MEXICO CITY Cheap Denver Broncos Jerseys , Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Few companies have received as much attention in recent weeks as Oxitec, a British biotechnology company that breeds genetically modified (GM) insects to combat the spread of diseases such as dengue and the Zika virus.
Oxitec releases GM male mosquitoes with a self-limiting gene, essentially rendering them sterile and causing any offspring to die before they reach adulthood.
In trials around the world, including the Brazilian city of Piracicaba, Oxitec claims to have wiped out over 90 percent of the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
Given that this pesky critter is the main carrier and transmitter of Zika, chikungunya and dengue Cheap Broncos Jerseys , this has led to a spike in interest in Oxitec's methods.
Hadyn Parry, CEO of Oxitec, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview that "our mosquitoes do not impact the disease; we just reduce the number of mosquitoes. You get Zika, dengue or chikungunya by being bitten by a mosquito carrying that disease. No mosquito means no disease, less mosquitoes means less disease," he said.
Both the United States and Brazil confirmed that the Zika virus had been propagated by sexual transmission and blood transfusion.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Cheap Brandon Marshall Jersey , the Zika virus only remains in the bloodstream for a few weeks, meaning that eradicating mosquito populations would remove the threat of other types of transmission.
Despite this seemingly positive impact, the rollout of Oxitec's GM mosquitoes in Latin America to date has been limited. The city of Piracicaba, in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, which saw a trial release of Oxitec's mosquitoes in 2015, is expanding the project to cover about 60 Cheap Bradley Roby Jersey ,000 people.
According to statistics provided by Oxitec, the city saw 133 cases of dengue in 2014 and the beginning of 2015. This was cut down to just one for the rest of 2015 after the Oxitec trial began.
However, the release of further Oxitec GM mosquitoes across the country faces a major obstacle. While Brazil's regulator for GM organisms has stated Oxitec's product poses no risk, final approval is needed by the Ministry of Health before commercialization can begin.
"But to market and sell our product, we need an authorization from the Ministry of Health. We think we are very close to getting that authorization," said Parry.
That decision would not just impact Oxitec's operations in Brazil but would determine if and when its GM mosquitoes could be released in other countries.
"Once Brazil approves us Cheap Darian Stewart Jersey , I do not think we will see a similar time frame in other Latin American countries," the executive said. "This mosquito is the same species all around the world, our product is exactly the same, and a lot of Latin American cities are very similar."
However, should a country decide that certain differentiating factors warrant extra processes, Oxitec said it will be happy to carry out extra studies.
Parry said many countries and private companies are collaborating to develop a vaccine but such a solution may be slow.
A final hurdle for Oxitec has been the controversies that have grown around their methods. A cursory search on the Internet turns up a number of articles Cheap Brandon McManus Jersey , questioning or outright blaming Oxitec and its GM mosquitoes.
While thorough questioning of scientific practices is welcome, especially for as important a topic as GM organisms, Parry said some of the circulating accusations are false and can affect lives.
"The WHO and Brazilian regulators have examined our technology and found no significant risk," he said. "However, if anyone has real evidence, or even a hypothesis to test out Cheap Todd Davis Jersey , they should come forward as that will be good for the debate."
Movements to Improve the Health of Your Spine Health Articles | August 15, 2012 As we Floridians get older, or recover from injuries to the neck or ba portant to be conscious of that which we normally tend to neglect: the various movements we make that have an effect on...
As we Floridians get older, or recover from injuries to the neck or back, it聮s important to be conscious of that which we normally tend to neglect: the various movements we make that have an effect on the spine. Through being consciously aware of how we sleep Cheap Domata Peko Jersey , we can begin to inculcate physical habits that will become unconscious and natural over time while protecting our spine from further injury. Doing so also reduces and prevents neck and back pain as well. A few simple more appropriate movements follow as examples; a chiropractor in Naples, FL can provide more specific advice pertinent to on ndividual situation.
A chiropractor in Naples, FL may give more precise advice about sleeping positions; however, many people present to their doctors or chiropractors with stiff neck injuries or back pains that they seemed to develop while sleeping. This is a common malady, but can be corrected by sleeping in a way that may initially seem somewhat unnatural. Most people are able to adapt, however. If you sleep on your back Cheap Ronald Leary Jersey , it is a good idea to place a pillow under both your head and shoulders, and put a clean, rolled rowel under your neck for full support. Also, place a rolled towel under your knees. This position will help you to maintain the three curves of your body that are supported by the curvature of your spine.
A supportive mattress is really necessary to truly conducive sleep. A chiropractor in Naples, FL will usually advise sleeping on a supportive mattress. You should be able to lie on your back in comfort, but not sink into the mattress like a heavy stone Cheap Colby Wadman Jersey , or feel as though you are sleeping on cement because it is too stiff. When you go to sleep on your back if you feel tempted during the night to roll over onto your stomach, resist the urge with all your willpower!