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Two emergency regional projects aimed at containing avian influenza were launched last week by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific ...
…the “virus in China is still present and there is still a great deal not yet understood about this H7N9 virus. Other influenza viruses that circulate in poultry often decrease dramatically during the summer months, only to reappear later in the year during cold season. Also, many low pathogenic influenza viruses in poultry have transformed into highly pathogenic viruses.”
5. Are humans influencing the process of evolution?
...Technology and culture have protected us to a great extent from the selective pressures that drive evolution, allowing many people -- especially those in developed nations who, without medical intervention, would not live to reproductive age -- to pass their genes on to the next generation. Other scientists note that technology and culture have changed but not eliminated the role of natural selection on our species. We now adapt to crowding, pollution, and new disease rather than the necessity to escape from large predators.
Scientists Disclose Plans To Make Superflu In Labs
First, two teams of virologists created more dangerous versions of the deadly H5N1 flu. Now they want to give the H7N9 virus, which has already sickened at least 134 people and killed 43 people in Asia, a few new capabilities: drug resistance, faster transmission between people and the ability to sneak past the immune system.
Flu researchers Ron Fouchier, of the Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands, and Yoshihiro Kawaoka, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, wrote up a whole list of risky experiments they're starting with the new H7N9 bird flu and then published their plans Wednesday in both Science and Nature. About 20 other scientists also signed the letters.
So true. But we do not have to destroy our entire beautiful planet just because we're afraid of "nature" and our own mortality.
Availability and Efficacy of Vaccines
Currently, there are no licensed vaccines against H7 subtype viruses. Vaccination remains the optimal method for protection of individuals against influenza. Optimal efficacy is provided by influenza vaccines containing virus antigen well-matched to the viruses causing disease. Since the H7 HA is a novel glycoprotein not previously found in viruses that have circulated in humans, it is expected that there will be no neutralizing antibodies present in human populations. Several pre-pandemic H7 subtype vaccines have been developed and have undergone pre-clinical and phase I clinical testing. Two different inactivated vaccines based on Eurasian H7 viruses have been evaluated in small clinical trials. Both vaccines were poorly immunogenic in humans, inducing little or no serum antibodies to the H7 HA in adults that received two doses of vaccine even when high dose formualtions or an alum-adjuvanted vaccine was used (Cox et al., 2009; Couch et al., 2012). A live attenauted H7N3 influenza vaccine (LAIV) has also been assessed in adults and two doses were shown to elicit a neutralizing antibody response in approximately 50% of subjects (Talaat et al., 2009).
Glycoproteins are responsible for a wide array of bodily functions including: transporting molecules, production of enzymes, acting as anti freeze proteins, acting as cell attachment-recognitions sites and production of hormones like human chorionic gonadotropin. The structure of these proteins allows them to adapt to the diverse functions.
To figure that out, Fouchier and Kawaoka are planning to genetically engineer H7N9 and then see which changes in the virus's genes accelerate its spread between mammals.
Enzymes are one of the most essential elements in our body. Enzymes are more important than the air you breathe, the water you drink, and the food you eat. Why is this? Enzymes are required for your body to function properly because without enzymes you wouldn't be able to breathe, swallow, drink, eat, or digest your food. To do all of these things, your body needs some help. You must have enzymes to help perform these tasks. Enzymes are an absolute necessity to live.
We're just better dressed, with bigger homes, and with cars.
Legislation to ban growing your own food
Senate Bill S510 Makes it illegal to Grow, Share, Trade or Sell Homegrown Food
the “virus in China is still present and there is still a great deal not yet understood about this H7N9 virus. Other influenza viruses that circulate in poultry often decrease dramatically during the summer months, only to reappear later in the year during cold season. Also, many low pathogenic influenza viruses in poultry have transformed into highly pathogenic viruses.”
“I think China will be a big market in the future, because this country has a large number of people, and increasing demand for rice,” he said.
Golden Rice Company Chan Vuthy said his firm was scheduled to export between 100 and 200 tonnes of fragrant rice in September, though the orders were still to be confirmed
The so-called “golden” rice intended for Asia was genetically modified to produce almost 20 times the beta-carotene of previous varieties. Golden rice was created by modifying the rice genome to include a gene from the daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus that produces an enzyme known as phyotene synthase and a gene from the bacterium Erwinia uredovora...
Not sure if I understand where ytou came from with that ...
...I get it - now that it's human to human that window of opportunity has passed but have they even done anything at the heart of this problem?