops Lyme disease the team did not estimate how many people are spared the disease because of the ecosystem service that timber rattlesnakes provide.
which is used medicinally to treat many ailments from stomachaches to reducing malaria fevers. Specifically analyzing harvesting effects on the tree in both dry
The study could help scientists understand how gene regulation differs from one person to the next explaining why genes that cause disease in some people don't have that effect in others.
Our study results show that only milk was able to reduce acidity of dental plaque resulting from consuming sugary Froot Loops said Naval who is currently a fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
In a new study in the Journal of Animal Science researchers in Europe studied how different types of flooring affects claw and limb lesions locomotion and flooring cleanliness.
Locomotory problems can be caused by joint injuries or by circulatory problems in the legs and feet.
The researchers scored locomotion and claw and limb lesion of the replacement gilts and flooring cleanliness periodically.
and heel lesions. Calderã n-DÃ az said these lesions were caused possibly by slurry accumulation over the rubber mats.
She said these lesions were not severe and could be addressed through modifications of the rubber slat mats.
In the European union pregnant sows must be housed group four weeks after breeding until one week before farrowing.
because adolescence is a very vulnerable time for developing psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia and addiction.
They chose to work with carbaryl a popular household insecticide that also is used for malaria prevention.
Return of wolves aids grizzly bears in Yellowstonea new study suggests that the return of wolves to Yellowstone national park is beginning to bring back a key part of the diet of grizzly bears that has been missing for much of the past century--berries that help bears
Berries are one part of a diverse food source that aids bear survival and reproduction and at certain times of the year can be more than half their diet in many places in North america.
#Head hits can be reduced in youth footballless contact during practice could mean a lot less exposure to head injuries for young football players according to researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical center and Virginia Tech.
Funding for the study was provided by the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Tech-Wake Forest University School of Biomedical engineering and Sciences.
To identify the virus in this family that will most effectively control the Guatemalan potato moth The french-Ecuadorian research team have analysed the pathogens among moths from all over the world.
and to the entire organism of the host causing a lethal infection within two or three days.
Health habits such as eating and sleep patterns are linked to academic success according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Writing in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry researchers demonstrate the contamination of Pacific Tree Fogs in remote mountain areas including national parks;
As with other amphibians agrochemicals potentially pose a threat to chorus frogs as exposure to pesticides can decrease their immune system thereby increasing the risk of disease.
what may be a key to unraveling some of the mysteries of White Nose Syndrome: the closest known non-disease causing relatives of the fungus that causes WNS.
These fungi many of them still without formal Latin names live in bat hibernation sites and even directly on bats but they do not cause the devastating disease that has killed millions of bats in the eastern United states. Researchers hope to use these fungi to understand why one fungus can be deadly to bats
while its close relatives are benign. The study by Andrew Minnis and Daniel Lindner both with the U s. Forest Service's Northern Research Station in Madison Wis. outlines research on the evolution of species related to the fungus
Ultimately we hope to use this information to be able to interrupt the ability of this fungus to cause disease.
This research increases our confidence that this disease-causing fungus is in fact an invasive species Bayless said Its presence among bats in Europe where it does not cause mass mortality could suggest hope for bats suffering from this devastating wildlife disease.
White Nose Syndrome was observed first in 2006 in a cave in Upstate New york . Since then it has spread to 22 states in the United states
but may include a low level of genetic variability and/or inbreeding disease biotoxins pollutants food supply limitations and habitat loss.
which were tested then for their ability to resist infection with Nosema ceranae--a parasite of adult honey bees that has been linked to a lethal phenomenon known as colony collapse disorder.
The miticides used to control Varroa mites also harmed the bees'ability to withstand parasitic infection.
The study's findings are not directly related to colony collapse disorder the still-unexplained phenomenon in which entire honey bee colonies suddenly die.
Pig receiving chemotherapy for lymphoma successfully recoveringplayful as a puppy even at 730 pounds Nemo a rescued black-and-white Hampshire pig became a porcine pioneer after lymphoma struck.
Undergoing a novel care plan he became a teaching case for veterinary oncologists at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals paving the way to combat cancer in large animals.
Nemo is believed to be the first pig to be treated for lymphoma. The pig's medical treatment began
and laid down in the snow Goldner drove Nemo nearly four hours to Cornell's hospital where the pig was diagnosed with presumptive B-cell lymphoma a blood cancer.
while minimizing harm. Resident Emily Barrell selected and delivered the chemotherapeutic drugs. Although lymphoma has been documented in swine there aren't any documented cases of pigs being treated for it said Cornell hospital oncologist Cheryl Balkman.
We adapted a treatment plan based on what we know is effective in dogs cats and humans with lymphoma.
Nemo's clinical signs soon resolved and he has continued to do well during long-term treatment. Though little is known about the prognosis for pigs with cancer Nemo has the notable distinction of establishing a precedent giving veterinarians valuable information for helping large animals.
Since arriving in March Nemo has resided at Cornell's hospital for animals. He has a better life there said Goldner.
and put themselves at risk of injury. Manore is professor of nutrition in the College of Public health
and can readily be produced mass--can be engineered to produce molecules that can cure parasitic diseases.
and whether it helped curb the appeal of tobacco emphasise its harms and boost thoughts of quitting among smokers.
They were asked also how often they thought about the harms of smoking and about quitting smoking
if they thought the harms of smoking had been exaggerated. The results indicated that perception of exaggerated tobacco harm or the frequency with
or social contagion suggest the authors. But they conclude: The finding that smokers smoking from a plain pack evidenced more frequent thought about
One of her creations gold nanoshells is the subject of several clinical trials for cancer treatment.
The study published in Nature Publishing Group's Scientific Reports looked at the frequency of'micronuclei'--a telltale sign of chromosomal damage (that has been shown by others previously to be linked to cancer) by screening more than 400000 individual cells extracted from urine samples
which has caused devastating health impacts including cancers in many parts of the world. The authors say their work raises considerable concerns about health impacts of consuming high arsenic rice as a staple particularly by people with relatively poor nutritional status--perhaps as many as a few hundred million people.
In the absence of contamination rice is stored an easily food that provides essential energy vitamins
Increased frequency of these micronuclei has been shown by other groups to be linked to the development of cancers.
The camp is for children with diabetes ages 6-12. Campers were offered a nutritionally balanced daily menu
Ann Wolf executive director of the diabetes Camp Hertko Hollow who worked with researchers on the field study is interested in adding a permanent digital display for next summer's camp.
and manage their diabetes to live a long and healthy life. Using digital displays to boost salestargeting kids at camp
and practices the researchers used RWE to measure the cumulative risk of injury due to linear and rotational acceleration separately as well as the combined probability of injury associated with both.
We know that young players are constantly experiencing low-level hits that don't cause visible injury
Concussion is the most common sports-related head injury with football players having the highest rate among high school athletes according to the study.
and rotational acceleration alone as well as to the combined probability of injury associated with both. This is an improved method of capturing the cumulative effects from each impact
and the associated risk of injury Stitzel said. All hits involve both linear and rotational acceleration
Studies like this are vital to understanding the biomechanical basis of head injuries related to football Stitzel said.
The study was funded by the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma. Co-authors are Jillian Urban M. S. Elizabeth Davenport B. S. Adam Golman M. S. Joseph Maldjian M d. Christopher Whitlow M d. and Alexander Powers
#Irish potato famine-causing pathogen even more virulent nowthe plant pathogen that caused The irish potato famine in the 1840s lives on today with a different genetic blueprint
or sets of all genes of five 19th century strains of the Phytophthora infestans pathogen with modern strains of the pathogen
and 1880s were quite different from modern-day P. infestans genes including some genes in modern plants that make the pathogen more virulent than the historical strains.
and genes related to infection were also quite different Ristaino says. In the areas of the genome that today control virulence we found little similarity with historical strains suggesting that the pathogen has evolved in response to human actions like breeding more disease-resistant potatoes.
Some of the differences between the European historical samples from the 1840s and the 1870s and 1880s suggest that the pathogen was brought to Europe more than once debunking the theory that the pathogen was introduced once
and then expanded its range. Ristaino believes it was introduced to Europe multiple times probably from South american ships.
P. infestans caused massive and debilitating late-blight disease outbreaks in Europe leaving starvation and migration in its wake after ravaging Ireland in the mid-to-late 1840s.
Ristaino's previous work pointed the finger at the 1a strain of P. infestans as The irish potato-famine pathogen
and attempts to control the pathogen Ristaino says. Late blight is still a major threat to global food security in the developing world she adds.
Knowing how the pathogen genome has changed over time will help modern-day farmers better manage the disease.
and to control the spread of disease. A new study to be published in Nature's The ISME Journal reveals the profound effect it has on enriching soil with bacteria fungi and protozoa.
and diseases boosting yield said Professor Philip Poole from the John Innes Centre. Soil was collected from a field near Norwich
The scientists also grew an oat variety unable to produce normal levels of avenacin a compound that protects roots from fungal pathogens.
His study revealed that tomato peels can effectively remove different contaminants in water including dissolved organic
#Bees under threat from disease-carrying bumblebee imports, research revealsstricter controls over bumblebee imports to the UK are required urgently to prevent diseases spreading to native bumblebees
and honeybees scientists have warned. The call follows the discovery of parasites in over three-quarters of imported bumblebee colonies they tested.
All were meant to be disease-free but when they were tested using DNA technology 77%of the colonies were found to be carrying parasites.
Although the licences require colonies to be disease free colonies arriving in the UK are screened not to ensure compliance
The study argues that producers need to improve disease screening and develop a parasite-free diet for their bees
The introduction of more or new parasite infections will at a minimum exacerbate this and could quite possibly directly drive declines.#
When a plant is domesticated it acquires a suite of traits called the domestication syndrome that made it easier to grow as a crop.
In rice the syndrome includes loss of shattering (the seeds don't break off the central grain stalk before harvest) increase in seed size
Because the weedy forms are closely related to rice varieties that were grown never in the U s. they probably arrived as contaminants in grain stocks from Asia instead of evolving directly from the tropical japonica crops grown here.
The study while not primarily focused on plant disease population growth climate change or the diversion of corn to non-food uses such as ethanol suggests that significant stresses in these areas could jeopardize food security.
if major exporters experience disruptions due to non-food diversions plant diseases and climate impacts according to the article.
which the authors say supports the hypothesis that stressed bees leave the hive altruistically to prevent the spread of infection.
After a few days the effect of infection on bees and their behavior was monitored. Parasitization caused changes in the levels of active genes in the brains of infected bees.
Twenty genes were common between the two infections and several of the up-regulated genes are involved in oxidative stress neural function and foraging behavior.
Parasitized bees also tended to have a higher viral infection as well adding to their disease burden
The levels of these chemicals was altered by infection with either the endo -or ectoparasite nevertheless infected bees were treated as normal by other bees--social interactions including antennal contact grooming feeding
and 65 percent of the insect and pathogen invaders included in this study colonize hardwood tree species said Liebhold a research entomologist with the U s. Forest Service's Northern Research Station.
and pathogens in North america has likely been facilitated by the similarity of the flora among these three continents the study suggests.
There are plenty of highly-damaging invasive species in Western United states forests such as sudden oak death and white pine blister rust according to Frankel a plant pathologist with the Forest Service's Pacific Southwest Research Station.
and prevent inflammation diarrhea and other intestinal conditions. This essential ecosystem provides an important balance between health and disease in the body.
Fructooligosaccharides also increase calcium absorption in the body an important consideration for pre-and postmenopausal women ages 45 and older who are losing critical bone mass that increases their risk for osteoporosis and bone fractures.
The regular addition of scfos to the diet is ideal for maintaining mineral density and (bone) strength said Phillip Allsopp Ph d. research associate at the University of Ulster in Coleraine Ireland.
For example an interfering RNA might have unintended the effect of suppressing the action of a gene needed for reproduction in a beneficial species. Standard laboratory testing would detect no harm
--which means that they have to withstand herbivores pathogens and competitors to persist in a community.
#How cranberries impact infection-causing bacteriaconsuming cranberry products has been associated anecdotally with prevention of urinary tract infections (UTIS) for over 100 years.
which cranberries may impart protective properties against urinary tract and other infections. Two new studies spearheaded by Prof.
The experiments also show that increasing concentrations of cranberry powder reduce the bacteria's production of urease an enzyme that contributes to the virulence of infections.
because bacterial movement is a key mechanism for the spread of infection as infectious bacteria literally swim to disseminate in the urinary tract
While the effects of cranberry in living organisms remain subject to further study our findings highlight the role that cranberry consumption might play in the prevention of chronic infections Tufenkji says.
and antibiotic treatment remains the standard approach for managing these infections. The current rise of bacterial resistance to antibiotics underscores the importance of developing another approach.
#New risk factors for bowel cancerfizzy drinks cakes biscuits chips and desserts have all been identified as risk factors for bowel cancer according to new research.
The study is the first of its kind to find a positive link between the disease
Scientists reported links with some established risk factors of colorectal cancer#such as family history of cancer physical activity and smoking.
The study#which used data from the Scottish Colorectal Cancer Study#carried out in 2012 builds on previous research into the link between bowel cancer and diet.
The healthy dietary pattern was found to be associated with a decreased colorectal cancer risk while the western dietary pattern was found to be associated with an increased risk.
While the positive associations between a diet high in sugar and fat and colorectal cancer do not automatically imply'cause
Powdery mildew is one of the most dreaded plant diseases: The parasitic fungus afflicts crops such as wheat
Moreover the data provides fresh insights into the crop history of wheat and barley and their interaction with the mildew pathogen.
Asexual reproduction as a success model seems to be characteristic of many parasitic fungi including those that afflict humans such as athlete's foot.
Arthritis#infection#numerous maladies come to mind. But a Kansas State university researcher found that inflammation that occurs naturally in dairy cows the first few days after giving birth may play a surprisingly beneficial role in the complex process of going from late pregnancy to lactation.
We also know that many disorders including metabolic diseases such as ketosis and fatty liver occur during this time of transition.
Thinking that reducing inflammation during this period might be beneficial for the cow's transition from gestation to lactation plus limit metabolic disease Bradford
or SS) for the first seven days of lactation would prevent liver fat accumulation improve the supply of glucose for lactation and limit metabolic disease in dairy cows entering lactation.
Both of these responses are associated often with metabolic disease in early lactation cows. The study improved our understanding of the re-prioritization process by suggesting that inflammatory pathways promote a temporary state of insulin resistance in dairy cows resulting in conservation of glucose for use by the mammary gland Bradford said.
and Agriculture indicate that inflammation-induced insulin resistance is in some cases an adaptive rather than pathological phenomenon.
Rather than thinking of mild inflammation as a disease-inducing factor we think there may be times during life where some inflammation is advantageous or necessary.
#Snakes devour more mosquito-eating birds as climate change heats forestsmany birds feed on mosquitoes that spread the West Nile virus a disease that killed 286 people in the United states in 2012 according to the Centers
for Disease Control. Birdsalso eat insects that can be agricultural pests. However rising temperatures threaten wild birds including the Missouri-native Acadian flycatcher by making snakes more active according to University of Missouri biologist John Faaborg.
Low survival in the Ozark nests harms bird numbers in other areas Faaborg said. Birds hatched in the Ozark forest spread out to colonize the rest of the state and surrounding region.
#Whole chickens from farmers markets may have more pathogenic bacteriaraw whole chickens purchased from farmers markets throughout Pennsylvania contained significantly higher levels of bacteria that can cause foodborne illness compared to those purchased from grocery stores in the region
We hope this small study will lead to more extensive research to determine why we are seeing the levels of pathogens in these products
Cutter and Scheinberg speculate that interventions such as antimicrobial rinses can lower pathogen levels on poultry carcasses.
and federal regulations and emphasize the need for antimicrobial interventions to prevent a higher prevalence of pathogens.
Bacteria that cause foodborne illness such as Campylobacter and Salmonella are destroyed by proper cooking of poultry products;
however they also can cause cross-contamination if they come in contact with other foods through contaminated cutting boards sinks countertops or utensils.
and to control disease in otherwise healthy animals being raised in crowded or unhygienic conditions that promote disease.
Wallinga argues that contrary to claims by some in the livestock and drug industries routine antibiotics are not necessary for animal health.
Based on a growing body of evidence almost every European and North american public health authority agrees that routine antibiotic use in animal food production likely worsens the epidemic of resistance he writes.
#3-D-printed splint saves infants lifehalf a millennium after Johannes Gutenberg printed the bible researchers printed a 3d splint that saved the life of an infant born with severe tracheobronchomalacia a birth defect that causes the airway
In addition to tracheobronchomalacia pigs have been biomedical models for muscular dystrophy diabetes and other diseases. The team chose to use two-month-old pigs for this study
His success story provides hope for other children born with this disorder an estimated 1 in 2100 births.
I think it's very rewarding to all of us to know that we are contributing to helping treat or even cure this disease.
More data from Wheeler's large animal trials will be essential to show the long-term viability of this procedure before it can be used to save the lives of other children born with this disorder.
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