The Experts below are selected from a list of 153 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Hong Liu - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Rearing of silkworm larva in a closed gas revitalizing plant system
Ecological Engineering, 2011Co-Authors: Ling Tong, Hong LiuAbstract:Abstract Plant growing and Insect Breeding experiments in the CICS (Closed Integrative Cultivating System) were carried out. The CICS was established for collecting experimental data to investigate gas circulation and mass exchange between plants and animals as well as animal growth and nutrient compositions in the Bioregenerative Life Support System. The CICS was 1.4 m high with the base measuring 1.4 m × 0.8 m. In the plant chamber, stem lettuce plants were grown in a staggered manner. Silkworms in five different instars were fed in the animal chamber. Every 4 days, the silkworms that had been in the 5th instar for 3 days and all the silkworm’ excreta were taken out of the system. Meanwhile, the silkworms in the first instar were transferred into the animal chamber. During this process, O 2 and CO 2 concentrations in the CICS were measured, and the growth and nutrient composition of the silkworms in the system were compared with those of silkworms reared in the open environment. Results showed that O 2 and CO 2 concentrations in the system were 19.07–20.61% and 0.11–0.35%, respectively. The comparison of growing differences between the silkworms fed in the animal chamber and those in the open environment indicates the Insect's biomass increasing rates and bioconversion rates in the CICS were lower than those in the open environment, and the amounts of excreta produced in the animal chamber were larger. Protein content of the SP (Silkworm Powder) produced in the CICS was more than that in the open environment, while fat content of the SP in the CICS was lower than that in the open environment. Calcium, phosphorus and iron contents of the SP produced in the CICS were 139.00 mg calcium/100 g SP, 1.20 mg phosphorous/100 g SP, and 7.95 mg iron/100 g SP. In terms of amino acids, the quality of the SP produced in the CICS was equivalent to that gained in the open environment.
Ekatherina Charvalos - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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climate changes environment and infection facts scenarios and growing awareness from the public health community within europe
Anaerobe, 2011Co-Authors: Christos Bezirtzoglou, Konstantinos Dekas, Ekatherina CharvalosAbstract:Climate change is a current global concern and, despite continuing controversy about the extent and importance of causes and of its effects, it seems likely that it will affect the incidence and prevalence of both residual and imported infections in Europe. Climate affects mainly the range of infectious diseases, whereas weather affects the timing and intensity of outbreaks. Climate change scenarios include a change distribution of infectious diseases with warming and changes in outbreaks associated with weather extremes. The largest health impact from climate change for Europe doesn't come from vector borne infectious diseases. This does not mean that these types of health impacts will not arise in Europe. The ranges of several vector-borne diseases or their vectors are already changing in altitude due to warming. In addition, more intense weather events create conditions conductive to outbreaks of infectious diseases: Heavy rains leave Insect Breeding sites, drive rodents from burrows, and contaminate clean water systems. The incidence of mosquito-borne parasitic and viral diseases, are among those diseases most sensitive to climate. Climate change affect disease transmission by shifting the vector's geographic range and by shortening the pathogen incubation period. climate-related increases in temperature in sea surface and level would lead to higher incidence of waterborne infectious and toxin-related illnesses, such as cholera and seafood intoxication. Climate changes all around the world with impact in Europe are demonstrated by the fact that recent cases of cholera have been imported to Europe from Kenya, where spreading epidemic has been linked to the El Nino phenomenon, originated from the Pacific Ocean. Human migration and damage to health infrastructures from aberrant climate changes could indirectly contribute to disease transmission. Human susceptibility to infections might be further compounded by alterations in the human immune system caused by increased exposure to ultraviolet radiation and malnutrition due to alterations in agricultural products. Different kind of incidents in Europe with extreme weather events demonstrated effects on public health. The recent outbreak of the Insect-borne Chikungunya virus in Italy in 2007 is an example of the kind of new health threat that the EU must be vigilant to confront. In addition, health effects of flooding, have been related to an excess cases of leptospirosis and campylobacter enteritis. Such examples have been demonstrated reported after flooding in the Czech Republic. Similarly, an increase of cryptosporidiosis in the United Kingdom has been related to flooding. Changing vector distributions associated with tickborne encephalitis and malaria have also been demonstrated in EU. A recently reported case of malaria in Italy in June 2008, suspected to be indigenously acquired, has shown how easily malaria could be reintroduced into several countries in the region. Another case of malaria in Greece in May 2010 affecting a young man living in a forestry region was claimed at KEELPNO-the Greek Center for disease control. Would this latest case be considered closely related to the one from Italy? If yes, then Public Health Services should elaborate plans to affront possible tickborne diseases. Heat waves are important causes of mortality on mortality are important. The deaths seen in France in 2003 from a heat wave are projected to be repeated, as heat waves become more severe. However, heat waves impacts on the transmission and severity of infectious diseases have not been elucidated. Finally scientific challenges include the elucudation of climate changes and extreme weather condition impact on infection transmission and outcome, human immune system changes and infection response, outbreak scenarios, animal and plant health and public health preparedness. European action plans to affront climate changes related health and infection problems are developed by the EU Commission at different levels and jointly by different DGs. In a few words within the EU the following points on human, animal and plant health are considered a priority: * Strengthening cooperation between the services of these three branches of health (human, animals, plants); * Developing action plans in the event of extreme weather conditions, in order to be better prepared and to react in the best way; * Gathering more reliable information on the risks of climate change whilst maintaining international cooperation, in particular with the WHO, as cooperation beyond that between Member States will be required to be more effective; * Providing additional effort to identify the most effective measures; * Improving the surveillance and the control of the animal diseases. The European Commission has decided to consider climate change, and the consequences it has on health, with greater importance whilst being aware that it is at the root of numerous diseases.
Ling Tong - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Rearing of silkworm larva in a closed gas revitalizing plant system
Ecological Engineering, 2011Co-Authors: Ling Tong, Hong LiuAbstract:Abstract Plant growing and Insect Breeding experiments in the CICS (Closed Integrative Cultivating System) were carried out. The CICS was established for collecting experimental data to investigate gas circulation and mass exchange between plants and animals as well as animal growth and nutrient compositions in the Bioregenerative Life Support System. The CICS was 1.4 m high with the base measuring 1.4 m × 0.8 m. In the plant chamber, stem lettuce plants were grown in a staggered manner. Silkworms in five different instars were fed in the animal chamber. Every 4 days, the silkworms that had been in the 5th instar for 3 days and all the silkworm’ excreta were taken out of the system. Meanwhile, the silkworms in the first instar were transferred into the animal chamber. During this process, O 2 and CO 2 concentrations in the CICS were measured, and the growth and nutrient composition of the silkworms in the system were compared with those of silkworms reared in the open environment. Results showed that O 2 and CO 2 concentrations in the system were 19.07–20.61% and 0.11–0.35%, respectively. The comparison of growing differences between the silkworms fed in the animal chamber and those in the open environment indicates the Insect's biomass increasing rates and bioconversion rates in the CICS were lower than those in the open environment, and the amounts of excreta produced in the animal chamber were larger. Protein content of the SP (Silkworm Powder) produced in the CICS was more than that in the open environment, while fat content of the SP in the CICS was lower than that in the open environment. Calcium, phosphorus and iron contents of the SP produced in the CICS were 139.00 mg calcium/100 g SP, 1.20 mg phosphorous/100 g SP, and 7.95 mg iron/100 g SP. In terms of amino acids, the quality of the SP produced in the CICS was equivalent to that gained in the open environment.
Christos Bezirtzoglou - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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climate changes environment and infection facts scenarios and growing awareness from the public health community within europe
Anaerobe, 2011Co-Authors: Christos Bezirtzoglou, Konstantinos Dekas, Ekatherina CharvalosAbstract:Climate change is a current global concern and, despite continuing controversy about the extent and importance of causes and of its effects, it seems likely that it will affect the incidence and prevalence of both residual and imported infections in Europe. Climate affects mainly the range of infectious diseases, whereas weather affects the timing and intensity of outbreaks. Climate change scenarios include a change distribution of infectious diseases with warming and changes in outbreaks associated with weather extremes. The largest health impact from climate change for Europe doesn't come from vector borne infectious diseases. This does not mean that these types of health impacts will not arise in Europe. The ranges of several vector-borne diseases or their vectors are already changing in altitude due to warming. In addition, more intense weather events create conditions conductive to outbreaks of infectious diseases: Heavy rains leave Insect Breeding sites, drive rodents from burrows, and contaminate clean water systems. The incidence of mosquito-borne parasitic and viral diseases, are among those diseases most sensitive to climate. Climate change affect disease transmission by shifting the vector's geographic range and by shortening the pathogen incubation period. climate-related increases in temperature in sea surface and level would lead to higher incidence of waterborne infectious and toxin-related illnesses, such as cholera and seafood intoxication. Climate changes all around the world with impact in Europe are demonstrated by the fact that recent cases of cholera have been imported to Europe from Kenya, where spreading epidemic has been linked to the El Nino phenomenon, originated from the Pacific Ocean. Human migration and damage to health infrastructures from aberrant climate changes could indirectly contribute to disease transmission. Human susceptibility to infections might be further compounded by alterations in the human immune system caused by increased exposure to ultraviolet radiation and malnutrition due to alterations in agricultural products. Different kind of incidents in Europe with extreme weather events demonstrated effects on public health. The recent outbreak of the Insect-borne Chikungunya virus in Italy in 2007 is an example of the kind of new health threat that the EU must be vigilant to confront. In addition, health effects of flooding, have been related to an excess cases of leptospirosis and campylobacter enteritis. Such examples have been demonstrated reported after flooding in the Czech Republic. Similarly, an increase of cryptosporidiosis in the United Kingdom has been related to flooding. Changing vector distributions associated with tickborne encephalitis and malaria have also been demonstrated in EU. A recently reported case of malaria in Italy in June 2008, suspected to be indigenously acquired, has shown how easily malaria could be reintroduced into several countries in the region. Another case of malaria in Greece in May 2010 affecting a young man living in a forestry region was claimed at KEELPNO-the Greek Center for disease control. Would this latest case be considered closely related to the one from Italy? If yes, then Public Health Services should elaborate plans to affront possible tickborne diseases. Heat waves are important causes of mortality on mortality are important. The deaths seen in France in 2003 from a heat wave are projected to be repeated, as heat waves become more severe. However, heat waves impacts on the transmission and severity of infectious diseases have not been elucidated. Finally scientific challenges include the elucudation of climate changes and extreme weather condition impact on infection transmission and outcome, human immune system changes and infection response, outbreak scenarios, animal and plant health and public health preparedness. European action plans to affront climate changes related health and infection problems are developed by the EU Commission at different levels and jointly by different DGs. In a few words within the EU the following points on human, animal and plant health are considered a priority: * Strengthening cooperation between the services of these three branches of health (human, animals, plants); * Developing action plans in the event of extreme weather conditions, in order to be better prepared and to react in the best way; * Gathering more reliable information on the risks of climate change whilst maintaining international cooperation, in particular with the WHO, as cooperation beyond that between Member States will be required to be more effective; * Providing additional effort to identify the most effective measures; * Improving the surveillance and the control of the animal diseases. The European Commission has decided to consider climate change, and the consequences it has on health, with greater importance whilst being aware that it is at the root of numerous diseases.
Marko Rohlfs - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Experimental evolution of resistance against a competing fungus in Drosophila melanogaster
Oecologia, 2009Co-Authors: Susanne Wölfle, Monika Trienens, Marko RohlfsAbstract:Competition between microorganisms and arthropods has been shown to be an important ecological interaction determining animal development and spatial distribution patterns in saprophagous communities. In fruit-inhabiting Drosophila , variation in Insect developmental success is not only determined by species-specific effects of various noxious filamentous fungi but, as suggested by an earlier study, also by additive genetic variation in the ability to successfully withstand the negative impact of the fungi. If this variation represents a direct adaptive response to the degree to which Insect Breeding substrates are infested with harmful fungi, genetic variation for successful development in the presence of fungi could be maintained by variation in infestation of resource patches with fungi. We selected for the ability to resist the negative influence of mould by maintaining replicated Drosophila melanogaster populations on substrates infested with Aspergillus nidulans . After five cycles of exposure to the fungus during the larval stage, the selected populations were compared with unselected control populations regarding adult survival and reproduction to reveal an evolved resistance against the fungal competitor. On fungus-infested larval feeding substrates, emerged adults from mould-selected populations had higher survival rates and higher early fecundity than the control populations. In the unselected populations, females had higher mortality rates than males, and a high proportion of both females and males appeared to be unable to lay eggs or fertilise eggs, respectively. When larvae developed on non-infested food we found indications of a loss of resistance to abiotic and starvation stress in the adult stage in flies from the selected populations. This suggests that there are costs associated with an increase in resistance against the microbial competitor. We discuss the underlying mechanisms that might have selected for increased resistance against harmful fungi.