Future of drones - 2015 Consumer Electronics Show

The future of drones – 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show

January 15, 2015January 11, 2015 by The Speaker Editors

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Las Vegas is buzzing. After a week of tech advances at the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show, CES2015, drones have taken the lead in seducing not only an avid public, but also companies with serious interest in new appliances in a wide range of production sectors. This year the organization has designated a specific area for drones, due to the increase of developers who have found drone niches in diverse areas, from sporting events to agriculture to rescue missions.

The tech giant Intel has announced a set of improvements and startups designed to increase software performance and portable solutions for unmanned aircrafts. “The increase of new experiences in personal computers, smart and connected devices, and the revolution of visible technology is redefining the relationship between consumers and technology itself,” said Intel’s CEO Brian Krzanich.

Some improvements have enabled drones to perceive depth; others will allow the device to build 3D images of its surroundings.

One of the most highlighted devices was the winner of the Intel Challenge “Make it Wearable” from 2014, a flying camera which can be attached to the wrist as a bracelet and deployed instantly to take pictures from the heights. One new feature is attracting extreme sports athletes: a wearable tracking device and “follow me” technology, allowing the drone to follow and record the user.

Among the drone innovators at CES, the startup EHang left the audience in awe when they presented their Ghost drone, which can be controlled via smartphone.

There is plenty of space for innovation and commercial opportunities for those eager to provide unique perspectives in unsuspected fields such as real state, journalism and filmmaking.

Andrew Amato, editor-in-chief of Dronelife, who was present at CES, expressed clearly his belief that drones would be present in daily life from now on. “People have been saying the drones are coming. But I think the fact that we have an unmanned systems area dedicated to them now means they’re not coming. They’re here”.

Some of the new features take advantage of 4K resolution cameras and image stabilizers, which sharpens action footage more than ever. All this combined with air visibility still worries federal regulators. In particular, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is concerned about drones flying near commercial aircraft and therefore drone users require approval before flying.

According to the Consumer Electronics Association(CEA) , global revenue for drones will reach $130 million in 2015, twice last year’s value. Patrick Moorhead, the main tech analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy, estimated that there were twice as many drones as compared to previous events. He explained that the fascination with flying objects is due to our historical difficulty to control them, which makes drones awesome.

Military drones, tiny drones, selfie-taking drones, and drones that fly themselves were “arguably the most hyped products at CES,” said Ben Wood from CCS Insight. According to the interview at BBC, the trade group expects drones to be a billion-dollar market in a few years.

The future of drones shines with optimism, and will rocket even more once regulations catch up with tech advances. Once restrictions are lifted, only the sky will be the limit.

By Santiago Bustamante González

France rallies in act of solidarity against terrorist attacks

September 1, 2015January 11, 2015 by The Speaker Editors

An estimated one million people marched up Boulevard Voltaire in Paris in an act of solidarity after a series of terrorist attacks last week, including an attack on a satire publication that left 12 dead.

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PARIS — As many as a million people crowded the streets of Paris on Sunday in a show of solidarity following the week’s terrorist attacks in the French capital. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as French President Francois Hollande, were among 40 world leaders present.

The crowds gathered at Place de la République, holding signs with the now familiar slogan “Je Suis Charlie” in honor of the 12 workers killed at the magazine Charlie Hebdo last Wednesday morning. Others held signs with names of other casualties last week, including three police officers and the hostages held at a Jewish supermarket on Friday.

Flowers, candles, notes and other offerings pour into the streets from the doorstep of the offices of Charlie Hebdo where 12 workers were killed by terrorists Wednesday.

Many people held high a caricature portraying the prophet Mohammed locked in a wet kiss with a Charlie Hebdo employee, one of many provocative portrayals of the prophet that have been credited with the attack by Islamic extremists.

Shortly after 3 p.m., the sea of people began slowly marching toward Place de la Nation. People waved French flags and clapped from their balconies along Boulevard Voltaire, and some blasted music from their apartment windows, including The Beatles’ “All You Need is Love.”

Organizations marched in rows holding their banners, including LICRA (International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism), Ligue des Doigts de l’Homme (Human Rights League), UEJF (Union of Jewish students of France), and a group of journalism students holding a banner reading “ECOLES DE JOURNALISME” (Journalism Schools).

Journalism students march together in a rally for solidarity and in honor of freedom of the press, which was attacked by terrorists Wednesday morning.

“One of the most important values of the republic has been attacked, freedom of speech and expression, and I think this is an opportunity for France to come together, especially since it has been split because of religious and ethnic divides,” said Simon Prigent, 27, a student at The Graduate School of Journalism in Lille, in Northern France. “Of course this march is even more important to us because it’s our future profession, but this is also a great opportunity for all of France to come together and give a strong message to terrorists.”

The journalism students held up pens and pencils, the most prevalent symbol of the rally, honoring the right to freedom of the press that was attacked. A group of young people hoisted a giant pencil made from cardboard with the rally’s anthem: “Indignation. Resistance. Solidarity. I am Charlie.” Every few minutes the sound of clapping blew through the crowd like a wave, growing louder and louder, and people of all ages chanted, “Charlie, Charlie, Charlie.”

A policeman stands guard by Boulevard Saint Sebastian in Paris before the march on Sunday.

The intense military presence in Paris since Wednesday was felt heavily as armed police stood watch every few meters and snipers overlooked the crowd from rooftops next to chimneys swirling with smoke in the cold. Traffic police appeared more heavily-armed and wary in the days leading up to Sunday, especially given the week’s several bomb-threats and false alarms, including on the metros and at Trocadero, a place near the Eiffel Tower teeming with tourists.

“A lot of the military has been mobilized,” Prigent said. “I feel safe.”

Le Marais, the Jewish neighborhood, was closed Friday night as another security measure after a kosher market was holed-up on Friday, resulting in four deaths, and The Grand Synagogue of Paris was closed on a Sabbath for the first time since World War II.

“They wanted to divide us, but France is not dividing itself,” said Charlotte Belaich, 23, also a journalism student. “Yes, this march is partially about freedom of speech, but for me it’s more about French people coming together because it’s not only the press that’s been targeted, but all of France and its people.”

Ethnic and religious tensions have been on the rise in France with the escalation of terrorist groups, creating a growing rift between the populous Jewish and Muslim communities here. According to a website called The Isis Study Group, France has an estimated 700 to 900 citizens who have or are currently participating in jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq, including the Islamic State, associated with Al Qaeda.

A little girl holds the French flag high alongside the International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism.

The prevailing assumption in Paris is that the week’s attacks were meant to incite further divisions and fear; however, the million people marching fearlessly through the cold even until after dark fell, bearing signs of unity written in English, French, Hebrew and Arabic, showed a different reaction. “We are not afraid,” read thousands of stickers and signs waving through the sea of people of all ages and ethnicities.

Police presence remained heavier than normal Sunday evening, but Belaich is confident the pervasive fear and nervousness will fade. “It’s been a sad atmosphere, and everyone has been talking about what’s happened, at school and even at parties this weekend,” she said. “I think with time, though, other news will take over, and in the end we will show that France won’t be divided and we are not afraid.”

By Felicia Bonanno

Maringa Oliefera… Superfood or super hype?

January 10, 2015 by The Speaker Editors

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The Moringa Oliefera tree claims to contain powerful supplement that can aid in the treatment and prevention of many diseases. While usage of nearly all parts of this tree for many different purposes has been utilized for thousands of years, mostly in Asia, the notoriety of this potential superfood is rapidly increasing into the rest of the world. However, more lab tests using human subjects are needed to substantiate this claim.

To attain the status of a superfood, a food must be nutrient rich and contain vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to the body. However, many nutrition experts do not feel this term should be applied as easily as it has been, and is usually only applied for marketing and commercial purposes. For instance, blueberries are sometimes labeled as a superfood, although it’s not nearly as nutrient dense as originally purported. In fact, out of the many groups of superfoods, berries as a whole have not received the scientific scrutiny applied to others, such as salmon or leafy green vegetables.

The proponents of Moringa Oliefera claim that it is a powerful supplement and more than deserving of the superfood title. For instance, it’s high fiber, protein and vitamin content helps to alleviate the effects of malnutrition in many third world countries when its leaves are eaten. Studies have also shown that it contains antioxidant properties that can aid in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Mark Olson, a botanist at the Universidad National Autonoma in Mexico City, admires its ability to thrive in some of the world’s toughest growing regions. “This is a plant that does…extraordinarily well in some of the most difficult areas…that are hot (and) dry.” He went on to say that the plant has a secret in its resiliency. “They don’t have particularly deep roots…they’re storing water in the roots and trunk.” (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=SKnJgaHFLR0)

There can be a downside to eating the roots, bark and flowers by pregnant women, however. Studies have shown that consumption can cause contraction of the uterus, possibly triggering a miscarriage. Also, experts warn against eating the roots and their extracts, as they may cause paralysis and death. ( )

Also, there have been few random and double blind studies involving humans regarding the efficacy of Moringa Oliefera and it’s supposed benefits. Up to this point there have been mostly animal and in vitro testing. These studies, while promising, seem to suggest that much more human testing is needed before Moringa Oliefera can be deemed super, much less a superfood.

By Brett Scott

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Islam “unique” from other religions – Muslim terrorists carry out at least 5 attacks that result in death per day – Terrorist watch group

January 26, 2021January 10, 2015 by The Speaker Editors

Islam unique from other religions - Muslims terrorists kill average five people per day in terrorist attacks - Terrorist watch group

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In the previous 10 years only 12 days have passed without an Islamist terrorist attack, according to terrorist watch group TheReligionofPeace.com (TROP), which has kept a record of all such attacks since Sept. 11, 2001. According to their records, an average of five people are killed each day by Muslims motivated by what the editors of TROP identify as “duty to their religion.”

Islam is unique among the world’s prevailing religions, the group states, in that killing is widespread and relatively continuous. TROP editor Glen Roberts thinks this has to do with the scripture and history of the religion.

“Kill in the name of Jesus–as some crackpot somewhere seems to do once every decade or so–and no one can argue that this is the example of Christ,” Roberts told us. “This is not the case with Muhammad, who ordered numerous military campaigns against non-believers and had people put to death for mocking him or resisting his claim to being a prophet.

“The people who know Muhammad best–his companions–were extremely prolific in waging war against non-threatening populations under the rationale that Islam is meant to be supreme. There is nothing in the Quran that discourages this. In fact, verse 9:29 says that Christians and Jews are to be killed if they resist subjugation. Verse 9:123 tells Muslims to ‘fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness.'”

TROP has kept track of incidents of Islamist violence since Sept. 11, 2001, and the organization distinguishes four features of attacks: Jihad attacks, Allah Akbars (suicide attacks), Dead Bodies, and Critically Injured. The numbers do not include ordinary incidents of violence among nominal Muslims–only killings judged by TROP editors to be motivated by religious duty.

Each month there are hundreds of separate attacks in dozens of different countries. For example, in December, 2014 there were 233 Jihad attacks in 30 countries, including 33 Allah Akbars, resulting in 2,497 dead bodies and over 2,000 injured.

Roberts offered some thoughts on the comparison of Islam to other religions, such as Christianity and Buddhism–within and from which there has also been terrorist violence.

“Everyone knows that there are peaceful and tolerant members of every religion,” stated Roberts. “The question is whether or not the peace and tolerance is a byproduct of the religion.

“In Christianity, morality generally springs from the New Testament,” Roberts told us. “The peace and tolerance is so pervasive that many Christians probably find themselves having to explain away the pacifist nature of the text in order to rationalize more pragmatic views on self-defense.

“In Islam it is exactly the opposite. Muslims who hold tolerant views or a Judeo-Christian ethic have to begin with their preferred moral context and then make the Quran subordinate to it. In other words they have to ignore what the Quran actually says–and what Muhammad really did–and imagine that it supports what they already believe to be true.”

“A person who abandons themselves to the true teachings of Muhammad is going to be bigoted toward those outside the faith. They are also going to believe that violence is sanctioned for the cause of Allah. This is something that we call ‘radicalization’ in order to avoid the uncomfortable truth that it is really just true Islam.”

TROP’s number of Islamist terror attacks since September 11 sits just under 25,000 at the time of writing, although this number is expected by the group to be significantly lower than the actual number because it does not include incidents not reported by media.

Muslim terrorists have conducted almost 25,000 separate deadly attacks since 911 – Terrorist watch group

January 26, 2021January 10, 2015 by The Speaker Editors

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Islamic terror watch organization TheReligionofPeace.com has been keeping track of Islamist attacks since the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City. The number of attacks has increased steadily since that time, and is expected to reach 25,000 next month.

“The breadth and number of attacks increased dramatically in the years since 9/11,” Glen Roberts, the editor of the website, told The Speaker. He expects the toll–which currently sits at 24,815–will reach 25,000 “probably during the second week in February.”

The watch organization regularly updates a list of all deadly terrorist attacks committed by Muslims since the Twin Towers Attack, in which almost 3,000 people were killed. The killings take place at a rate of around five per day, according to the organization, and happen almost every day.

“It looks like there have been only 12 days since the beginning of 2005 without at least one Islamic attack,” Roberts told us.

TROP’s counter does not measure deaths, only attacks, Roberts said. The total number for deaths has not been tallied, although the organization records deaths among their weekly and monthly figures. Last month, for example, the group recorded 2,497 dead and 2,225 critically injured in 233 Jihad attacks in 30 countries, including 33 Allah Akbars (suicide attacks).

Roberts said that although the breath and number of attacks increased after 9/11, the date did not mark the beginning of Islamist terror.

“The rate at which people died from Islamic violence was probably much greater prior to this,” Roberts told us. “There was less attention focused on terror campaigns in places like Algeria and East Timor, for example, even though the loss of life was staggering. Another example is Bangladesh, where several million people lost their lives in the early 1970’s during independence, a great many of whom were Hindu.”

The 25,000 number is expected to be significantly lower than the actual number, however, because not all attacks are picked up by international news sources, and reported deaths are undercounted because death can occur days after reporting due to trauma, the organization qualifies.

The list is composed of incidents of deadly violence that the organization has deemed to have been motivated by the perpetrators’ interpretation of religious duty, and does not include regular incidents of violence involving nominal Muslims, according to the watch group.

“Any terrorist attack resulting in death in which religious motivation it can reasonably be assumed to have played a role is included on our list. We include honor killings on the list, but they are not a part of the overall tally since we do not want to stretch the definition of terrorism too far.”

J-Class Classic

January 30, 2016January 9, 2015 by Land and Sea Journal

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This famous J-class yacht came up for sale in 2015, and is still for sale — it’s the Endeavor, the 1934 C.E. Nicholson-designed vessel made for speed.

The man who commissioned the craft was aircraft manufacturer sir T.O.M Sopwith, who intended to challenge the American designs dominating the America’s Cup, like the Westward and Rainbow of Nathaneal Green Herreshoff.

The aircraft designer applied aeronautical technology to the ship’s design, and in her first season the Endeavor won many races in Britain.

Although the yacht was the only J-class to ever beat the original Rainbow, she failed to take the 1934 America’s Cup. The loss was attributed to Sopwith’s replacing the professional crew with 13 amateurs after a pay strike, as well as taking off too much ballast during the series.

Since that time, the craft has changed hands and was nearly destroyed by wreckers. At one point she was a rusted hulk without keel, rudder, ballast or interior. A recent owner, however, completely rebuilt the J into its present form, incorporating 100,000 man hours of labor.

At her low point, Endeavor sold for 10 pounds sterling after sinking in the Medina River in Crowes. Her current asking price is just under 20 million Euros ($21.5 million US dollars).

Specifics:

Length	39.56m / 130ft
Beam	6.80m / 22ft
Draft	4.80m / 16ft

Hull	Steel
Cabins total	4 Cabins
Cabins	1 Master, 2 Double, 1 Twin,
Guests	8
Crew	7
Max. Speed	13 Knots
Cruising Speed	10 Knots

For more information about her sale, visit Edmiston by clicking here.

Tall Ship

January 31, 2016January 9, 2015 by Land and Sea Journal

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The term “tall ship” is itself debated, a term whose origin is attributed to a bygone era, but whose validity is strengthened by its early use by some of our most respected writers, such as Joseph Conrad, who was himself a master mariner, and Henry David Thoreau.

There might be something to be said about the impression an object or an experience tied to an object, its use and setting, gives to a writer, and when we look at the pictures of tall ships — for those of us who have not been aboard one — or remember the feel of the deck and its height — can we understand the meaning of the words of the writer?

Thoreau, in his first work, “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers,” quoting some other un-named writer:

Down out at its mouth, the dark inky main blending with the blue above. Plum Island, its sand ridges scolloping along the horizon like the sea-serpent, and the distant outline broken by many a tall ship, leaning, still, against the sky.

A tall ship is not a type of ship — there are many types of tall ship rigs: schooners, barques, brigs, brigantines. The main qualifier is that the craft need be a large, traditionally rigged vessel.

In this tall ship gallery, we find a night shot — we’re still looking for the photographer of this photo; the Brazilian (note the green and yellow flag) ship Cisne Branco, photographed by Bruce Bodner; the US Coastguard GC Eagle, the 25-sail Alexander von Humboldt, photographed by Winfried Huber, and the Christian Radich.

Yacht Classic

January 10, 2016January 9, 2015 by Land and Sea Journal

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Westward was an America’s Cup yacht that, which under the captainship of Charlie Barr defeated all challengers between 1893 and 1920, including Britannia, Lulworth and Meteor II. The yacht was the fastest in the world in the early 1900’s. This yacht pictured, the Eleonora, is an exact replica of the Westward, and is available to rent for $82,000 per week.

It was designed by the American yacht design innovator — besides naval architect and mechanical engineer — Nathaneal Green Herreshoff.

Herreshoff designed several famous craft, including the 144-foot America’s Cup Reliance, Enterprise, and Rainbow, plus Defender and Columbia, in addition to Westward.

I guess to rent and sail this yacht would be to understand a piece of sailing history, and a piece of American history.

Eleonora was launched in 2000, and has sailed in regattas and continues to take part in history by hosting high-profile guests, over 100 years after Westward began to sail.

Specs of Eleonoa yacht:

Type: 135 ft Classic Schooner
Naval Architect: Original design by Nathanel G. Herreshoff
Shipyard: Scheepswerf van der Graaf, the Netherlands
Year: 2000
LOA: 49.50 m
Beam: 8.20 m
Draft: 5.20 m
Displacement: 213 t
Hull Material: Steel
Engine: Baudouin 6R124
Crew: 9
Sail Area: 1100 m2
Cabins: 8
Guests: 8
Location: Western Mediterranean

To inquire about renting this luxury yacht, visit Hoek Brokerage Charters (click here).

Paris Charlie Hebdo attack: Rethinking the “War on Terror”

September 1, 2015January 9, 2015 by Joel Levi

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Two militant sieges have taken place in Paris. One happened Wednesday, January 7, which caused the death of 12 people including 10 cartoonists and columnists of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, and the other happened Friday, January 9, which led to the death of several hostages and a suspect at a kosher supermarket near Paris’ Porte de Vincennes. The probable connection of the two incidents is still under investigation by the police.

Wednesday’s attack on Charlie Hebdo left the city in mourning on Thursday. Thousands gathered at a vigil held in the center of Paris to mourn the dead, but also as a protest for the freedom of speech. Vigils in memory of the cartoonists and in support of the freedom of speech were held simultaneously across the world in Lyon, Toulouse, Berlin, London, Sydney, Brussels, among other cities, with protesters holding the placards “Je suis Charlie” (“I am Charlie”).

One of the suspects in the Charlie Hebdo attack, Hamyd Mourad, 18, surrendered to the police, while the other two, the Parisian brothers Chérif and Saïd Kouachi, 32 and 34, attempted an escape but were killed in a police raid early Friday. One of the suspects of the kosher grocery shop incident, Amedy Coulibaly, 32, was killed when the police stormed the supermarket. The other suspect, Hayat Boumeddienne, 26, is still on the run. She fled the scene in the confusion of the freeing of the hostages.

Europe has been shocked by the extremity of the violence, and so has been the world. The question that needs to be asked first and foremost is who these suspects were. The Kouachi brothers are being linked to Islamist extremism, as the younger brother was convicted for his participation in a jihadist recruitment ring in Paris in 2008. Coulibaly shared a “high profile” with Chérif Kouachi by spending time in prison for assisting the escape of Islamist militant, Smain Ali Belkacem, from jail.

It seems only natural that the horror and violence that had been haunting Paris for the past three days should be tagged “terrorism” and the gunmen who killed civilians “terrorists.” In fact, media across the world were quick to follow President Francois Hollande’s statement in defining the shootings as “terrorist operations,” and the attacks “barbaric.”

President Barack Obama confirmed, perhaps unsurprisingly, in a condolence speech that “the world has seen once again what terrorists stand for.” Obama said, “They have nothing to offer but hatred and suffering. We stand for freedom and hope and the dignity of all human beings. That is what the city of Paris represents to the world and that spirit will endure forever, long after the scourge of terrorism is banished from this world.” But it is precisely in such a time of horror that one should rethink the “War on Terror,” the governmental and corporate operations that hide behind the quick tagging of “terrorism” and “terrorists.”

Violence against civilians is, undoubtedly, to be condemned. But condemnation of violence under the name of the “War on Terror” only rationalizes the elimination of enemies in the international military campaign led by the United States as the absolute enemy of humanity, and in this case the “neutralization of terrorists” in Paris. But the quest for the cause of violence should not end in “neutralization,” or the naming of it as “terrorism,” but rather, it can only end in the understanding of the conditions that prompted the acts of violence.

The slogan was first used by Present George W. Bush after the September 11 attacks to promote United States’ military intervention in Afghanistan, and continues to be used by the Obama administration. It should also be noted that France was the first ally that joined the United States in airstrikes against the Islamic State of Iraq (ISIS) in September last year.

Whether the gunmen were connected with ISIS is still uncertain. But Muslims in France and all over world already find themselves forced to apologize for actions that they have not committed or sympathized with.

Analysis by Joel Levi

The rise and rise of the Superbug?

March 8, 2015January 9, 2015 by Annalisa Dorigo

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A recent report by economist Jim O’Neill is shining the light onto the economic implications of the global rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR occurs when bacteria that are exposed to different types of antibiotics become resistant to them, or multidrug resistant. In layman’s terms they turn into superbugs.

O’Neill’s report looks at the effect of AMR on labour force morbidity and mortality, and its effect on global economic output. It estimates that if resistance is left unchecked, global AMR deaths will rise from a current 700,000 deaths per year (of which some 50,000 deaths per year occur in the UK and the US alone) to ten million deaths per year by 2050, with global GDP likely to shrink by 2-3.5 per cent, equivalent to some $100 trillion losses between 2014 and 2050.

Poor availability of data around bacterial infections however means that the findings give only a broad brush picture of the global impact of AMR, and a rather conservative one at that. Instead of all seven pathogens identified from the World Health Organisation for which drug resistance is a problem, the authors were only able to look at three: Klebsiella pneumonia, which is linked to pneumonia and respiratory tract diseases; E-coli, linked to gastrointestinal infections; and Staphylococcus aureus, which can be linked to a number of diseases, including pneumonia.

So what are the causes of AMR? AMR develops because bacteria adapt in order to survive: as they are exposed to antibiotics, they begin to develop a resistance to them and to share their resistance genes with one another.
While the discovery of penicillin in the late 1920s, and its later developments, revolutionised western medicine and public health care, reducing disease and infections’ incidence within humans and animals, and increasing our longevity, the flip side of the coin was that as bacteria got increasingly exposed to antibiotics – which suddenly made previously high-risk high-mortality surgical procedures safe – they also started to develop their own coping strategy against them.

Then in 1950 researchers in the US discovered that antibiotics could also be added to animal feed to increase livestock growth rates. This was a turning point for industrial farmers and meat producers, not to mention the pharmaceutical industry, with antibiotics consumption becoming even more mainstream. Such trend has continued to our days.

According to a study by the Union of Concerned Scientists, in 2001 more antibiotics were used in the US on healthy animals than on sick people. That is, roughly 70 per cent of total US antimicrobials use was for nontherapeutic purposes in livestock. It is not just the overuse of antibiotics in animal husbandry which is bad, but also the fact that antibiotics of importance to humans are often administered.

In the US regulation has yet failed to ban use of antibiotic substances that are important for human medicine, such as penicillin, and indeed some 13.5m pounds of substances prohibited in the EU are used each year for nontherapeutic purposes in livestock in the US.

At the same time in Europe the use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine does vary greatly between member states. At 370 and 211 milligrams of antibiotic-agents-per-kilogram-of ‘biomass treated’ respectively, Italy and Germany are two of the countries with the highest use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine in the EU. They both lag quite a bit behind Denmark, which only administers on average 43 milligrams/kg.

Indeed in Denmark, since 2000 it is prohibited to administer antibiotics as growth enhancers to healthy animals. And the veterinary use of antibiotics that are used in human medicine is also banned. Strict monitoring requires that Danish farmers report every time they administer antibiotics, by logging their use onto a centrally held database which checks how much of their allowance they have administered. If they go over it, they get fined. Such measures have seen the decline in use of antimicrobial agents in Denmark to 60 per cent of what it was in the 1990s.

That the problem of AMR stems from an overuse of antibiotics in farming is well documented. And with antibiotic resistance within bacteria in animals having spread onto human pathogens, we could soon face serious threats to our ability to conduct many routine surgical procedures, such as hip replacements and caesarean sections, as well as in our fight against major diseases, such as malaria, TB, HIV, pneumonia and cancer. As fewer and fewer options become available for treating infections, stories like this one will become more common.

Added to the issue of antibiotics in farming is that of an over-sanitised private sphere in which we are surrounded by antibacterial agents in soaps, mouthwash and cleaning products, promising to kill all unwanted germs (with quite a lot of the wanted ones as collateral), so that we could even eat off a kitchen floor if we felt the urge.

Not only are claims made about such products often misleading and highly contested, but evidence shows that indiscriminate use of antibacterials at home – such as those containing Triclosan, an antibacterial agent used in many cleaning products can be dangerous to our health, and as they find their way through our drains and into our water systems, they can also pollute our environment. And controversial research indicates that such antibacterial containing products can compound AMR.

So what can be done to reduce AMR? Reducing non therapeutic use of antibiotics in farming, as well as an outright ban on those which are used in human medicine would be a good step to take. Avoiding unnecessary exposure to antibacterial agents at home would not only help towards fighting AMR but also help reduce their negative effects on human health and the environment. Ultimately, the availability of new types of antibiotics would make it hard on bacteria to build up resistance, indeed an important reason why AMR is a problem is that new types of antibiotics have been hard to come by over the last few decades.

Yet on a very positive note, just today researchers from Northeastern University in Boston, US have revealed the discovery of a new antibiotic called teixobactin. Their research shows that none of the bacteria they exposed to teixobactin developed resistance. While the drug could still be some years from being available, and further research beckons, scientists agree that it does seem like a very hopeful step in the right direction.

Analysis by Annalisa Dorigo

Monkeys learn to recognize themselves in mirrors – new research

January 26, 2021January 8, 2015 by The Speaker Editors

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It has long been common scientific knowledge that monkeys don’t realize that the reflection they see in the mirror is their own. But, according to new research by the Chinese Academy Sciences, monkeys can learn to recognize their reflections.

“Mirror self-recognition is an indication of self-awareness, which is a hallmark of higher intelligence in humans, as an indication of self-awareness. This ability may be acquired through training in monkeys,” Dr. Neng Gong of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, lead researcher of the study, told The Speaker. “Thus scientists can now study the neural circuit mechanisms underlying the emergence of self-awareness.”

Although humans and great apes have been found to recognize their reflections, rhesus monkeys had not. Over the course of decades of testing, rhesus monkeys failed to show any signs of self-recognition, such as touching and examining themselves while looking at the reflected image.

The monkeys could, however, use the mirrors as tools to observe other objects, previous studies showed.

The Chinese study tried a new approach and obtained new results. Rather than offering rhesus monkeys variously shaped and size mirrors as in past studies, Gong and his colleague taught the monkeys that a spot of irritating light shined on their faces was the same the monkeys saw in the mirror image.

The researchers spent 2 to 5 weeks training the monkeys by directing a laser light onto their faces while the monkeys sat in front of mirrors. The monkeys learned to touch the light spot on their faces that they could not feel–only see in the mirror.

The monkeys–or five out of seven, anyway–touched the light spots and also looked at and smelled their fingers after touching the light spot.

The monkeys also continued to explore using the mirror image to investigate parts of their bodies they didn’t normally see.

The researchers concluded that the monkeys had passed the test for mirror self-recognition.

“Our findings suggest that the monkey brain has the basic ‘hardware’ [for mirror self-recognition], but they need appropriate training to acquire the ‘software’ to achieve self-recognition,” the researchers stated of their work.

“In an evolutionary view, the ability of self-recognition seems not so important for monkeys, because they do not need this ability for living,” Gong told us. “However, for humans, self-awareness is the most important function for higher human-specific brain function for social behaviors, e.g., sympathy, empathy, perspective-taking (understand the situation by taking other’s perspective), and language communication. Understanding the neural basis of self-awareness and consciousness is the ultimate goal of understanding the human brain, and this has been a very difficult subject for experimental studies. By demonstrating that self-awareness-like behavior of mirror self-recognition can emerge in monkey after training, we now have an animal model to study what neural circuit changes that enable the emergence of self-awareness.”

The study is expected to shed new light on the neural basis of self-awareness among animals. It also is expected to hold hope for sufferers of diseases like Alzheiers, schizophrenia, autism and mental retardation, in which people are unable to recognize themselves in mirrors.

“Mirror neurons were first discovered in macaque monkeys and thought to be a mechanism for imitation behaviors,” Gong told us. “In human beings, it has been speculated that mirror neuron systems are the brain mechanism underlying self-awareness and empathy. It is possible that the ability of rhesus monkeys in acquiring mirror self-recognition depends on their possession of mirror neuron systems.

“Our study raises the possibility that monkeys can be used as an animal model to test this hypothesis. This calls for further brain imaging and neural circuit analysis of the changes in the monkey’s brain before and after training of visual-somatosensory association and in those monkeys that passed or failed the mark tests after training.

“Indeed, we have already started further mechanism studies.”

The report, “Mirror-induced self-directed behaviors in rhesus monkeys after visual-somatosensory training,” was authored by Neng Gong and was published in Current Biology.

Photos: Neng Gong and colleagues/Current Biology 2015

South Sudan Red Cross celebrates International Volunteer Day late with hope for peace and stability in South Sudan

January 7, 2015 by The Speaker Editors

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The South Sudan Red Cross commemorated a delayed recognition of the Dec. 5 2014 International Volunteer Day last Monday in Jonglei state with hope for peace and stability in the world youngest nation.

The directorate of the South Sudan Red Cross Bor branch stated that their appreciation for the work, commitment and the roles played by the volunteers who help and save the lives of vulnerable people across Jonglei state during the crisis which as devastated the state capital.

South Sudan Red Cross (SSRC) Director David Gai Deer said that the objective of the celebration was to recognize the effort of volunteers in public and to encourage communities to continue cooperating daily in services provided for the vulnerable population, as well as to enable a public understanding of the meaning of being volunteers in their own communities.

“We are also championing to make sure that our communities remain capable and resilient and this is a very important step because a community whose defense is always on relieves that community’s vulnerable for ever, and that is why we are championing seriously to make sure that our communities remain resilient in most of the capacities and able to have enough food and agriculture,” Gai said.

SSRC has been delivering relief assistance to most affected populations across the state and these include the distribution of non-food items to vulnerable population in Bangachorot, Panwel, Pariak and Malek.

David Gai said these were the areas with no organization supporting the civilians during the crisis.

He said other distribution was done in Bor town which covered a number of internal displaced persons who came from Duk and Twic-east counties and some returnees from Minkaman of Lakes State.

The International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) head of the sub-delegation, Joris Pieter Paulus, said that they had achieved a number of issues during their operation in Jonglei state.

Paulus said the ICRC will continue with its support in 2015 also by putting in place certain new structures.

“I think that through the main efforts by South Sudan Red Cross and International Committee for Red Cross, we have been able to achieve a lot that ranges from food distribution in places like WAAT [opposition area],” Joris said.

He said in Bor town they had put in place border treatments in cooperation with local authorities and they had been providing clean water to at least 60–maybe even 70–percent in the town of Bor.

Jonglei state’s UNMISS coordinator Hazel De Wet urged the government of Jonglei state, particularly state officials who deal with security, to work hand-in-hand to provide support to people in need.

De Wet said, “Let there be peace for South Sudan and let them all put their hands together in order to find a lasting solution in the interest of people and children.

“It is not an easy task, so I want to say from UNMISS, please be assured we will–within our capability and within our mandate–try our best to ensure that we support you to where we can.”

She said they need peace in the country so that they achieved their goals.

“We need access, we need the level of security and we need to improve collaboration with the government,” De Wet said.

The acting governor of Jonglei state Baba Medan Konyi assured the South Sudan Red Cross that the Government of Jonglei is committed to peace. He appreciated the work done by the South Sudan Red Cross volunteers who work during the crisis.

South Sudan Red Cross was officially admitted in November 12, 2013 in Sydney as a member of International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent societies by the IFRC.

The organization promotes humanitarian values by encouraging absolute tolerance and respect to different perspectives which are expected to be in South Sudan with a view to its main mandatory.

South Sudan Red Cross Society is a humanitarian organization auxiliary to the government of the Republic of South Sudan which works in the humanitarian field while aiming at reducing human suffering and improving the livelihoods of vulnerable people in South Sudan.

The society works in accordance with the fundamental principle of Red Cross Movement.

The South Sudan Red Cross was officially recognized by the International Committee of the Red Cross on June 18, 2013 in Geneva, following the independence of South Sudan, and it has been recognized by the National Parliament under the laws of South Sudan.

By Archie J. Riak