Observations From the Back Row, 4-8-11

By Rich Kozlovich

Nigeria: Varsity Don Discovers Way to Eradicate Malaria

A breakthrough in malaria control and eradication has been achieved at Covenant University, Ota, where researchers led by Professor Ezekiel Femi Adebiyi have developed tools among which is an evolution - proof insecticide designed to be equipped with the effective capability of DDT but to target only malaria infected mosquitoes. This way, notwithstanding several breeding area, after deployment, Nigeria will soon have mosquitoes free of malaria.......our first targeted product (from project 1), a cuisine of anti-malaria drugs (design and production cost is expected to be cheap, to enhance national large scale usage possibility, for example, should be embedded into the household salt) is to allow rapid cure of malaria in humans.......The second targeted product (from project 11), an advanced but human friendly pesticide DDT (a cocktail of agents) is to help delete rapidly all malaria infected mosquitoes." He assured that the expected result of the successful execution and ...

My Take - This "erudite scholar" seems to have the problem clearly outlined and has now done something the world has been unable to do.....solve it without getting anyone upset. He is going to provide a "cuisine" of "inexpensive" new anti-malaria drugs, with an inexpensive mass distribution system along with a "cocktail" of some whole new form of pesticide that will not upset the greenies. Apparently it is also going to be inexpensive.  As I read this I was wondering if the word "erudite" now means "con artist", but it sounds like a great pitch for grant money.

After all “EPA has awarded five grants totaling $550,000 for bedbug education, outreach and environmental justice projects. The projects supported through these grants will be designed to build broad, results-oriented partnerships for education and outreach programs to reduce bed bug infestations in communities disproportionately exposed to environmental risks. In addition, these awards are intended to support a diverse set of outreach and education projects designed to provide models and examples of outreach and education programs that can be used by other communities in their fight against bed bugs.”

If the real reason for this plague of bed bugs is a lack of “outreach” and not a lack of adequate chemistry, I suppose we should conclude that the whole problem with malaria in Africa has really been a lack of outreach. That and brand new "cuisines and cocktails" of unnamed drugs and pesticides (apparently a whole new pesticide category also) that will only work on malaria infected mosquitoes. All done inexpensively. Amazing!

Genetically Modified Fungus Could Fight Malaria, Reduce DDT Use

In a cramped London laboratory filled with test tubes, bacteria and mosquitoes, scientists are trying to engineer a new weapon in the battle against malaria: a mutant fungus.  For years, Angray Kang at Westminster University and colleagues have been testing whether they could genetically tweak a fungus to kill the malaria parasite carried by mosquitoes.

Now they've found that in lab experiments, mosquitoes exposed to the fungus show a sharp drop in levels of the parasite. If it works that way in the wild, that should make it harder for the disease to infect people. Kang said the mutant fungus could be sprayed onto walls and bednets like insecticides and could be made for a comparable cost.

My Take - Does anyone really believe the greenies won't go absolutely nuts over this? I will guarantee that if this ever becomes reality you will see the greenies demanding studies that show that this doesn’t impact lions, bears, and OH My....anything else they can think of.  And make no mistake about this. They will claim that it causes or exacerbates every known ailment mankind has ever been plagued with, and it kills, deforms or upsets some exotic rare species of frog in some remote jungle or swamp.   Especially if it works! To be green is to be irrational and misanthropic.  They believe that to save the environment people have to die. When are we going to "get it"?