News

Pakistan farmers need wheat seed fast

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September marks the start of the wheat planting season in Pakistan where floods covering land half the size of Italy have wiped out much of the country's household wheat seed stocks. FAO calls for donors to focus attentions on making sure those poor farmers in a position to plant wheat are given the means to do so, or millions will face hunger.

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Dogs keep their genes on a short leash

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Great Danes stretch more than a meter from paw to shoulder and can easily weigh more than 90 kilograms. A Chihuahua fits snugly inside a purse. Domestic dog breeds are more varied in body size and shape—not to mention coat color and fur length—than any other land-based mammal. Yet, according to a new study, a mere two to six regions in doggy DNA account for most of this diversity.

Over the past few years, researchers have linked a number of canine traits—from size to coiffure—to specific mutations in dog DNA. This new line of research was made possible by the completion of the Dog Genome Project in 2005 by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) in Bethesda, Maryland. But researchers lacked a large-scale analysis of these traits across a wide variety of breeds. As a result, they didn't know whether traits were governed by a large number of genetic regions, each contributing a small effect, or by a few regions with large effects.

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Thymus cells transform into skin cells in Swiss laboratory

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Taking one type of cell and transforming it into another type is now possible. Cells taken from the thymus have been transformed into skin cells -- a discovery that may have important ramifications for the field of organ regeneration.

The findings, published on the 19th of August in Nature, show that these stem cells change their genetic make-up according to their environment to contribute to the long-term functioning of the skin, even producing hair for up to a year after implantation. In collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, UK, the Swiss research team with European colleagues isolated thymic epithelial cells (TECs)-taken from the thymus of a rat-and integrated them into the rat's skin cells with surprising results.

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Gene responsible for neurodegenerative disease in dogs, possibly in humans, discovered

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A North Carolina State University researcher has helped to locate and identify a gene responsible for a fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects American Staffordshire terriers.

This same gene may be responsible for a similar rare, fatal disease in humans. Its discovery will lead to improved screening and diagnosis of the disease in dogs and is the first step in working toward a cure for both canines and humans.

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Single neurons can detect sequences

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Single neurons in the brain are surprisingly good at distinguishing different sequences of incoming information according to new research by UCL neuroscientists.

The study, published August 12 in Science and carried out by researchers based at the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research at UCL, shows that single neurons, and indeed even single dendrites, the tiny receiving elements of neurons, can very effectively distinguish between different temporal sequences of incoming information. This challenges the widely held view that this kind of processing in the brain requires large numbers of neurons working together, as well as demonstrating how the basic components of the brain are exceptionally powerful computing devices in their own right.
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Simulation exercise: Highly pathogenic avian influenza in Australia

Ejercicio de simulacro - Australia / Exercice de simulation - Australie
Source:

Dr Andy Carroll, Chief Veterinary Officer, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, informed the OIE that a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) simulation exercise, called « Exercise Red Feather », will be held in Queensland from 31 August to 1 September and 22 September and 13 October 2010 .

The exercise consists of three facilitated workshops. There will be no field component.

The exercise is being conducted by Biosecurity Queensland and aims to enhance the ability of Biosecurity Queensland and the poultry industry to respond to and manage a HPAI outbreak.

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Animal Health Information Department
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)
information.dept@oie.int
This information is accessible on the OIE website at: http://www.oie.int/fr/info/exercice/SIMUL100824AUS.htm

Groups call on Prime Minister for improved dog laws

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The British Veterinary Association, some of the UK’s largest animal charities, law enforcement agencies and unions are jointly calling on the leaders of the main political parties to work together to introduce improved and updated legislation to protect dog welfare and public safety.

The 20 groups have come together to demand action against irresponsible dog owners by the Government and the provision of necessary resources for those tasked with policing dog control laws.

It comes ahead of the summary of responses from Defra’s consultation on dog legislation which is expected this autumn. The consultation received more than 4,000 responses by the time it closed in June, indicating the scale of interest in the subject.

The statement will be sent to Prime Minister David Cameron MP, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg MP and acting leader of the opposition Harriet Harman MP.

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The Role of the Official Veterinarian - Educational video

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From the EC DG Health and Consumers video promoting and explaining the role of the Official Veterinarians across Europe - Click here.

Cloned Buffalo “ GARIMA-II” born at N.D.R.I., Karnal , India

Posted by: DALIP K GOSAIN, Ph.D.

Dr. A.K. Srivastava, Director National Dairy Research Institute informed that another cloned buffalo calf, through the new and advanced ‘Hand-guided Cloning Technique’ was born at NDRI, Karnal on August 22, 2010. Dr. A.K. Srivastava said that “this cloned buffalo calf is different from the earlier clone calf because, in this case the used donor cell was embryonic stem cell”. However, in earlier cloning, the donor cell was from somatic cells. The donor embryonic stem cell was isolated from the 8 day old blastocyst. These cells were cultured up to 29-passages (117 days) till it expressed pluripotent marker and then confirmed to be stem cell.

Dr. A.K. Srivastava, Director emphasized that this technology could go a long way in helping for faster multiplication of superior milch buffaloes in India. He said that although the world’s largest population of buffaloes is in India and they are contributing about 55% of total milk production in country, but the percentage of elite animals is very low and there is an urgent need to enhance the population of these elite buffaloes. He further emphasized that there is an acute shortage of good bulls and the technology of cloning will decrease this gap between supply and demand of breeding the bulls in the shortest possible time.

Millions of livestock dead or in danger in Pakistan

Source:
Millions of livestock have been affected by the floods in Pakistan and are badly in need of food and medicine. Around 200 000 cows, sheep, buffalo, goats and donkeys have been confirmed as dead or missing but the final numbers will be higher, possibly into the millions. The entire poultry stock has been wiped out in some areas. Millions of surviving animals are now facing severe feed shortages.

Many animals died because people had to leave them behind when they were rescued by the Pakistan military and other rescue services. "You can put chickens, goats and sheep in the boat and take them with you but you can't take a buffalo or a cow," said Simon Mack, Chief, FAO Livestock Production Systems Branch.

The main priority — and challenge — is to get feed to those animals that have survived as much of the country's traditional animal feed — straw and forage — has been lost in the floods. For buffalo and cattle, it is essential to enable the herds to rebuild quickly during the next breeding season.

It is also imperative to get medicine to animals that have fallen weak or sick because of the disaster.

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