Sunday, November 27, 2016

Protein feed and bioplastic from farm biogas.

Protein feed and bioplastic from farm biogas. A new solution has been developed for converting even small sources of methane-rich biogas into raw materials for animal feed or bioplastic on farms, landfills and wastewater treatment plants. This emission-reducing solution is based on the ability of methanotrophic bacteria to grow on methane in gas fermentors. Methane-rich biogas is generated on farms, landfills and wastewater treatment plants in anaerobic digestion of biological material. Until now, the processing of such gas into biomethane has only been viable on large biogas-producing sites; small biogas sources such as farms have remained largely unexploited. Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT), has developed a solution for converting even small sources of methane-rich biogas into raw materials for animal feed or bioplastic on farms, landfills and wastewater treatment plants. This emission-reducing solution is based on the ability of methanotrophic bacteria to grow on methane in gas fermentors. Methane-rich biogas is generated on farms, landfills and wastewater treatment plants in anaerobic digestion of biological material. Until now, the processing of such gas into biomethane has only been viable on large biogas-producing sites; small biogas sources such as farms have remained largely unexploited. The method developed by VTT would reduce emissions, increase the use of biogas and improve protein self-sufficiency. It is based on the ability of methanotrophic bacteria to grow in aerobic conditions in gas fermentors, using methane as the source for carbon and energy. The process is as follows: The methane gas generated by anaerobic digestion is fed into a gas fermentor. A growth medium containing the methanotrophic bacteria circulates through the pipes of the gas fermentor, creating a single-cell protein biomass with a protein content of around 60%. The cell mass is filtered, pasteurised and dried. The methanotrophic bacteria and (depending on the growth conditions) cell mass may also contain polyhydroxybutyrate plastic (PHB) -- a natural substance in the cells that enables them to store conserve energy. For example, PHB can be used as a raw material for biodegradable packaging material, instead of oil-based and non-biodegradable plastics such as polypropylene (PP). The cell mass may contain 50% half of the PHB, in which case the protein content is around 30%. Extraction is used to separate the PHB and protein fractions from the dried cell mass.

Ammonia-rich bird waste cools the atmosphere.

Ammonia-rich bird waste cools the atmosphere.It turns out bird feces helps cool the Arctic. That’s according to new research by atmospheric scientists, who are working to better understand key components of Arctic climate systems. New research from Colorado State University atmospheric scientists, who are working to better understand key components of Arctic climate systems.Publishing in Nature Communications and featured by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Associate Professor of Atmospheric Science Jeff Pierce and graduate student Jack Kodros present evidence linking ammonia emissions from summertime Arctic seabird-colony excrement, called guano, to newly formed atmospheric aerosol particles. These particles can in turn influence Arctic cloud properties and their effects on climate. Clouds play a key role in modulating Arctic temperature; thus, understanding factors that influence clouds is essential, Pierce says. Central to the development of clouds is the availability of cloud condensation nuclei -- small atmospheric particles around which water can condense. Using a combination of observations and computer modeling, Pierce, Kodros and co-authors at Dalhousie University, University of Toronto, and Environment and Climate Change Canada determined that migratory-seabird colonies have a definitive influence on atmospheric particles and clouds in the pristine summertime Arctic. They report the presence of summertime bursts of atmospheric particles linked to ammonia emissions from seabird-colony guano. These particles can spread throughout the Arctic, fostering cloud-droplet formation, and in turn reflect sunlight back to space for a net cooling effect. This newly identified and fascinating ecological-atmospheric connection highlights the interconnectedness of the many components of Earth's climate system. MORE

Turning sugar waste into light, and job opportunities.

How to turn sugar waste into light, and job opportunities.An alternate use for sugarcane waste has been proposed by a research team in India. Sugar is falling out of favor around the world, sugarcane residue is becoming a useful commodity. From Britain to Mexico, countries are considering sugar taxes to reduce consumption and curb the global obesity epidemic. In 2014, about 600 million people, roughly double the population of the United States, were obese. Addressing the problem earlier this year, the World Health Organization pointed the finger at high sugar consumption, in particular through sugar-sweetened beverages. At the same time, sugar industry associations and sugarcane growers warn for huge job losses if countries discourage their citizens from consuming sugar. In South Africa, for example, the industry warns that a mooted sugar tax will cut at least 60,000 jobs. Indian researchers have found a new use for sugarcane pulp, as a source of highly fluorescent carbon quantum dots, in a study published in Applied Surface Science. This alternate use of sugarcane waste, or bagasse, could not only reduce the amount of agricultural waste contaminating the environment but also offers a new revenue stream for farmers. The scientists developed a simple, low-cost and efficient method for green synthesis of fluorescent carbon quantum dots from sugarcane bagasse. These dots are tiny carbon nanoparticles, which are about four nanometers across. For an idea of scale, 110 billion of these dots, more than the number of stars in the Milky Way, would fit on the head of a pin. They emit light and are non-toxic, carbon quantum dots can serve as biosensors, in light-emitting diodes and even to deliver drugs around the human body. For example, researchers have injected liquids containing carbon quantum dots into a living body to image it from the inside. This research demonstrates a new method of producing these versatile nanoparticles. To begin with, the Indian team cut the sugarcane bagasse into small pieces and sun-dried it for six days. After burning the dry bagasse, they chemically oxidized and exfoliated it. While this approach produces a useful substance, it also removes agricultural waste from the environment. More than 90 countries produce sugarcane, and by extension, sugarcane waste. Huge quantities of agricultural residues -- rice husks, sugarcane bagasse and coconut husks -- are produced annually around the world, and these are vastly underutilized. Continue

Saturday, November 26, 2016

AGRIBUSINESS: Benefits of powdered eggs and how to use it.

Egg powder is your delicious choice when you need to prepare an egg recipe fast .The powder contains all the nutrients eggs offer plus one extra factor,its handy. This is how to use the powder You can serve with any food you desire.

 Why should you use egg powder:
 1) Ease of use.

 2) Handy

 3)Convenience

 4) Affordable

 5) Readily available.

 Eggs are very nutritious and vital for growth and development.Eggs contain essential nutrients and vitamins that propels growth and increase in intelligent quotient(I.Q),which is why its essential for growing children.

Eggs can be referred to as a power-food because of its immense benefits and its also called a power pill. Eggs contains 77 calories,6 grams of protein and 5 grams of healthy fat.Eggs are rich in omega-3-fatty acid, vit A,B2,B12,B5,B6,E,D and K.

It also contains folate,calcium zinc,phosphorus and selenium.Eggs also contain all the essential amino acids in the right ratio so that our bodies are equipped to utilize them. The egg yolk contains lutein and zeaxanthin which reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration in the aged. Choline is also vital component of egg and its used to build cell membrane ,with the major role of producing signal molecules in the brain.

Eggs are essential for brain health because of the role of choline. Eggs can be referred to as a magic pill because of the nutrients it contains,but also because of the magic of presentation and various uses.Eggs are useful in the pharmaceutical industry,beauty industry, creative arts and food and beverage industry.

 Eggs can be presented in powdered form to extend the shelve-life,make it handy and easy to store. Eggs can be powdered as whole eggs,thats the egg white and yolk together. Eggs can also be separated into egg white and egg yolk and powdered separately.

The advantage of this is that different industries use the yolk and egg white separately as a raw material for their products,thus this separation will reduce cost and prevent waste Powdered whole eggs are handy and cost effective.

The powdered eggs can be packed easily without the risk of cracks and transported long distances.The whole powdered eggs gives same nutritious value as shelled eggs but more volume than the shelled eggs.

 The powdered whole eggs can be prepared with water or milk depending on taste and can be used for various dishes. HOW TO USE THE EGG POWDER.

 1) Pour the sachet in a clean bowl,the number of sachet will
depend on the number of people to eat it.

 2) Add water /milk to the powder,depending on preference and dish.

 3) Mix until fluffy and fry. 4) Serve as desired. A 10g sachet can serve 2 adult  but a 10g sachet will serve 3 children.

If you leave it to stand for a minute after mixing before you fry, it will serve more people.

 The egg powder is economical as well as easy to prepare and cheap. Call for yours today @ 50 naira/10g sachet.

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Your dog is watching you very carefully and remembers what you do.

Your dog is watching you very carefully and remembers what you do. Humans have episodic memory, and that’s pretty easy to prove, because we can use our words to describe the past events we recall. Demonstrating that animals have it is much more difficult. But now researchers in Hungary say they’ve found evidence that dogs have episodic-like memory (they added the “like” because they acknowledge they cannot get inside a dog’s head to absolutely confirm this), specifically when it comes to remembering. When it comes to having a short memory and getting easily distracted, dogs often get a bad rap. A study out Wednesday suggests their recall ability may be deeper than previously thought. In fact, they appear to be able to remember what people did in the recent past, said the report in Current Biology.This kind of recall is known as episodic memory -- the ability to mentally travel back in time and remember details about an event. It has been shown to exist in humans and primates, but never in dogs until now. "It is not possible to simply ask them, 'Do you remember what happened this morning?'" said lead researcher Claudia Fugazza. So she adapted a training technique she pioneered called "Do As I Do" for the study, which allows dogs to answer with their behavior. According to the method, dogs are trained to imitate human behavior. A person may stand on a chair, leap in the air, or tap an umbrella. continue

Melbourne 'thunderstorm asthma' kills two.

Melbourne 'thunderstorm asthma' kills two. Two people have died in Melbourne, Australia, from a rare phenomenon known as "thunderstorm asthma", after a storm hit the city late on Monday local time. Paramedics and hospitals were stretched to their limits as thousands phoned to report breathing problems. The trigger was an extreme level of rye grass pollen in the air, whipped up by strong winds. Ambulance Victoria took more than 1,870 calls ,the figure is more than six times the daily average, and at least 30 people are in intensive care. The massive call volume affected waiting times and forced 60 reserve ambulances, police and fire-fighters to respond to medical emergencies.About 200 calls were directly linked to asthma, but 600 more reported respiratory issues. One of those killed by the freak weather event was named by her family as 20-year-old Hope Carnevali. Local media said the young woman had suffered a horrific asthma attack, and lay on her lawn for more than 30 minutes waiting for an ambulance to arrive, while her family desperately performed CPR. continue

Holistic approach to pet care.

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria — so-called superbugs — is a global problem with both short- and long-term implications for human and animal health. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified antibiotic resistance as one of the greatest threats to human health in all communities. In time, even simple infections, usually easily treated, may not respond to antibiotics.
 Animal health providers, farming industries and even pet owners have an important role to play in reducing the overuse of antibiotics. 

The Australian Veterinary Association provides guidelines to reduce their use. These include avoiding use for infections not shown to be caused by bacteria; for example, some urinary tract problems, pancreatic disease, many gut problems and viral respiratory diseases. Antibiotics should be used only after test results identify bacterial infection and, ideally, narrow-spectrum antibiotics are chosen on the basis of sensitivity testing. 

Treatment should be carried out only for the time required to eliminate infection. Unfortunately, in practice, the time and money required for such tests isn’t always easy to find in an environment where there’s emotional pressure to heal animals quickly and cheaply. A holistic approach to animal health and wellness provides alternatives to antibiotic use. These are some steps animal owners and carers can take to reduce antibiotic use : 1) Avoid use of antibiotics where not required. Bacterial infection does not play a part in some common illnesses in veterinary medicine but antibiotics may be prescribed anyway. 2) Use alternatives where safe and effective. It’s always best to consult your vet, or holistic vet, before using them. 

Natural treatments may cause side-effects in some individual dogs or cats. Never use essential oils in or on cats. 3) If antibiotics are prescribed for your pet, make sure you complete the entire course. If you have trouble giving the medications or you think they may cause side-effects, your vet or support staff can give you suggestions.

 Resistant infections can be passed on from pet to owner so always wash your hands, especially before eating. 4) Practice good hygiene: wash your hands. No need to use antibacterial washes; soap and warm water are sufficient. Make sure you wash all surfaces of your hands, including the web between your fingers. (Follow with vitamin E cream if washing dries out your hands).

 As an alternative to antibacterial cleaners around the house, use hot water, vinegar and bicarb of soda. This will reduce the emergence of resistant bacteria and also reduce toxins your pet is exposed to.

 5) Use probiotics after courses of antibiotics to replenish good bacteria and support gut health and immunity. 6) Preventative healthcare for your pet will reduce infections and the need for antibiotics. This includes judicious use (but not overuse) of vaccines, flea, mite and worm control and regular health checks (annually for younger pets; biannually for older pets) for early detection of health problems. 


Dental disease is one of the commonest health issues in pets, resulting in gingivitis, periodontal disease and the need for antibiotics and dental surgical procedures. Make sure your pet has a dental check every six months. continue

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

UK on track to cut antibiotic use in animals as total sales drop 9%.

UK on track to cut antibiotic use in animals as total sales drop 9%.Sales of antibiotics for use in animals in the UK are at a four-year low, putting the UK on track to meet ambitious targets to tackle antibiotic resistance, according to a Defra report released. Antibiotic resistance is a growing threat to human health - experts believe if we do not take action it could be responsible for ten million deaths per year and cost the global economy $100 trillion by 2050. In September, the Government announced plans to tackle it, including a commitment to significantly reduce antibiotic use in animals. Today’s report shows overall sales by weight dropped by 9% from 2014 to 2015, while sales for use in food-producing animals dropped 10% from 62 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) to 56mg/kg. This continues a ten-year downward trend and puts the UK on track to reach its 50mg/kg target by 2018. As well as the overall reduction, the report shows a drop in sales of the highest priority antibiotics that are critically important for humans. Sales of these made up just over 1% of all antibiotics sold for use in animals in 2015.continue

Brexit Britain should lead the way by banning mass antibiotic use in agriculture.

Brexit Britain should lead the way by banning mass antibiotic use in agriculture, says top doctors.The heads of 12 royal medical colleges, as well as the Faculty of Public Health, the British Medical Association and two leading health journals, today call on the Government to step up the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by prohibiting preventative prescription of medicines on animals. Writing in The Daily Telegraph, they say the UK is now in a “unique position” to introduce a ban.The intervention comes weeks after a Cambridge University study found that a quarter of supermarket chicken contained antibiotic-resistant e.coli, a bug that can lead to kidney failure and in severe cases death. In May a Government-commissioned report led by Lord Jim O’Neill said the rise of drug-resistant superbugs threatened to return medicine to the “dark ages” by rendering impotent swathes of commonly used antibiotics.continue

Locust beans in a can.

Change is the only constant thing and with various innovation simple product are branded in easy to use and stable conditions. The locust beans also known as carob is commonly used for stews as local seasoning. The locust beans is called iru in Yoruba, the ibos called it ogiri while the northerners call it dawadawa. Traditional cuisines are not complete without it,but now many conventional stews and soups have a splash of dawadawa. There are a lot of people that find the taste,color and smell not too appealing but cant seem to find any way around it because of the benefits. Here is the good news ,you can now enjoy your locust beans seasoning in powdered form without the sticky slob. This is locust beans in a can,powdered locust beans without preservative,additives just plain iru with all the health benefits . The benefits of locust beans are as follows; 1) prevents diabetes by controlling blood sugar. 2) promotes weight loss. 3)promotes good eyesight. 4)prevents strokes. 5) high in protein (35%), carbohydrate (16%), lipids (29%). 6) a good source of fat and calcium. Locust beans now available in powdered form sold in cans, call to order nationwide. #agribusiness #agriculture #food The change is here moving from this to powdered .

AGRICULTURE #AGRA INNOVATE #FOOD SECURITY.

Agriculture, what is it to you,and where do you fit? Thinking of agriculture,how to invest in agriculture or innovations in agriculture? see this. Agriculture is the new gold and at the conference/exhibition many companies showcased their products; biotechnology, food packaging and handling, vaccines, artificial insemination,liquid fertilizers ,cassava processing,packaging among st other innovation #smartfarming #smartagriculture #irrigation #rice #silos #storage. There is still so much more,join the train. There is so much more ; the agrainnovate conference still on till Friday 25/11/2016 @ Landmark center,lagos.

Monday, November 21, 2016

The sky’s the limit for CSU’s first paraplegic veterinary student.

Until the day he crashed into the Arizona desert going 90 miles an hour, the sky was the limit for Bernard Dime. He was an accomplished skydiver who was weeks away from enlisting in the US Army, and dead-set on making the elite Golden Knights Parachute Team. But the driven 25-year-old’s ambitious plans changed dramatically on one last practice jump before a canopy piloting competition, when something went wrong and he hit the ground, shattering his back. “I don’t remember the impact. I don’t remember the pain all that much, just brief moments laying on the ground and thinking I was going to die,” said Dime, now 29.He was airlifted to a hospital and learned he had burst-fractured the T12 and L1 vertebrae in his lower back, and suffered a spinal cord injury. He was permanently paralyzed. “You crash and then you wake up born again with a different body,” Dime said. But at the time, he didn’t feel born again. He felt like the life he had planned was over. During the following months of rehab, his energy went into learning how to shower, how to dress himself, how to live with his new body. “There were times I wished I was dead, I thought ‘my life is never going to be good again.’ That’s rock-bottom. That’s a scary place.” The young man who had counted on his physical fitness to carry him into a career as an elite skydiver, had to come to terms with the abrupt end of that dream. Lying in the hospital, he pondered his childhood dreams of being a musician (in his late teens, he was a guitarist in a touring band called The Real You whose music was featured on MTV) or a veterinarian (he volunteered at animal shelters as a child). But he faced months of acute recovery. “The hardest part is not learning to live with a new body and being in a wheelchair, you get over that. The hardest part for me was being in the hospital and realizing I was so close to a dream that I worked so hard for – for it to be totally taken away and there was nothing I could do about continue

CONTOUR NEXT ONE Bluetooth Connected Glucose Meter.

Ascensia Diabetes Care, a company based in Basel, Switzerland, won FDA clearance to bring to the U.S. market its CONTOUR NEXT ONE blood glucometer. The device has Bluetooth wireless connectivity that allows diabetics to upload their readings to a paired app on their iOS or Android smartphones. The CONTOUR DIABETES app provides historical charts of blood sugar levels and lets patients understand how their diet and physical activity impacts those. This works best if the patient religiously enters the details of his/or her food intake and all the activities that take place throughout the day. All the readings and entered information can be uploaded to the “cloud” and reviewed on a computer. Reports can be emailed to one’s physician or family members to make sure everyone is on the same page and helping to keep the symptoms of diabetes in check. The device works just fine on its own without the app, displaying readings on a built-in screen. An indicator on the left side of the device turns green, yellow, or red depending on how out of normal range the last reading was. Ascensia claims this is one of the most accurate blood glucose meters on the market, achieving ±8.4% accuracy on 95% of readings when it was compared against laboratory equipment in a small trial with human subjects. continue

Teenage Student Wins ATLAB's Gulf 3D Printing Olympiad with 3D Printed Mind-Controlled Bionic Arm.

Over 75 student teams recently competed in the first ever Gulf 3D Printing Olympiad, organized by technology-based learning solutions company ATLAB. The competition was aimed at inspiring young entrepreneurs by fueling their innovation and creativity through 3D printing. The theme was “Design Your First Consumer Product” and inspired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s vision of innovation. The competition was open to all students between the ages of 10-25 residing in the GCC (Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf). Participants were asked to design and print an innovative product, preferably something that could help people in their everyday lives. A 14-year-old student’s mind-blowing, and mind-controlled, creation was selected as the “Best Innovative Project” at the competition. Rishabh Java, from GEMS Millennium School-Sharjah, designed and 3D printed a low-cost, functional 3D printed bionic forearm. What’s more amazing is that the user can control the arm with his or her mind! It was built using Electroencephalography (EEG), an electrophysical monitoring method used to record electrical activity of the brain. The arm can perform simple tasks, such as shaking hands and picking up objects, making it a great replacement for patients with disabled hands. The bionic arm would allow them to regain their sense of touch by replacing their functionless arm with the bionic one, which can interface directly with the nervous system. continue

Veterinarian offers practical tips for reducing carcass condemnations.

Observe, judge, act — Veterinarian offers practical tips for reducing carcass condemnations.Poultry processors and regulators have the same objectives — minimize chicken condemnations and maximize food safety. Working as a team is the best way to safeguard consumer health and maintain profitability at the processing plant. “It should not be an adversarial or confrontational relationship,” said Douglas Fulnechek, DVM, senior technical service veterinarian for Zoetis. “You both have a role to play.” Fulnechek spent 28 years with the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) before entering private industry. He shared his insights into the regulatory and practical aspects of condemnation at the 2016 “Young Chicken Gross Pathology Workshop” held recently at the Georgia Poultry Laboratory in Gainesville, Georgia. Zoetis sponsored the event. Poultry carcasses are inspected during processing for signs of disease. In some cases, these conditions may result in carcasses being condemned because they are deemed not suitable for human consumption. To ensure that’s the case, FSIS requires condemned carcasses to be denatured using a colored dye so humans will never consume them. Fulnechek said several health conditions can lead inspectors to condemn a carcass, including: Septicemia/toxemia and airsacculitis, which are the two most common condemnations. Other conditions that affect the whole carcass like tumors, ascites, keratoacanthomas and other degenerative processes. It would be difficult to find a processor who has not asked, “What gives the government the right to take my chickens?” The answer, Fulnechek explained, lies in Mugler v. Kansas, a case that the U.S. Supreme Court decided in 1887. According to the court: “All property in this country is held under the implied obligation that the owner’s use of it shall not be injurious to the community.” “Once that carcass goes into the condemned barrel — even if it was a perfect carcass — it doesn’t get to come back,” Fulnechek said. “However, decisions [to condemn carcasses] have to be supported by scientific fact. Congress laid out the rules that FSIS has to follow: ‘Such condemnations shall be achieved through uniform inspections and uniform applications.’” The word “uniform”, of course, is subject to interpretation. This is why the Poultry Products Inspection Regulations spell out condemnation requirements as clearly as possible. “I encourage the industry to look up these regulations, carefully read them and have a discussion with the veterinary supervisor in the plant, because they all have a similar theme,” Fulnechek said. This is where the human element comes into play. FSIS inspectors first make their observations, then make a judgment based on what they saw and take appropriate action, if necessary. Observation criteria Inspectors have a checklist of what they are looking for, including:1) Body condition (plumpness, muscling, keel prominence, cachexia). 2)Tissue hydration 3)Fat 4)Liver 5) Spleen 6)Cardiovascular system 7)Gastrointestinal tract Fulnechek elaborated on the checklist. “You do it this way every time,” he said. “You go through this system so that you don’t overlook something.” Questions that get asked: You talk about the body condition. Is it plump? (“Juicy” was one of the terms that my FSIS inspectors used.) Look at the muscling, the prominence of the keel. Determine if the bird has been off feed. Has it lost some muscle mass? Was it properly hydrated? Examine the color and composition of the fat. Can you see changes such as serious atrophy of the fat? continue

7 Vet Med Lessons From the Magical Creatures of Harry Potter.

With magic on my mind, I wanted to share lessons that apply to veterinary medicine that I learned from seven of the magical creatures Harry Potter encountered. Even those who aren’t as Potter-crazed as me can still benefit from these tips. 1. Hippogriffs – Some individuals take extra effort to gain their trust. Hippogriffs are half-horse, half-eagle creatures known for attacking when they are insulted. However, if their trust is gained, they will be fiercely loyal and protective. In veterinary medicine, our clients, patients, and co-workers can all be hippogriffs. Some people, and animals, require a gentle approach to win them over. For example, recently I saw a client who was not my biggest fan. Finally, during a stressful appointment, she snapped and let me have it. After allowing her to speak her mind, I calmly explained how I shared her frustration and also shared her desire to figure out how to manage her dog’s condition. By the end of the conversation, she actually apologized for her outburst and told me I had won her over by how I handled the entire situation. In explaining the issues without becoming confrontational or insulting her pride, I turned a client who intimidated me into a loyal hippogriff. 2. Blast-Ended Skrewts – Use caution when handling some creatures. Harry PotterBlast-ended skrewts are basically a designer breed that is created when two other magical creatures are cross-bred. They are noted as creatures that can burn, sting, and bite all at once. Okay, so maybe none of us work with any patients who can breathe fire and burn us, but we all have encountered animals who are dangerous to handle. The key to handling any creature, from blast-ended skrewts to tooth-fronted dogs, is to understand how best to approach them based on past experiences. If something works, record it and repeat it next time. If something doesn’t work, then make sure to write it down so that a different approach can be taken in the future. Don’t be a hero and ignore warnings from previous visits. Try not to make the same mistakes twice with your blast-ended skrewt patients. 3. Nifflers – Don’t let your search for riches become destructive. Harry PotterNifflers are rodent-like creatures that are gentle by nature but are attracted to anything sparkly and have even been known to destroy entire homes in their search for shiny objects. Unlike nifflers, most of us are not motivated by riches. If that is your sole motivation, you definitely chose the wrong profession! But like nifflers, sometimes finances can stress us out. Even if we aren’t in it for the money, we still work in a business with economic pressures: from achieving production bonuses to increasing ticket averages, or even making your student loan payments. Try not to let those financial pressures create tunnel vision. Focus on practicing medicine that makes you proud without damaging your emotional wellness. Appreciate the sparkle you come across without destroying your life as you attempt to obtain it. Don’t become a niffler. continue

Georgia signs four-year cooperation agreement with FAO.

Continuous improvement of Georgia’s agriculture, food safety, veterinary services and plant protection – and its response to climate change, biodiversity and other environmental issues – are the priorities set out in a new agreement with FAO signed here today. Georgian Minister of Agriculture Levan Davitashvili signed the “FAO Country Programming Framework for Georgia 2016-2020,” together with Raimund Jehle, Regional Strategic Programmes Coordinator for FAO in Europe and Central Asia and FAO Representative in Georgia. The four-year agreement aims at institutional, regional and sectoral development of agriculture and related subsectors. “The Country Programming Framework makes available FAO expertise and innovative international best practices in agriculture to support Georgia in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” Jehle said. “The agreement contributes continue

Edibles for Pets.

Cannabis business owners may see pet care products as a wide-open market to increase sales, but regulations and uncertainty make it a hazardous opportunity.Americans spend more than $60 billion annually on their pets. As cannabis becomes more widely accepted as medicine, it’s natural that some people have begun to consider the market for cannabis-based medicines for pets. A wide variety of products targeted toward pets have already been introduced, from treats containing CBD to whole-plant tinctures. Due to the huge pet care industry and potential for increasing revenue, dispensary owners might be tempted to stock these products. However, the potential legal implications, coupled with a lack of understanding of pets’ needs, make this a risky investment. For thousands of years, cannabis has been used to treat illness in humans and animals. In Ancient Greece, a poultice made from cannabis was used to treat a variety of ailments in horses. As recently as 1920, a tincture made from cannabis was used to alleviate the pain associated with colic in horses. This treatment was administered with the full support of the American Veterinary Association. However, when marijuana was officially outlawed, these treatments lost support from the AVA. continue

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Pill Expands In Stomach to Stay For Weeks Delivering Medication.

Pill Expands In Stomach to Stay For Weeks Delivering Medication.Many drugs require precise ingestion regimens that optimize the effect of the medication, but getting patients to follow the schedule is often easier said than done. Additionally, some drugs may work better if only they could be delivered continuously in small doses, over a period of days or weeks. At MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston researchers have created a capsule that expands in the stomach and delivers its drug payload in a controlled manner over an extended period of time. It consists of a flexible hub and six drug-loaded legs that are bunched together and stuffed inside a dissolvable pill. When the pill reaches the stomach, the legs of the device open up and prevent it from leaving the stomach. This lets the slow-release mechanism within the legs to deliver the medication over a long time. After a few weeks, the hub eventually dissolves, letting each leg go and having each small piece now able to pass further down the GI tract. more

USB Stick Measures HIV Levels Within Half Hour.

Researchers at Imperial College London and DNA Electronics, a company with offices in London, UK and Carlsbad, CA, developed a computer USB stick that takes a drop of blood and measures the amount of HIV particles. The chip produces results within 30 minutes, while the average in a test of nearly 1000 samples was only 21 minutes. According to the company, the accuracy is good enough for it to be used to monitor viral loads in patients taking anti-retroviral drugs to see whether the therapy’s effect is holding up. The chip amplifies HIV-1 RNA and uses an assay that changes the sample’s acidity if the target RNA is present to generate an electrical signal. This signal travels down the USB stick and to the computer where an application registers it as having detected the virus. From the study abstract in journal Scientific Reports: Screening of 991 clinical samples (164 on the chip) yielded a sensitivity of 95% (in vitro) and 88.8% (on-chip) at >1000 RNA copies/reaction across a broad spectrum of HIV-1 viral clades. Median time to detection was 20.8 minutes in samples with >1000 copies RNA. The sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility are close to that required to produce a point-of-care device which would be of benefit in resource poor regions, and could be performed on an USB stick or similar low power device.more

Protecting grains with insect proof bags.

A campaign supported by USAid will popularize the use of the gunny bags, which are fitted with plastic linings to control pests without the use of chemicals.The bags apply simple technology, starving insects of oxygen, so they suffocate. This eliminates both the insects and mold by depleting oxygen levels and producing carbon dioxide within the storage unit. In 2014 USAid tested 2,000 bags and trials confirmed effectiveness in entirely eliminating wastage,the hermetic bags can control all pests, including the large stock borer. In Kenya,the insect-proof bags launched this week will stop the loss of about five million bags of maize annually mostly to a notorious pest nicknamed 'Osama' continue

'Augmented Agriculture' and internet of things.

'Augmented Agriculture' the Focus of New Topcon Partnership. Topcon Agriculture officials maintain the company has a core emphasis on “Internet of Things” technology – that is, connecting real-world objects to the Internet. (If you own a smartphone, you are already using IoT technology every day.) With the announcement of a new non-exclusive, long-term partnership, Topcon hopes to keep its IoT ambitions front and center. The partnership is with SDF, a company that manufactures tractors, diesel engines, harvesting machinery and other ag equipment. The agreement will help facilitate “active and continuous cooperation” to develop IoT solutions for the agriculture industry, according to Fabio Isaia, CEO of Topcon Agriculture. “Topcon [is committed] to bring the Internet of Things and augmented agriculture to every farm,” he says. His company seeks to do that through integrating high-precision technology, software and data, Isaia adds. Lodovico Bussolati, CEO of SDF, says he is excited by the potential opportunities the partnership could bring. “Precision farming is a key factor in order to improve both the productivity and the well-being of the end-users,” he says. “The strengthening of SDF’s current collaboration with Topcon reinforces our position in providing to the final customer the most advanced farming technology integrated into our products.” more

When AR takes over we will all rent virtual diamonds and have AI personal shoppers at home.

We live in a dematerialising world - all the objects that were once integral to our daily lives have been subsumed by computers and the internet, from our calendars to our books and all forms of communication. But that physical world, is not done disappearing, according to director of design at Singularity University Labs, Jody Medich. “All those things we thought essential materially, disappeared into the virtual environment,” she told the audience at WIRED Retail, at London’s British Museum. “They have all gone into the screen - but in the future, we are going to be looking through that screen.” Medich is talking about augmented reality, a technology that she says will be ubiquitous in five years time, whether through our phones, headsets like Microsoft Hololens, or AR contact lenses. Just to prove how commonplace we should expect the latter to be, all the big tech players from Apple to Sony have patents pending on the technology. “Sony says its version will record everything you see and play it back to you.” more

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Empathy in the Veterinary Profession.

Is your vet empathetic toward your horse? Is she empathetic toward you? Empathy is the ability to share someone else’s feelings or understand what they’re going through from their perspective. It can be a helpful trait for doctors so that they see their patients as fellow humans with complex emotional lives rather than just a list of conditions and symptoms to be treated. Although their patients aren’t human, veterinarians can have empathy for the animals they treat, too. But a veterinary practice is about more than just treating animals; the owners of the animals being treated are part of the equation, and their concerns and perspective must be considered, too. Researchers in Italy wanted to know more about empathy in veterinarians and how it varies based on a vet’s gender and length of service. In a study published online in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior this month, researchers studied 107 veterinarians using the Animal Empathy Scale and the Empathy Quotient to assess the vets’ level of empathy toward their animal patients and human clients, respectively. The Empathy Quotient is a 60-item questionnaire designed to measure a participant’s ability to understand and feel appropriate emotion in response to someone else’s emotions. The Animal Empathy Scale is a questionnaire that was developed for a 2000 study on the links between empathy with animals and with humans and has been used in similar studies since. The researchers discovered a link between gender and empathy toward animals. Overall, female vets showed more empathy toward animals than male vets did. There was no apparent link between length of service and empathy toward animals. In other words, the amount of time a person had spent working in the veterinary profession didn’t reduce or increase their level of empathy toward their animal patients. There was, however, a change in empathy toward human clients over time. The longer a veterinarian had worked in the profession, the higher their empathy level toward people. Although the researchers don’t speculate on why, it’s easy to imagine that anyone entering the profession does so with an existing love of animals, and that doesn’t change. But over years of working with human clients, their understanding of pet owners’ feelings could certainly have an impact on their ability to empathize. The veterinarians observed for the study worked mostly with cats and dogs, but there could be similar trends for equine vets, especially those whose clients are primarily owners of recreational and companion horses. A high level of empathy isn’t necessarily an advantage in the veterinary profession in all cases. The career is one with a high rate of burnout, and it’s possible that being highly emotionally connected to one’s patients could increase that. The researchers conclude by pointing out that their study is one of the first to look at vets’ empathy toward animals and people, and that more research would be necessary to evaluate "the role of empathy in the quality of care, pet-owners’ satisfaction and vets’ well-being.” more

Conjoined twins from Nigeria separated at Tennessee hospital .

Conjoined twin girls from Nigeria have been separated after a lengthy operation at a Tennessee hospital, days ahead of their first birthday. Miracle and Testimony Ayeni were separated during 18 hours of surgery that began on Nov. 7 and finished Nov. 8 at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis, the hospital said. The twins were joined together at the pelvis, a condition that only occurs in one of about every 5 million births, said Dr. Max Langham, who led the surgical team. "Without separation, their future wasn't very good," Langham said at a news conference Tuesday. "They would grow up incontinent, unable to walk, totally dependent for all of their care and unable to participate in the world fully." Doctors are optimistic about the long-term prognosis and hospital spokeswoman Anne Glanker told The Associated Press that both girls are "doing really well." The twins have been in the hospital since their parents brought them from Nigeria in June to prepare for the procedure. The twins face additional surgeries and rehabilitation and it's not clear when they might return home. The family has another reason to celebrate — Wednesday is the first birthday of the twins. This is the second time a set of conjoined twins have been separated at Le Bonheur. Twin boys who were joined at the back and pelvis were separated in 2011. more

Young girl born with rare facial hernia gets to live a normal life after life changing surgery.

A young girl born with rare facial hernia gets to live a normal life after life changing surgery. The four-year-old girl born with encephalocele - a rare brain hernia and neural tube defect, has undergone a surgery that will change her life forever. Angel from the Philippines, was born with the rare defect that has left her restricted in many ways. Her mother, Cypres Salon told The Age, "When I saw her for the first time, I cried a lot. I cried every moment I looked at her and I blamed myself for her condition." When Angel was about 4-months-old, her parents managed to raise $5,500 for surgery in the Philippines.Although it stopped the growth of the hernia and what is described as her 'brain spilling into the hernia,' the growth was still covering most of her left eye. more

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

What if you could enjoy a mind-blowing meal without eating a thing? Virtual reality heads to...

What if you could enjoy a mind-blowing meal without eating a thing? Virtual reality heads to : Eating involves smell, taste, touch, sound, and sight, which presents obvious challenges for anyone trying to simulate it in virtual reality. But what if you could enjoy a mind-blowing meal without eating a thing – or perhaps just a spoonful of something nutritious?

Coca-Cola Life launches in the United Arab Emirates

Coca-Cola Life launches in the United Arab Emirates: Coca-Cola has launched its stevia-sweetened Coca-Cola Life in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The re-birth of cheese: cheese snacks are the number-one dairy growth opportunity

Connecting cheese to the snacking trend could mean market success, according to New Nutrition Business.

Probiotic supplements on rise in global €40bn market

Latest data from Euromonitor International shows the global probiotics market is worth about €40bn, yoghurt continues to be the dominant mode of delivery although probiotic supplements are growing fastest.

Tetra Pak introduces 3D virtual reality simulator at Gulfood

Tetra Pak showcased its 3D virtual reality simulator at Gulfood to show guests how they can get up close and personal to their machinery without having to visit a factory.

Monday, November 14, 2016

Pest control: Wicked weeds may be agricultural angels.

Farmers looking to reduce reliance on pesticides, herbicides and other pest management tools may want to heed the advice of Cornell agricultural scientists: Let nature be nature – to a degree. “Managing crop pests without fully understanding the impacts of tactics – related to resistance and nontarget plants or insects – costs producers money,” said Antonio DiTommaso, professor of soil and crop continue

Top 10 technologies in precision agriculture.

1. GPS/GNSS It’s hard to tell exactly where the state of precision agriculture today would be without GPS — literally. From virtually the moment agriculture gained access to position locating satellites in the 1990s, operators and manufacturers have found various ways to tie into these tools to make managing field work much easier and accurate. “In North America and Europe, growers can turn on the tractor and get to work almost immediately,” says T.J. Schulte, Marketing Manager for Trimble Agriculture Division. Looking beyond these capabilities, experts say that satellite technology is truly deserving of its “global” moniker. “No longer can we refer to all these systems as GPS — that’s not an accurate description when referring to new Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) receiver technology today,” says Greg Guyette, President of Insero. Instead, he adds, GNSS covers all countries’ satellite constellations including GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo. 2. Mobile Devices After figuring out where precision agriculture stands on the planet, the next most important innovation these past 20 years would have to be the development of mobile devices. The world today would be an entirely different place without them, according to Illinois Grower John Reifsteck. “Without the cell phone, we probably would still be sitting in the barn a lot, waiting for someone to come to the barn and make things work,” says Reifsteck. Today, cell phones have morphed into a whole host of useful mobile devices including smartphones and tablets. So ingrained has this technology become that experts estimate that there are more mobile devices on today — 7.25 billion — than people (around 7.2 billion). As of 2016, most precision agriculture manufacturers that dabble in the mobile devices market have spent most of their time trying to expand the capabilities these products can offer to users. “We run our business on the 20-minute rule when it comes to getting information to the user,” says Dr. Marina Barnes, Vice President of Marketing for FarmersEdge. “If you can’t get your technical data to work for the farmer within the first 20 minutes after he receives it, he’s probably never going to use it.” continue

Digital farms : the future of Agriculture.

 

 Farmers, ranchers and growers the world over are transitioning to precision agricultural methods, i.e., subdividing their acreage into many unique sub-plots -- in some cases right down to the individual plant, tree, or animal -- thereby enabling increased productivity, trace-ability and lower overall costs.

 Low-cost aerial vehicles, sensors and cameras are integral to the process and are being used to map, observe, sense and spray. 
 Robotic automation is already widely practiced and can be seen today in milking systems and increasingly in precision techniques that use sensors and drone-mounted cameras to steer tractors and to monitor soil for temperature, moisture, disease, varmints, crop quantity, weather damage, and nutrient content. 
 This data is then analyzed in order to improve decision-making on planting, weeding, pruning and chemical application. 

Digitally-controlled farm implements are already in use in developed countries and most Western farmers and ranchers are high-tech to some extent and more variable-rate dispensing devices are on the horizon. 


Self-steering kits can be found in most new tractors and follow RTK/GPS and digital guidance with levels of accuracy down to the centimeter level. 

 There are partially and fully automatic and robotic devices for most aspects of agricultural functions from grafting to planting, from harvesting to sorting, from packaging to boxing, but because the metrics of their implementation have thus far been too costly, and the safety and liability aspects difficult, so they are not widely deployed. 



 These challenges are being met with a new group of vendors, lower costs, and new robotic products, often marketed in the form of Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS). Adding to these challenges are ever-increasing costs and lack of available water, labor and tillable land. continue

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Lagos food security summit and exhibition..

Agricultural value chains that you can invest in and make returns,come explore opportunities ,listen to experts ,visit various stands and benefit from these opportunities. The agricultural value chains you can invest in are 1) poultry 2) red meat/abattoir. 3) piggery 4) vegetables 5)coconut 6)aquaculture and ...find out more @ the summit holding @ Lagos Airport Hotel Ikeja on the 10 and 11 of Nov 2016. Come,connect,invest and profit.See this

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Agricultural innovations.

Agriculture is the new economy ,join in

Hospice & Palliative Care in veterinary medicine.

Hospice and palliative care are growing areas of veterinary medicine as well. Hospice and palliative care generally refers to care provided to patients after a diagnosis of a terminal or incurable illness. The goal of hospice and palliative care is to provide your pet with a good quality of life free of pain and suffering during their final days to months. This care is focused on providing comfort, management of pain, and relief of anxiety. It is not focused on providing a cure. This type of care focuses on the partnership between the pet, the family members, and the veterinary team. Veterinary hospice care includes, but is not limited to: 1)Education: First and foremost, we want to provide you with the education and resources necessary to understand your pet’s condition. We will provide you with written instructions tailored to your individual pet’s care. 2)Pain management: We focus on providing a multi-modal pain management program for your pet. 3)Nutritional and fluid support: The best method of nutritional and fluid support for your pet will be highlighted. This may involve subcutaneous fluid therapy as well as assisted feeding via nasogastric tube or syringe feeding. 4) Wound care and bandaging: Some patients may require regular wound care or bandaging. The veterinary team will provide you with the instructional training to provide this care at home. 5)Anti-anxiety and behavioral modification medication: Many senior patients develop anxiety or other behavioral changes. We will discuss these changes with you and explore

Young female birds must seek older mates to adapt better to varying environmental conditions.

New research from the University of Guelph which appears in this month’s issue of Animal Behaviour ,shows young female birds with older mates are more likely to nest during optimal times and adapt better to varying environmental conditions than those paired with younger males. “It’s the first study to show males have a big influence – in birds – on female nesting decisions,” said Ryan Norris, a professor in U of G’s Department of Integrative Biology. He worked on the study with researchers Shannon Whelan and Julie Morand-Ferron of the University of Ottawa, and Dan Stickland. It’s also a critical finding for understanding impacts of climate change, Whelan added.“How females can adjust to changing conditions over their lifetime is important for predicting future effects of climate change. Can they just keep adjusting, or is there a limit?” continue

Pet health with veterinary compounding.

It is natural for you to be concerned about your pet’s health because they’re part of the family. When your animal gets sick, they are generally taken to a veterinary clinic as quickly as possible. Your local vet will prescribe the most suitable medication for your pet based on the diagnosis. Whether you know it or not, the medications that you give your pet have most likely been produced by a compounding pharmacy. Customized medications are a vital part of keeping different animals healthy. Thousands of beloved pets all around South Florida receive such medicines every single day. Whether you own a horse or a hamster, he or she has probably received custom medicine. Pharmaceutical compounding pharmacies and Veterinary clinics work hand in hand with each other to broaden their prescribing abilities, and overall enhance and expand a veterinarian’s ability to treat a patient quickly in the most effective manner. Different dosages may be devised depending on an animal’s average size, for instance; dogs generally need larger doses than hamsters. Special flavoring may be used to make medicine more palatable to different animals – cats might receive chicken flavored medicine,continue

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Stroke in dogs.

Strokes in dogs are less common than they are in people, but when one strikes the condition is equally as serious as a human stroke. There are three major forms of canine strokes, and it is very important for pet owners to be aware of their causes and warning signs so they will know what to do if their dog has a stroke. The two most common forms of canine strokes occur when an artery in the brain becomes blocked and cuts off oxygen to the area or when blood vessels in the brain rupture and hemorrhage. Both of these are serious conditions that need immediate treatment. These strokes are called cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) or transient ischemic attacks (TIA). The third type of stroke seen in dogs is called a fibrocartilaginous embolism (FCE). It happens after a small piece of disc material inside the back breaks off and drifts into the spinal cord. This type of stroke happens very quickly when a dog is playing, jumping, or running. Dog owners may see a variety of signs immediately following a stroke, but some are subtle and hard to notice if you don’t know what to look for. To make matters worse, there are typically no signs warning that a stroke is going to happen. After a stroke occurs, problems can worsen in a short period of time if the stroke is left untreated. These are some common signs of a canine stroke:1)walking in circles or turning the wrong way when called 2) Head tilted to one side. 3) Difficulty with balance and standing.4) Extreme lethargy.5) Loss of control over bladder and bowels or vomiting.6) Worsening symptoms can include loss of eyesight, heart arrhythmia, and the dog could also collapse. If you suspect your dog has had a stroke, look inside her mouth for dark red gums or check her inner eyelids to see if they are dark red. This may indicate a decrease in oxygen to the body. If there is any suspicion of a stroke, it is vital that you take your dog to a veterinarian immediately. Strokes can be fatal in dogs, but the good news is that, when the cause is found and prompt treatment is given, dogs have a greater chance for a full recovery than humans, even if the stroke is severe. Elderly dogs are more prone to strokes, but the condition is seen most often in dogs with these health problems:1)Head injury 2)Heart disease 3)Diabetes 4)Kidney disease 5)Thyroid disease 6)Cushing’s disease 8)Brain tumors 9)Poison and some parasites 10)Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The best tools to determine if your dog has had a stroke are a CT scan or MRI. About 50 percent of all canine strokes do not have a specific cause. While canine strokes can be extremely serious, the majority of dogs have a good outcome, especially when they receive quick veterinary intervention. The best practice for dog owners is to know the warning signs, be aware of the factors that make some dogs more prone to stroke, and act fast if they suspect their dog is having, or has had, a stroke. Contributed by Sharon Seltzer is the founder of Lessons from a Paralyzed Dog, a website for dogs with strokes and other neurological or mobility problems.

Stroke in dogs.

Strokes in dogs are less common than they are in people, but when one strikes the condition is equally as serious as a human stroke. There are three major forms of canine strokes, and it is very important for pet owners to be aware of their causes and warning signs so they will know what to do if their dog has a stroke. The two most common forms of canine strokes occur when an artery in the brain becomes blocked and cuts off oxygen to the area or when blood vessels in the brain rupture and hemorrhage. Both of these are serious conditions that need immediate treatment. These strokes are called cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) or transient ischemic attacks (TIA). The third type of stroke seen in dogs is called a fibrocartilaginous embolism (FCE). It happens after a small piece of disc material inside the back breaks off and drifts into the spinal cord. This type of stroke happens very quickly when a dog is playing, jumping, or running. Dog owners may see a variety of signs immediately following a stroke, but some are subtle and hard to notice if you don’t know what to look for. To make matters worse, there are typically no signs warning that a stroke is going to happen. After a stroke occurs, problems can worsen in a short period of time if the stroke is left untreated. These are some common signs of a canine stroke:1)walking in circles or turning the wrong way when called 2) Head tilted to one side. 3) Difficulty with balance and standing.4) Extreme lethargy.5) Loss of control over bladder and bowels or vomiting.6) Worsening symptoms can include loss of eyesight, heart arrhythmia, and the dog could also collapse. If you suspect your dog has had a stroke, look inside her mouth for dark red gums or check her inner eyelids to see if they are dark red. This may indicate a decrease in oxygen to the body. If there is any suspicion of a stroke, it is vital that you take your dog to a veterinarian immediately. Strokes can be fatal in dogs, but the good news is that, when the cause is found and prompt treatment is given, dogs have a greater chance for a full recovery than humans, even if the stroke is severe. Elderly dogs are more prone to strokes, but the condition is seen most often in dogs with these health problems:1)Head injury 2)Heart disease 3)Diabetes 4)Kidney disease 5)Thyroid disease 6)Cushing’s disease 8)Brain tumors 9)Poison and some parasites 10)Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The best tools to determine if your dog has had a stroke are a CT scan or MRI. About 50 percent of all canine strokes do not have a specific cause. While canine strokes can be extremely serious, the majority of dogs have a good outcome, especially when they receive quick veterinary intervention. The best practice for dog owners is to know the warning signs, be aware of the factors that make some dogs more prone to stroke, and act fast if they suspect their dog is having, or has had, a stroke. Contributed by Sharon Seltzer is the founder of Lessons from a Paralyzed Dog, a website for dogs with strokes and other neurological or mobility problems.

Feline facts!!!

If you are a devoted cat lover, you probably enjoy learning about their likes, dislikes, and what makes them so purrfectly perplexing. We’ve got some good “mews!” We rounded up five facts to help you discover a bit more about them. It’s in the DNA Throughout their lives, our cat companions face a number of serious health concerns, such as kidney disease and hyperthyroidism. Now, 99 Lives, a genome sequencing research collaboration, is developing genetic tools for cutting-edge feline healthcare. According to Leslie Lyons, PhD, professor of comparative medicine at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, the project is expected to not only prevent problems for future generations, but help to cure cats who are sick now. In doing so, researchers also hope to translate any gene and drug therapies they find for cats for use in humans and other species. The analysis is expected to be completed this fall, but the project’s early success with trios—a duo of two siblings, two distantly related cats of the same breed with the same disease, and a single cat with a rare recessive trait—is proving the project’s dataset is becoming useful for a “precision medicine” approach for cats, Lyons said. continue

Feral felines deployed in NYC war on rats.

Multitudes of feral cats roam New York City’s concrete jungle. Thanks to a new program, their health needs are being addressed and some now even have a job: They’re helping curb the city’s rat population. A group of volunteers trained by the NYC Feral Cat Initiative traps wild cat colonies that have become a nuisance or been threatened by construction, then spays or neuters and vaccinates them. The goal is to return them to their home territory, but some end up in areas rife with rats. Feline rat patrols keep watch over city delis, bodegas, car dealerships and even the grounds of a Greenwich Village church. Four cats roam the loading dock at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, where food deliveries and garbage have drawn rodents for years. “We used to hire exterminators, but nature has a better solution,” said Rebecca Marshall, the sustainability manager at the 1.8-million-square-foot center. “And cats don’t cost anything.”About 6,000 volunteers have completed workshops where they’ve learned proper ways to trap cats. The program is run through the privately funded Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, a coalition of more than 150 animal rescue groups and shelters. The alliance estimates as many as half a million feral and stray cats roam New York’s five boroughs. The life of a street cat is a tough one. Some are former pets, abandoned by owners. Plenty die of disease and malnutrition or are hit by vehicles. Others ingest poisoned cat food — set deliberately to get rid of them, cat advocates say. Many of the animals are displaced as a result of New York’s development. New construction creates perilous conditions for cats that once inhabited the city’s nooks and crannies, vacant lots, decaying factories and empty warehouses. One colony of two dozen cats living in a lot on Manhattan’s West Side are about to be displaced by construction on a new $3 billion office tower. A city council member is working with residents and developers to make sure the creatures are moved to a safe location. The Javits Center’s quartet of cats — Sylvester, Alfreda, Mama Cat and Ginger — were lured to its 56 loading docks about two years ago with pet food brought by animal-loving employees. On a recent fall morning, Sylvester stationed himself next to a commercial truck, ready to pounce if needed. The cats are predators but don’t necessarily kill rats. Instead, experts say the feline scent and droppings repel the rodents. “A mother rat will never give birth near a predator because the cats would eat the babies,” said Jane Hoffman, president of the mayor’s alliance. The cat population is controlled through spaying and neutering, provided free of charge by the Humane Society of New York and the ASPCA. In most cases, adoption is out of the question for feral cats because they are just too wild to be domesticated.more

Understanding diabetes in pets.

November is National Pet Diabetes Month, a time for pet owners to educate themselves on the signs of diabetes and its risk factors. While the existence of diabetes in humans is well-known, not everyone knows that diabetes can affect our pets too. If a pet is lethargic, excessively thirsty or frequently urinating, take it to be examined by a veterinarian because these signs may mean the pet is diabetic. With early diagnosis and proper care, a pet with diabetes can live a happy, healthy and active life with proper management based on diagnosis. Diabetic animals require frequent monitoring, including blood tests, and insulin-dependent diabetics typically require injections every 12 hours. It is much easier to prevent diabetes than it is to treat it, especially in cats, so maintain your pet at an appropriate weight and get regular veterinary exams. If your pet is displaying the signs of diabetes, have it examined very soon before it progresses to a life-threatening state. A study shows that diabetes can't always be prevented that is why obesity has shown to be a contributing factor, especially in pet cats. Age, genetics, disorders such as chronic pancreatitis or hyperthyroidism and neutering in males are among the risk factors in cats. While age, genetics and intact females are the risk for pet dogs. The breeds that have a higher risk of developing diabetes are Cocker Spaniels, Pomeranians, Golden Retrievers and Dachshunds. more

How a traumatized dog inspired a sharing economy business.

Before Aaron Hirschhorn went travelling, he put Rocky, his beloved golden labradoodle, into kennels. "But I came back to a $1,400 bill and my dog Rocky hiding under my desk, clearly traumatized, for about three days," he says. So he decided to start a company, Santa Monica-based DogVacay, to match travelling dog owners with host families, instead of traditional kennels. Mr Hirschhorn and his wife were the first hosts, looking after 110 dogs in their home in the first year. They earned $35,000 (£28,185) which they used to develop a website. DogVacay hosts - there are now 35,000 - are normally fellow dog owners, says Mr Hirschhorn. Owners can opt to receive daily photos of their pets by way of reassurance.The website and obligatory app feature profiles of the hosts, their locations, and charges. And you can book and pay online. continue

Monday, November 7, 2016

Halo purely for pets.

Ellen DeGeneres,the comedian and rescue advocate is a pet lover and co owner of the pet food company,Halo,purely for pets. The pet smart- line is about to roll out more pet products such as bowls,collars,leashes,apparels,pet carriers,shampoo and other grooming supplies. She loves pets and even wanted to be a veterinarian, "she thought that would be the best job in the world: helping and being with animals all the time." Ellen DeGeneres said Ever since I can remember I’ve loved animals. All kinds. Dogs, cats, birds – catbirds. All of ’em. When I was little all I wanted to be was a vetranar…a veteranari…it’s hard to spell…I wanted to be a vet. I thought that would be the best job in the world: helping and being with animals all the time. Well, it turns out I became a comedian and a talk show host instead – but animals are still my passion…oh and also a nice, thin crust, cheese pizza. check it One of the things I really believe is that if you’re going to have pets you should treat them like you’d treat yourself. I don’t mean you should treat them to new shoes or a fancy car – I’m talking about the basics; a nice bed, fun toys and good food. Anyway a few years ago I was looking for some pet food for one of my dogs who was allergic to everything…honestly, even his own fur. I tried everything, our vet tried everything and finally I found a little company that had the perfect food for him. It’s called Halo, Purely for Pets.continue

Diabetes in pets.

Diabetes mellitus, or diabetes, is a condition that occurs when the body cannot use glucose normally. Glucose is the main source of energy for the body’s cells. Insulin, which is produced by the pancreas, is required for the transfer of glucose from the bloodstream to the cells. In diabetics, glucose isn’t transported into the cells and there is not enough energy for the cells to function normally. Although diabetes cannot be cured, it can be managed very successfully. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, diabetes in dogs and cats can occur at any age. Most dogs are diagnosed at 7 to 10 years of age while most cats are older than 6 years of age when diagnosed. The disease is more manageable if detected early. The good news is that with the help of your veterinarian, diabetic pets can enjoy long, happy lives with proper monitoring, treatment, diet and exercise. In human patients, diabetics are classified as Type I or Type II. Type I occurs when the pancreas does not make enough insulin. Type II occurs when the body cannot respond normally to the amount of insulin made by the pancreas. Although diabetes in pets is sometimes classified as Type I or II, the difference between the types is less clear in pets than in humans. Obese pets are at a higher risk for developing diabetes. Aging dogs and cats may also develop other diseases that can contribute to the development of diabetes, such as overactive adrenal gland in dogs or overactive thyroid gland in cats, pancreatitis, heart disease, kidney disease, urinary tract infections and skin infections. Using medications that contain corticosteroids long-term is also a risk factor for diabetes. The following signs are associated with diabetics,1)Increased urination as Pets may empty their water bowl several times a day.2) Weight loss, even though your pet’s appetite may increase.May see increased appetite because body cells aren’t getting all the glucose they need.3) Cloudy eyes, especially in dogs.4) Chronic or recurring infections, including skin infections and urinary infections. continue

How to Find the Right Vet After a Move.

Any pet owner knows that “find a new veterinarian” is on the top of the moving to-do list. In fact, for many, finding a new vet is higher on the list then finding a new doctor. Admit it! Our four-legged loved ones often come first! However, the task of finding a qualified vet for your beloved furry friend can be a hairy one. continue

Banks must start lending to farmers.

Banks must start lending to farmers,Money still talks and is the chief determinant of most achievements. Banks generally provide the greatest percentage of the funds required for investment. Without them very little can be done . Farmers need the support of banks for growth,expansion and stability,continue

Sunday, November 6, 2016

Dog shampoo.

Washing your dogs just got easier, the B olive range of animal healthcare products is at your service. B olive animal healthcare products include dog shampoo,soap,healing oil,kennel spray and herbal soap to keep the coat shiny,soft and silky. Order yours today, prices @ 250, 300 and 350 naira per bottle. Distributors wanted !!!.Come do business with us. Check now

Saturday, November 5, 2016

Veterinary 147 Daily is out.

The Veterinary 147 Daily is out, its about research, veterinary medicine,agribusiness and

In Utero Surgery

You might recall a particular photograph that caused quite a stir back in 1999. It was the photograph of Samuel Armas, then just a 21-week-old fetus, reaching his tiny hand out from inside the uterus to clasp onto the doctor’s finger during a surgical procedure to correct the birth defect spina bifida. The fetal surgery at the time was still a bold undertaking, just two years after the first of its kind in 1997. Today, 13 years after Samuel’s “Hand of Hope,” the amazing procedure has been performed on over 400 fetuses around the world Spina bifida affects 1,500 births per year, making it the most common birth defect, but as the fetal surgery is performed in increasing numbers the outlook improves for a fetus diagnosed with spina bifida. The most dangerous form of spina bifida, called myelomeningocele, is a condition in which the spinal cord does not close properly and remains exposed. Ten percent of babies born with untreated myelomeningocele die, and those that survive will have severe disabilities such as paralysis and bowel and bladder dysfunction. The procedure begins by putting the mother under deep general anesthesia. That way not only does the mother go under but the fetus as well. In addition, the uterus relaxes which makes it easier to work with. An ultrasound is performed to get the exact position of the fetus, then an incision is made clear across from hipbone to hipbone. The surgery is then performed with the fetus still inside the uterus. Absorbable staples are used to pinch uterine blood vessels to minimize bleeding, and more staples are used to keep the uterine membrane out of the way. The spinal cord repair is the same procedure that doctors would perform on a newborn baby. It involves placing the nerve tissue back into the spinal canal and closing it up with a layer of dura, the tissue that normally covers the spinal cord and brain, a layer of muscle-like tissue, and lastly a layer of skin. The closure has to be watertight. One reason is to protect against damage from amniotic fluid seeping in, another is to prevent the leakage of cerebrospinal fluid. The decreased fluid volume leads to the hindbrain herniation and hydrocephalus associated with spina bifida. If the procedure is done early enough – ideally around 20 weeks – those abnormalities can be reversed.more Recently Dr Oluyinka Olutoye performed surgery on an unborn baby with tumor in her mother's womb. Dr Oluyinka Olutoye and his surgeon partner Dr. Darrell Cass of Texas Children's Hospital, carried out an operation on a foetus at 23 weeks in US. The baby, Lynlee Hope, who suffered from a tumour known as Sacrococcygeal Teratoma was removed from her mother's womb, operated on and returned back. She healed and continued to grow until she was born again at 36 weeks. This has earned commendations and honors from all around the world especially from Nigerians and the Nigerian government.continue

Paris climate change deal becomes international law.

The Paris Agreement to combat climate change became international law on Friday — a landmark deal about tackling global warming amid growing fears that the world is becoming hotter even faster than scientists expected. Paris climate change deal becomes international law 11/04/16 . So far, 96 countries, accounting for just over two-thirds of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, have formally joined the accord, which seeks to limit global warming to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit. More countries are expected to come aboard in the coming weeks and months.more

Nigerian food served in a bus!!

Lagos Danfo found in US restaurant With inscription: “Ojuelegba, enter with your change oh! ”Danfo Bus, a commercial mini bus painted in yellow with two black stripes at the side, is one of the realities that make Lagos notorious. Lagos can not do without it in a day as it conveys thousands of commuters within the metropolis. It is also a means of survival for the owner, the driver and the conductor. It is not out of place to see a danfo bus at a bus stop with the conductor shouting on top of his voice, “Ojuelegba, Ojuelegba straight, enter with your change oh, I no get change oh!” Read more

Rabies Pre-exposure Vaccination and Titers for Veterinarians.

Rabies exposure is an occupational hazard for the veterinary healthcare team, and preventive measures are necessary to protect personnel. Pre-exposure rabies vaccination provides additional protection for at-risk veterinarians, vet techs and other staff, but does not replace good preventive measures such as personal protective equipment, and safe animal and specimen handling procedures. Veterinarians and veterinary support staff are in the frequent-risk group with regard to rabies exposure and should be administered pre-exposure rabies vaccinations, according to the recommendations of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). According to the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians’ Compendium of Veterinary Standard Precautions for Zoonotic Disease Prevention in Veterinary Personnel, all staff with animal contact must be vaccinated against rabies, followed by periodic titer checks and rabies vaccine boosters, in accordance with the ACIP recommendations. Benefits of pre-exposure rabies vaccination for the veterinary team Pre-exposure rabies vaccination does not eliminate the need for additional treatment after a rabies exposure, but it eliminates the need for post-exposure rabies immunoglobulin administration and decreases the number of post-exposure doses of vaccine needed. Pre-exposure prophylaxis may also provide protection if post-exposure rabies treatment is delayed or if rabies exposure is

Friday, November 4, 2016

ASF poses ‘very serious risk’ to Denmark

ASF poses ‘very serious risk’ to Denmark: African swine fever (ASF) is a pig farmer’s worst nightmare and as the virus rages in Poland, experts warn even a small outbreak could cost Denmark’s pork industry around €300m in losses.

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Thursday, November 3, 2016

How One Company is Defeating Obesity with 3D Printing-Based Bariatric Procedures.

BioSculpture Technology, a company led by New York Downtown Hospitals and the Presbyterian New York affiliated plastic surgeon Robert Cucin, recently revealed that the 3D printing technology has allowed the firm to develop an innovative line of surgical instruments for obesity treatment. Liposuction, a surgical procedure that involves the removal of excess fat deposits in various body parts, is currently the most widely utilized method for patients suffering from obesity. In fact, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) estimates that the number of liposuction procedures has increased by over 16%, recording an all time high at 396,048 procedures performed in 2015. ASAPS president Dr. Jack Fisher stated that the increase in liposuction procedures is directly attributable to the emergence of innovative technologies such as 3D printing that have successfully reduced the invasiveness of liposuction. BioSculpture Technology is one of the several companies that is currently experimenting with technologies like 3D printing to allow patients to undergo safer and optimal bariatric procedures.For most surgical procedures, the duration, process and overall efficiency are heavily dependent on the build quality and capacity of surgical instruments. If surgeons are provided with medical equipment that is custom-built and designed for certain procedures, it significantly decreases the duration of the operation and poses less risk to the patient. According to Dr. Cucin, most manufacturers and surgical equipment developers disregard the importance of creating exact replicas of human organ structures. Without the formation of accurate and precise models of body parts that are affected during a liposuction procedure, it is extremely difficult to design equipment for certain phases of the operations.continue

Climate change impairs survival instincts of fish.

Climate change impairs survival instincts of fish and can make them swim towards predators. A paper by marine biologists at the University of Exeter shows that climate change is disrupting the sensory systems of fish and can even make them swim towards predators, instead of away from them. According to a paper published in the journal Global Change Biology by Dr Robert Ellis and Dr Rod Wilson, climate-change marine biologists at Exeter University, these abnormal behaviours have been linked to the effect of CO2 on how the brain processes signals from sensory organs. Research into the impact of rising CO2 has shown it can disrupt the senses of fish including their smell, hearing and vision. High CO2 levels can impair the way they behave, including making them swim towards predator smells instead of away and even ignoring the sounds that normally deter them from risky habitats. CO2 levels are predicted to be 2.5 times higher in the oceans by the end of this century. In their paper, Lessons from two high CO2 worlds: future oceans and intensive aquaculture, Dr. Ellis and Dr. Wilson, alongside a colleague from Chile (Dr. Urbina), show that farmed fish often live in CO2 conditions 10 times higher than their wild cousins. The scientists believe that further study of farmed fish -- which already provides as much seafood for human consumption as that caught in the wild -- may be crucial for understanding how aquatic species will evolve to climate change. Aquaculture may provide an 'accidental' long-term experiment that can help climate-change predictions," said Dr. Ellis. "There is the enticing possibility that fish and shellfish previously grown in high CO2 aquaculture conditions over multiple generations can offer valuable insights regarding the potential for aquatic animals in the wild to adapt to the predicted further increases in CO2. The aquaculture industry may also benefit from what the climate change scientists study too. The abnormal behaviour seen in wild fish may not matter in farmed fish, as they are provided with abundant food and shelter and they have no predators to avoid. But while extremely high CO2 can reduce digestion efficiency in cod, recent research suggests that relatively small increases in CO2 may actually act as a growth stimulant in some fish.

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veterinarymedicineechbeebolanle-ojuri.blogspot.com Cassava: benefits of garri as a fermented food. Cassava processing involves fermentation which is a plus for gut health. The fermentation process removes the cyanogenic glucosides present in the fres...

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