How to tackle dengue? Science has an
interesting solution
Only female mosquitoes bite because they need blood
for developing eggs, and researchers believe that a higher ratio of males could
reduce disease transmission.
That, in fact, provides a foundation for developing mosquito control strategies by converting females into harmless males or selectively eliminating deadly females, they say.
Researchers have now identified a gene that is responsible for sex determination in mosquitoes and that can transmit yellow fever, dengue and chikungunya viruses.
"The gene called 'Nix' provides us with exciting opportunities to harness mosquito sex in the fight against infectious diseases because maleness is the ultimate disease-refractory trait," said Zhijian Jake Tu, professor of biochemistry at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech).
The scientists injected "Nix" into mosquito embryos and found more than two-thirds of the female mosquitoes developed male genitals and testes.
When they removed "Nix" using a genome-editing method, male mosquitoes developed female genitals.
"We are not there yet but the ultimate goal is to be able to establish transgenic lines that express Nix in genetic females to convert them to harmless males," said Zach Adelman, associate professor of entomology and co-author.
Aedes aegypti is among the small fraction of mosquito species that transmit pathogens to humans.
"Targeted reduction of Aedes aegypti populations in areas where they are non-native could have little environmental impact, and drastically improve human health," noted Brantley Hall, co-first author on the paper.
The study appeared in the journal Science Express.
Source: www.timesofindia.com
25.05.2015
Faster heart rate indicates higher
diabetes risk
People with faster resting heart rate are at an
increased risk of developing diabetes, warns a new study.
Each additional 10 beats per minute is associated with 23 percent increased risk of diabetes, similar to the effects of a three kilogram per metre square increase in body mass index (BMI), the findings showed.
Each additional 10 beats per minute is associated with 23 percent increased risk of diabetes, similar to the effects of a three kilogram per metre square increase in body mass index (BMI), the findings showed.
"In this study, we measured resting heart rate among about 100,000 Chinese adults and followed them for four years," said study senior author Xiang Gao, associate professor of nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University in the US.
"We found participants with faster heart rates, suggesting lower automatic function, had increased risk of diabetes," Gao said.
The findings suggest that heart rate measures could identify individuals with a higher future risk of diabetes.
The researchers measured heart rates during a baseline examination administered in 2006-2007. After about five minutes rest, they recorded heart rates using a 12-lead electrocardiogram with participants lying on their backs.
During a four-year follow-up examination, the researchers identified 17,463 prediabetic cases and 4,649 diabetes cases.
The study was published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
Source: www.timesofindia.com
25.05.2015
The great thing in this world is not so much where you stand, but in
what direction you are moving
No comments:
Post a Comment