Resistance to Bt Corn Toxins in Rootworms a Potential Threat

Posted by Unknown - 0 comments

A team led by entomologist Aaron Gassmann from the Iowa State University has concluded that the western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) has developed resistance against the toxins produced by Bt corn. Bt corn is the term used for corn that has been incorporated with the genes of the bacterium Bacillus thurinigiensis (Bt) such that it produces the toxins that the bacterium produces. Currently there are three types of toxins being used, and Gassmann’s team found out that the rootworm has developed resistance to two of these.

The first Bt toxin to be used was Cry3Bb1, used in the United States in 2003. A second toxin used was mCry3A. In 6 years, damage was already observed in plants producing the first toxin, and by 2011 even the plants producing the second began to show damage. Normally, the Bt toxins are able to kill 98% of the rootworms. This is comparably lower than the 99.99% killed in another pest, the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis). The other 2% of rootworms that survive are then able to propagate and pass on the toxin resistance to their offspring. This is initially not a problem, but over time more and more of the rootworm population become resistant to the toxin and the effectivity of the toxin in preventing crop damage decreases. How fast can resistance develop? In fields in Iowa where corn has been grown year after year, resistance to the toxins showed up after an average of 3.6 years. [1]

Another entomologist, Lance Meinke of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has confirmed that rootworm resistance has been observed in fields in Nebraska, saying that damage due to resistant rootworm has been observed as early as 2011. After lab and field testing, Meinke has concluded that the rootworms they have tested have developed resistance specifically to the Cry3Bb1 toxin. Reaching the same conclusion as the Iowa team, Meinke said that farming Bt corn numerous years in a row promoted the development of resistance through natural selection. Meinke hopes to communicate that rootworm populations can become harder to handle if Bt technologies are continued to be overused and if resistance continues and expands to other Bt toxins. [2]

What are the suggested solutions to this problem? Both teams of researchers have suggested “pyramiding” the different Bt toxins available. This means incorporating more than one Bt toxin in the corn so that the rootworm population will take more time to develop resistance. For example, Dow AgroSciences in Washington DC has begun to sell seeds that have both the Cry3Bb1 toxin and the Cry34/35Ab1 toxin, one with no observed resistance development at present. [1]

However, emphasis was given by both teams on another solution: crop rotation, wherein instead of farming Bt corn continuously, it is alternated with other plants, specifically soybean according to Meinke. When the rootworm larvae hatch, even if they have the genetic resistance to the toxins, they don’t find the nutrients they need and they die.

Meinke suggests that farmers move away from the “silver bullet” approach when using Bt hybrids. I believe he has a good point in this, seeing as how the usage of enormous amounts of money and time to develop Bt technology can be overcome and made useless by the mindless application of it year after year. It is possibly very frustrating for the researchers who developed Bt technology to see it become useless in a few years due to resistance development that could have been delayed or avoided. I think the usage of pyramided Bt toxins alone can only delay development of resistance in the rootworm and thus is not a permanent solution. It would simply produce a situation wherein researchers who develop new Bt toxins are racing against natural selection’s ability to develop resistance; a race they would probably lose. On the other hand the solution to this problem seems to be not as simple as ordering the farmers to stop farming Bt corn continuously. Those farmers are trying to maximize efficiency in their production, and alternating crops may disrupt the established systems and thus cost money. However if these farmers are truly to maximize efficiency, it may be better in the long run to heed the call to alternate crops, along with pyramiding Bt toxins, despite the possible immediate costs it may bring instead of continuing their current procedures and seeing a crisis of super-resistant rootworms in the future. It is in this kind of situation that scientists and lay people need to communicate well to effectively face problems and provide long-lasting solutions.

[1] http://www.nature.com/news/pests-worm-their-way-into-genetically-modified-maize-1.14887

[2] http://www.farmandranchguide.com/news/crop/with-confirmed-resistance-western-corn-rootworm-worthy-of-being-watched/article_58a75b18-a886-11e3-93a8-0019bb2963f4.html

1, 2, Smile! Makati and Pasig, Selfiest Cities of the World

Posted by Princess Iris G. Bugayong - 0 comments


1, 2, Smile! Makati and Pasig, Selfiest Cities of the World


                                                                                   Source: GMA News Online
          Taking pictures has really evolved through time and developed many styles and forms when it comes to posing in front of the camera. From the traditional cameras where the number of shots is limited to digital cameras where we can take pictures as many as we like as long as we have a memory card that usually ranges from one to thirty two gigabytes. Now that's a lot of picture!

           Nowadays, in a generation where people are active virtually on social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr, taking photos become more of a habit because people are fond of posting pictures of what they are doing, where they are at the moment, what they are eating, who they are with...well...almost everything and anything under the sun. You name it.

           I think the most common pose when it comes to taking pictures is what people call "selfie" where one takes a photo of himself or herself, usually close-up to the face and it only focuses on the face. It's like the favorite pose or shot of narcissistic people, the vain ones. Because of the popularity of the term, Oxford Dictionary declared "selfie" as the word of the year in 2013. According to Oxford Dictionary, selfie is defined as "a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website." Selfie is said to be a term that is already used in 2002 when someone posted a comment on an online forum  in Australia and mentioned of the term "selfie" as that person refers to a photo. Editorial Director Judy Pearsalls said that the term has also been used in 2004 on a photo hosting site called Flickr.

           On a study that was conducted by TIME Magazine that was released yesterday, two cities in Metro Manila, namely, Makati and Pasig City ranked first as the "selfiest cities" in the world. Yes, you read it right. How the TIME conducted the study? They had a database of 400, 000 pictures in Instagram with the tag "selfie" and the geographical coordinates. Four hundred fifty nine cities have been ranked. It turns out, out of a hundred thousand people, Makati and Pasig city generated the most number of people taking selfie photos which is 258. Manhattan, New York ranked as second with 202 and Miami, Florida as third with 155. Another city in the Philippines also made it to the top 10 which is Cebu City.

           What can this study tell about the Philippines? Are we vain people? Or do we just love taking pictures of ourselves? Maybe. It is evident that Filipinos do love selfie. Whenever I go online in Facebook, I can see my Facebook friends posting so many pictures of themselves. It is so many that they even have an album of it then the name of the album goes something like, "Vain" or "Selfie." I must admit, I also do selfies but I don't usually post them on my Facebook account. There are also times when my profile picture is a selfie. I guess selfie is here to stay.

           Technology truly has a great impact on society. It has its advantages as well as disadvantages. As for the virtual world, just be cautious when posting pictures. It is not really necessary to post everything, right? As long as we can still differentiate what is supposed to be public and private, we'll be fine. 

SOURCES:

 http://ph.news.yahoo.com/two-philippine-cities-named--selfie--capital-of-the-world-085911546.html

 http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/352001/scitech/socialmedia/makati-pasig-are-selfie-capital-of-the-world-according-to-time-study

 http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/press-releases/oxford-dictionaries-word-of-the-year-2013/  








Posted by Unknown - 0 comments


Charger Problems Resolved

With the new discoveries and advancements in technologies, gadgets are to be found here and there. And because of the pleasure we can get from these gadgets, many of us are spending number of hours using these gadgets. While we are enjoying listening to the music, playing games, having some selfies, and surfing the internet, isn’t it annoying that your cell phones for example will just shut down because the battery is already drained? And it’ll really a big problem if you’re in the middle of a walk or a trip and you haven’t brought your charger with you. Sometimes, it’s also a trouble searching for sockets especially when you’re not at home or at office. So, with the help of Goergia Tech researchers lead by Zhong Lin Wang, this nuisance of ours is already answered - these researchers invented a charger that will get the electricity it needed from your body motion.

“The device — built by Georgia Tech researchers, led by Zhong Lin Wang — consists of four discs layered on top of one another. The first disc is made of copper, and rotates. The next is a polymer and remains stationary, and the third is a gold layer that is divided into sectors, with alternating sections cut out, to make something that looks like a bicycle wheel. The last layer is made of acrylic.

When the copper disc rotates, positive charges in the copper move past the negative charges in the polymer. That causes an imbalance of charges in the gold layer, with each "spoke" of gold having either more positive or more negative charges. This imbalance means that when a wire is connected between sectors, current flows. Wang said the device can generate power as long as something causes the copper disc to rotate...” (Live Science)
            
This device is indeed so efficient for us that it comes in wearable versions and is about 4inches across. During ordinary days, you can attach this device on your hands or leg while walking or jogging and it can already generate about 5volts of electricity. It will really be useful for everyone, say for example those having some fieldworks and to those who are in a place with a very limited amount of electricity. In an emergency like during brownouts too, this device will be of great help in keeping our gadgets on for us to have a continued communication. The fact that different gadgets like smart phones have been already a part of everyone’s everyday life – used in communication, for entertainment, to acquire information or news details, etc., this new discovery really comes in handy.
            
New problems arise as new gadgets are also discovered. But the good thing is that, people never stop searching answers and solutions for man’s convenience.


Social Media Addiction?

Posted by Eliz Jaizen Fojas - 0 comments

Social media is now becoming a part of our daily lives. It does not only provide us communication but information as well. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are so popular and highly addictive for many people. Why is that? Based on Harvard University’s recent study, they found out that the act of people posting and sharing things about themselves online is associated with same part of the brain that triggers the sensation of pleasure that we get from eating food, getting money, or even having sex. It may not give the same amount of pleasure as that of sex but the brain considers self-disclosure to be a rewarding experience. Researchers also found out based on an experiment that people would really prefer talking about themselves rather than talking about someone else even if someone offers money for them to talk about someone else. Another research also found out that sharing/ posting their thoughts with a friend or a family member gives a more rewarding feeling in the brain and less of a reward sensation.

So what is the takeaway?
Lead researcher Diana Tamir told the Los Angeles Times, “I think the study helps to explain why people utilize social media websites so often. I think it helps explain why Twitter exists and why Facebook is so popular, because people enjoy sharing information about each other.”


Source: Click Here

One Billion Rising: End Violence against Women Forum

Posted by Unknown - 0 comments

Actually, it’s the first time that I’ve heard of that One Billion Rising thing and it’s really good to know that there is a movement like this around the world that push women around the world to fight for their rights and to fight violence against them. There’s really a huge number of women who were violated, raped or abused and didn’t do anything about it because they’re scared or they didn’t know that there’s a support group like the One Billion Rising which can actually help them. And this does not only happen in our country but it happens in every country around the world.
            I like how the lecture started with the topic of love. The first speaker presented us with images or pictures of love and the art. Those images reflects the different ways of how love can be perceived and the different kinds of love, because love can be towards a person, thing, place or anything intangible. But what I liked most about her speech was when she repeatedly said. “Is it our desire for love or is it about social acceptability?” It really makes sense for me, because it made me realize something, that yes, some people really love just because they want to be accepted by the society and not because it’s how they feel towards something.
            Then they discussed about what they call Red Love and Queer Love. It’s really interesting to know how people love in different ways, the conventional way and the unconventional way of loving. But for me, in any way, as long as you really feel love and you are loved the way you want, then it doesn’t matter. We should just learn how to love one another, appreciate the things that we have and learn how to love them.
            Another thing was the conceptual proposal of loving soft and struggling hard. These two things works side by side, because whatever way you want to love something or someone there are struggles, there are obstacles ahead of you and no matter how hard it is, you should overcome those in the name of love.

            But I think, what they want to point out is that love is the best way to stop violence against anyone, not just among women but for anyone. Everyone should learn how to love one another in any way possible just to avoid violence towards one another.

Science and Faith

Posted by Chelsea Jae - 0 comments


It has become a normal occurrence for scientists and Christians to disagree. Just take evolution and creationism for example. In a world that most believe it is impossible that science and faith may coexist, we are forced to choose sides. Some view those who "side" with faith as close-minded and traditional people always contradicting anything new scientists propose, discover, or invent.

Faith and the Bible I believe should not be seen as hindrances to scientific discovery or to the pursuit of knowledge. It is just that some people take verses in the Bible too literally perhaps when really they can be used to back up and explain scientific discoveries. Other's faith are built on weak foundations and this could also be a reason for their fear to try, at the very least, to give science a chance.

According to Ben Erwin's article "Why You Might Have to Choose Between Science and Faith" (link at the end), we do not have to be forced to choose sides. Those that do are the close-minded people--both the "faithful" and the scientist. Science can explain and help us understand how but it does not really answer why. We do not have everything figured out. A lot of us still lack understanding of both the Bible and the world around us. After all, "science is not the only answer."

At the end of the day, it is the kind of faith that we have that determines whether or not we need to choose a side. Science and faith can coexist and I actually believe they can go hand in hand. Science is not perfect and our understanding of our faith is not either. If it is too hard to grasp that they are not mutually exclusive, at the very least we should respect both sides.



Source: Why You Might Have to Choose Between Science and Faith

When Science Meets Traditional Healing

Posted by Unknown - 0 comments

Only recently have the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) developed a honey wound dressing that proved more effective than antibiotics in wound healing.
Indigenous honey has been known for its antimicrobial properties. Honey’s medicinal properties have long been recognized and the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) identified how honey is suitable for fast healing. Honey is antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and has a low PH level. It was reported that its sugar content helps in the “granulation” of wounds. Its low moisture gives honey a longer shelf life and helps in drawing out water and pus, drying and healing the wound fast.
Three indigenous honey samples were distinguished: the pineapple honey sample from Bacolod, the coconut honey sample from Mindanao, and the dark honey found in Northern Luzon. The PNRI tested the honey dressing in rabbits and it showed equal healing capabilities as the generic Neomycin. The honey dressing also showed a potential, for some cases, of healing wounds a month earlier than commercial medicines.
The Biomedical Research Section head Zenaida de Guzman expects that the honey dressing will be commercialized by 2015.
This research initiative is testament to the potential of bridging modern medicine with traditional medicinal knowledge. Most especially in the Philippines, a number of local provinces and regions in the world have a vast knowledge on indigenous medicinal practices. People who follow these customs usually suffer the social stigma of being called the practitioners of “non-scientific” beliefs. Contrary to this, traditional medicinal knowledge can in fact be seen as experiments outside laboratories. The earlier people may not have the knowledge of proper scientific method, and may have skipped a step or two. Some may started with a hypothesis that honey can cure burns, or some may have discovered that honey is effective through consistent use. Indeed, these have not been thoroughly studied and therefore are not widely considered as valid or acceptable by most sophisticated societies. However, this doesn’t mean that it must be discarded and completely forgotten. This calls for the scientific community to harness this knowledge and marry it with the latest science and technology available. Looking and learning from the past are most often beneficial for the present. The potentials are endless.
References:
Ronda, Rainier Allan. “DOST scientists develop honey wound dressing”. The Philippine Star. 20 February 2014.