ScienceDaily (July 6, 2011) — One of the peskiest household pests, while disastrous to homes, could prove to be a boon for cars, according to a Purdue University study.
Mike Scharf, the O. Wayne Rollins/Orkin Chair in Molecular Physiology and Urban Entomology, said his laboratory has discovered a cocktail of enzymes from the guts of termites that may be better at getting around the barriers that inhibit fuel production from woody biomass. The Scharf Laboratory found that enzymes in termite guts are instrumental in the insects' ability to break down the wood they eat.
The findings, published in the early online version of the journal PLoS One, are the first to measure the sugar output from enzymes created by the termites themselves and the output from symbionts, small protozoa that live in termite guts and aid in digestion of woody material.
"For the most part, people have overlooked the host termite as a source of enzymes that could be used in the production of biofuels. For a long time it was thought that the symbionts were solely responsible for digestion," Scharf said. "Certainly the symbionts do a lot, but what we've shown is that the host produces enzymes that work in synergy with the enzymes produced by those symbionts. When you combine the functions of the host enzymes with the symbionts, it's like one plus one equals four."
Scharf and his research partners separated the termite guts, testing portions that did and did not contain symbionts on sawdust to measure the sugars created.
Once the enzymes were identified, Scharf and his team worked with Chesapeake Perl, a protein production company in Maryland, to create synthetic versions. The genes responsible for creating the enzymes were inserted into a virus and fed to caterpillars, which then produce large amounts of the enzymes. Tests showed that the synthetic versions of the host termite enzymes also were very effective at releasing sugar from the biomass.
They found that the three synthetic enzymes function on different parts of the biomass.
Two enzymes are responsible for the release of glucose and pentose, two different sugars. The other enzyme breaks down lignin, the rigid compound that makes up plant cell walls.
Lignin is one of the most significant barriers that blocks the access to sugars contained in biomass. Scharf said it's possible that the enzymes derived from termites and their symbionts, as well as synthetic versions, could be more effective at removing that lignin barrier.
Sugars from plant material are essential to creating biofuels. Those sugars are fermented to make products such as ethanol.
"We've found a cocktail of enzymes that create sugars from wood," Scharf said. "We were also able to see for the first time that the host and the symbionts can synergistically produce these sugars."
Next, Scharf said his laboratory and collaborators would work on identifying the symbiont enzymes that could be combined with termite enzymes to release the greatest amount of sugars from woody material. Combining those enzymes would increase the amount of biofuel that should be available from biomass.
The U.S. Department of Energy and Chesapeake Perl funded the research.
Source : ScienceDaily
Showing posts with label Pets News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pets News. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Pet Health Insurance in California
In 1849 hundreds of men made the grueling climb across the Rocky mountain range before stepping onto California's soil. These men, who history remembers as forty-niners, came to California with dreams of striking a mother lode of gold and spending the rest of their days in the lap of luxury. Few of these forty-niners had possessions worth speaking of, just the tattered torn clothes they were wearing, a shovel, a pan specially designed to sift through river sediment, and an old mule to haul their find out of the mountains.
Over a hundred and fifty years have passed since the last forty-niner made their final trek across the Rockies with only his own voice and a cantankerous old mule named Worthless for company. In this new modern world a different type of person is journeying across the country seeking the answers to all their dreams and prayers in the warm California sunlight. Today its students, freshly armed with brand new high school diplomas and a tiny sub-compact car loaded down with expensive clothing and glamour shots, seeking not gold but rather fame under the bright lights of an acting studio. Like the fortey-niners, many of these future stars have only their CD collections and a family pet to keep them company on the long drive across the country.
What many of these Hollywood hopefuls don't realize is the animal health branch of the California Department of Food and Agriculture has rules and regulations for bringing pets into the state. Most of the rules will involve the young pet owner to take their pet to the veterinarian for a round of shots and an exam before leaving for the land of movie stars and millionaires. The purchase of pet health care coverage can sometimes let the youngsters get the routine vet work out of the way without forcing them to dip to heavily into their savings.
Domestic cats that are infected with a contagious disease are not allowed into California. Cats are not required to have a current rabies vaccination nor do they have to have a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection before they cross the state line into California. They must have a health certificate if they are coming from an area that was under rabies quarantine. If you are coming into the state of California via airplane check with the airline about what health requirements they enforce before allowing your cat to fly. Before you leave your home town for the California shore line, ask your veterinarian what can be done to make the trip as comfortable and safe for your cat.
Just like cats the California Department of Food and Agriculture will not allow dogs that are carrying an infectious disease to cross the state line into California. Any dog over four months of age is required to a certificate stating the date of its last rabies vaccination, the type of vaccination used, the manufacturer lot number of the rabies vaccine used, and the name of the vet who gave the injection. If you are traveling by plane ask the airline about any additional health requirements your dog must meet before it is allowed to fly. The sooner you contact your airline the better.
If you are bringing a more exotic type of pet, such as a potbellied pig, into the state of California you may be required to have an entry permit.
Over a hundred and fifty years have passed since the last forty-niner made their final trek across the Rockies with only his own voice and a cantankerous old mule named Worthless for company. In this new modern world a different type of person is journeying across the country seeking the answers to all their dreams and prayers in the warm California sunlight. Today its students, freshly armed with brand new high school diplomas and a tiny sub-compact car loaded down with expensive clothing and glamour shots, seeking not gold but rather fame under the bright lights of an acting studio. Like the fortey-niners, many of these future stars have only their CD collections and a family pet to keep them company on the long drive across the country.
What many of these Hollywood hopefuls don't realize is the animal health branch of the California Department of Food and Agriculture has rules and regulations for bringing pets into the state. Most of the rules will involve the young pet owner to take their pet to the veterinarian for a round of shots and an exam before leaving for the land of movie stars and millionaires. The purchase of pet health care coverage can sometimes let the youngsters get the routine vet work out of the way without forcing them to dip to heavily into their savings.
Domestic cats that are infected with a contagious disease are not allowed into California. Cats are not required to have a current rabies vaccination nor do they have to have a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection before they cross the state line into California. They must have a health certificate if they are coming from an area that was under rabies quarantine. If you are coming into the state of California via airplane check with the airline about what health requirements they enforce before allowing your cat to fly. Before you leave your home town for the California shore line, ask your veterinarian what can be done to make the trip as comfortable and safe for your cat.
Just like cats the California Department of Food and Agriculture will not allow dogs that are carrying an infectious disease to cross the state line into California. Any dog over four months of age is required to a certificate stating the date of its last rabies vaccination, the type of vaccination used, the manufacturer lot number of the rabies vaccine used, and the name of the vet who gave the injection. If you are traveling by plane ask the airline about any additional health requirements your dog must meet before it is allowed to fly. The sooner you contact your airline the better.
If you are bringing a more exotic type of pet, such as a potbellied pig, into the state of California you may be required to have an entry permit.
Monday, June 20, 2011
The pattern of China's pet food market
Currently, China's pet food market is the kind of situation then we take the dogs and cats, for example, you follow the author to see a simple market analysis.?
Pet food in the market today can be divided into the following categories:
Pet staple food (cat food, dog food);
Pet snacks (dogs and cats cans, packages, fresh meat, meat, etc.);
Pet nutrition health products (dogs and cats of calcium, vitamins, proteins and other nutrients).
Pet goods in China after about 1 0 years of development, Chinese cities pet owners spend a pet growing consumer awareness, consumption of which is the biggest dog food cat food, cat food dog food is second only to pet food, pet nutrition and health care products is growing at an alarming rate to be recognized by most pet owners, the shape of the three mainstream Chinese goods are now pet food consumers.
Dog food cat pet food market is now China's main foreign food giants occupy the three U. S. Mars (pet food first in China to promote a U.S. private food companies, brands Pedigree, Usergroups, Yiwei); Nestle Purina (Nestle's acquisition of pet food currently sold in the Chinese market, the brand has the highest energy, health and more music, hi jump, Jennifer Hi, beautiful music and more); reputation of the European pet food (Mars U.S. foreign-owned a French company, the brand for the Royal French). In recent years, with the inclusion of Nestle Purina, Mars in pet hospitals, pet specialty channel market share for the most part, but the strong Martian channels still remain strong supermarket stores Po Ka Wai growth, but Mars Nestle Purina professional in erosion channels at the same time, the store has followed Mars supermarket channel, and a very short time achieved remarkable results, European reputation responsibility at all costs, to focus more on long-term brand construction, making the brand Royal Canin pet owners always give people feelings of one of the most professional, the product of single A3 French royal dog food has become the fastest growing in the performance of one product. All three foreign companies accounted for the pet food market is currently China's most market share.
In addition to the three foreign animal food companies, has also met many purely foreign imported high-end consumer brand, Procter & Gamble Ai Musi, Eukanuba, Hills Colgate, and snow-capped mountains, natural resources, mining and other foreign brands Ling Of course there are merchants China introduced from Brazil, Australia and other major agricultural brands, today is a noble general, Brazil, Tao Tao, the main agricultural products to foreign products more expensive than European import prices should be lower, so that occupies part of the domestic high-end market share .
After the foreign brands, let us look back to see domestic brands. China's largest pet food company is a good pet food company owner (the company that registered Tong Wei Group Inc.), followed by recognition from the standpoint of products, namely, Norrish pet food (from Shanghai, a young company, brand Norrish, Biruiji, Rasa Good, fruit quality, etc.), Tianjin Jin Combo pet food (which is located in Tianjin export processing enterprises, especially in brand-based assets), followed by several regional markets brands, brands, especially in Beijing, Hebei, Shandong regional territory, technology and company personnel are mainly from institutions associated with domestic agricultural higher education. Face of strong foreign brands, domestic brands of pet owners how to get more recognition, I believe that it might take, how to reduce the duration is shorter, I think what we need technology and strong marketing skills to achieve. For example, a good owner Tongwei can be said that in the domestic market has been doing for years, but a good host is not a very good market performance, mainly because of marketing in product definition, positioning, market work. I once saw in a pet store as a promotion, a red banner hanging on the walls of these pets, reminds me of the Ministry of Rural hang banners feed wholesale "Dabeinong ... ..., CP ..., Huadu .... .. hope .... "Although the food of animal feed, poultry and fish, but different pig feed. Consumers really chicken feed chicken, but the money to buy feed to farmers, so the farmer is the pursuit of profit, of course, not high-end consumers, farmers pay more attention to quality and price. Pet is different is that it lives in urban households, the consumer is the real dog food cat food cats and dogs, but the money to buy pet food that pet owners, so pet owners do not pursue profit, pet owners pay more attention to quality , the brand does not focus on price, so they are high-end consumers. The higher accuracy of consumer psychology, the product will be more accepted by consumers.
So I believe that pet food as we drink, with everyday needs, we need a way to sell consumer goods to move quickly to sell pet food.
Located in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, Shandong coastal pet snacks are also many companies now have foreign pet snacks businesses interested in learning the Chinese market, pet snacks also have to maintain a rapid growth rate. Currently the domestic market on the one hand there is an old pet snacks brands Pedigree, Usergroups, but also mischievous pets in Yantai, Qingdao, there are Japanese companies ina gold treasure rice, etc. The company, relies on overseas markets OEM, ODM, others On the one hand the domestic market also started to expand the brand, but most of the agents in different cities, and do not press the extent of the potential depth of the channel, is still huge room for growth.
Pet nutrition and health care products that rapid sales growth, market, especially calcium, protein, vitamins and several major categories as the main sales categories, new product features consumers need some time to receive the brand overseas, especially in the perfect, Taiwan Haimix, brand Other domestic Imber.
I believe that domestic companies now need to maintain business operations costs while improving product quality, the art of marketing, brand, accelerate the pace of development, the only way China's own brand of pet food have a better future!
Zhou Jianfeng, FMCG marketing plan, a global independent research institute, U. S. Gerson Lehrman Group (GLG) group member panel of industry experts, U. S. former Chinese company Mars (Mars is one of the world's largest food company, the world's largest chocolate confectionery and pet food companies), has served in Shanghai Guan Sheng Yuan Group, the Mongolian sheep from Australia Limon (Inner Mongolia) Meat Industry Co., Ltd., the United States pet supplies, pet food Imber, Tianjin Bronte Group and other companies.
Pet food in the market today can be divided into the following categories:
Pet staple food (cat food, dog food);
Pet snacks (dogs and cats cans, packages, fresh meat, meat, etc.);
Pet nutrition health products (dogs and cats of calcium, vitamins, proteins and other nutrients).
Pet goods in China after about 1 0 years of development, Chinese cities pet owners spend a pet growing consumer awareness, consumption of which is the biggest dog food cat food, cat food dog food is second only to pet food, pet nutrition and health care products is growing at an alarming rate to be recognized by most pet owners, the shape of the three mainstream Chinese goods are now pet food consumers.
Dog food cat pet food market is now China's main foreign food giants occupy the three U. S. Mars (pet food first in China to promote a U.S. private food companies, brands Pedigree, Usergroups, Yiwei); Nestle Purina (Nestle's acquisition of pet food currently sold in the Chinese market, the brand has the highest energy, health and more music, hi jump, Jennifer Hi, beautiful music and more); reputation of the European pet food (Mars U.S. foreign-owned a French company, the brand for the Royal French). In recent years, with the inclusion of Nestle Purina, Mars in pet hospitals, pet specialty channel market share for the most part, but the strong Martian channels still remain strong supermarket stores Po Ka Wai growth, but Mars Nestle Purina professional in erosion channels at the same time, the store has followed Mars supermarket channel, and a very short time achieved remarkable results, European reputation responsibility at all costs, to focus more on long-term brand construction, making the brand Royal Canin pet owners always give people feelings of one of the most professional, the product of single A3 French royal dog food has become the fastest growing in the performance of one product. All three foreign companies accounted for the pet food market is currently China's most market share.
In addition to the three foreign animal food companies, has also met many purely foreign imported high-end consumer brand, Procter & Gamble Ai Musi, Eukanuba, Hills Colgate, and snow-capped mountains, natural resources, mining and other foreign brands Ling Of course there are merchants China introduced from Brazil, Australia and other major agricultural brands, today is a noble general, Brazil, Tao Tao, the main agricultural products to foreign products more expensive than European import prices should be lower, so that occupies part of the domestic high-end market share .
After the foreign brands, let us look back to see domestic brands. China's largest pet food company is a good pet food company owner (the company that registered Tong Wei Group Inc.), followed by recognition from the standpoint of products, namely, Norrish pet food (from Shanghai, a young company, brand Norrish, Biruiji, Rasa Good, fruit quality, etc.), Tianjin Jin Combo pet food (which is located in Tianjin export processing enterprises, especially in brand-based assets), followed by several regional markets brands, brands, especially in Beijing, Hebei, Shandong regional territory, technology and company personnel are mainly from institutions associated with domestic agricultural higher education. Face of strong foreign brands, domestic brands of pet owners how to get more recognition, I believe that it might take, how to reduce the duration is shorter, I think what we need technology and strong marketing skills to achieve. For example, a good owner Tongwei can be said that in the domestic market has been doing for years, but a good host is not a very good market performance, mainly because of marketing in product definition, positioning, market work. I once saw in a pet store as a promotion, a red banner hanging on the walls of these pets, reminds me of the Ministry of Rural hang banners feed wholesale "Dabeinong ... ..., CP ..., Huadu .... .. hope .... "Although the food of animal feed, poultry and fish, but different pig feed. Consumers really chicken feed chicken, but the money to buy feed to farmers, so the farmer is the pursuit of profit, of course, not high-end consumers, farmers pay more attention to quality and price. Pet is different is that it lives in urban households, the consumer is the real dog food cat food cats and dogs, but the money to buy pet food that pet owners, so pet owners do not pursue profit, pet owners pay more attention to quality , the brand does not focus on price, so they are high-end consumers. The higher accuracy of consumer psychology, the product will be more accepted by consumers.
So I believe that pet food as we drink, with everyday needs, we need a way to sell consumer goods to move quickly to sell pet food.
Located in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, Shandong coastal pet snacks are also many companies now have foreign pet snacks businesses interested in learning the Chinese market, pet snacks also have to maintain a rapid growth rate. Currently the domestic market on the one hand there is an old pet snacks brands Pedigree, Usergroups, but also mischievous pets in Yantai, Qingdao, there are Japanese companies ina gold treasure rice, etc. The company, relies on overseas markets OEM, ODM, others On the one hand the domestic market also started to expand the brand, but most of the agents in different cities, and do not press the extent of the potential depth of the channel, is still huge room for growth.
Pet nutrition and health care products that rapid sales growth, market, especially calcium, protein, vitamins and several major categories as the main sales categories, new product features consumers need some time to receive the brand overseas, especially in the perfect, Taiwan Haimix, brand Other domestic Imber.
I believe that domestic companies now need to maintain business operations costs while improving product quality, the art of marketing, brand, accelerate the pace of development, the only way China's own brand of pet food have a better future!
Zhou Jianfeng, FMCG marketing plan, a global independent research institute, U. S. Gerson Lehrman Group (GLG) group member panel of industry experts, U. S. former Chinese company Mars (Mars is one of the world's largest food company, the world's largest chocolate confectionery and pet food companies), has served in Shanghai Guan Sheng Yuan Group, the Mongolian sheep from Australia Limon (Inner Mongolia) Meat Industry Co., Ltd., the United States pet supplies, pet food Imber, Tianjin Bronte Group and other companies.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Pets in Airplane Cabins: An Unnecessary Allergic Hazard?
ScienceDaily Report : (Feb. 23, 2010) — The preferences of pet owners should not replace the well-being of their fellow passengers, states an editorial in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Pets can be accommodated comfortably and safely in airplane cargo holds, which is where they belong. Airlines must choose to put the needs of their human passengers first, or be forced to do so.
Air travel has become increasingly difficult, with tightened security restrictions and a decreased number of services. But now Air Canada is adding to the difficulty by allowing small pets to travel airplane cabins. Flying should not include avoidable health risks, especially, for passengers with allergies to pets. Many people with allergies to animals will have a reaction when they're trapped in an enclosed space, often for hours.
The Canadian Transportation Agency ruled that people allergic to nuts should be considered to have a disability under the Canada Transportation Act and must therefore be accommodated. The agency is now receiving passenger complaints about pets on airplanes and considering whether those with allergies to pets should also be considered as having a disability. Such a finding would force Canadian airlines to safeguard passengers with pet allergies.
"If the agency does not rule for the passengers, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health, which heard a briefing on this issue last fall, should take up the cause," write Dr. Matthew Stanbrook, Deputy Editor, Canadian Medical Association Journal and coauthors. "People with allergies should be able to fly without placing their health at risk and must not be prevented from travelling for fear of being confined close to a pet."
Source : ScienceDaily.com
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