#biosafety — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #biosafety, aggregated by home.social.
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Anthropic is routing biology requests rejected by Fable 5 to the cheaper Opus 5 model, citing an internal safety audit. The shift raises questions about how companies measure alignment and whether lower audit scores justify broader access to models trained on biological tasks. https://www.implicator.ai/anthropic-reroutes-biology-requests-blocked-on-fable-5-to-claude-opus-5/ #AI #biosafety #alignment
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EPPO Study on the risk of
bark and ambrosia beetles
associated with imported
non-coniferous wood
2020-02-05"Recently new non-indigenous species of bark and ambrosia beetles have been introduced into Europe, which were not listed specifically as quarantine pests. It was also noted that ambrosia beetles are regularly intercepted in wood packaging material"
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Working on almond at UC Davis kept me so busy that I fell behind in my non-sponsored Ceratonia siliqua research. So I'm only now finding out that ambrosia beetle has emerged as an introduced pest in Italy and Spain.
This is a horrible shame because at least in many areas it grows, carob has faced remarkably low pest pressure compared to better-known crops.
https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/10/3/82
https://www.foravila.net/foravilaverd/enguany-es-perdra-el-50-de-la-produccio-de-garrova/
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California wine growers warn of invasive pest threat
Glassy-winged sharpshooter found on grapevines sold by Costco from April - May.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK_Tn5TltQU #California #Biosafety
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Oh, look! Another tech circus where enabling #JavaScript and munching #cookies magically unlocks the secrets of 'biosafety' 🤡🔒. Clearly, the real challenge is keeping a straight face while reading this gem! 🍪🔍
https://openai.com/index/gpt-5-5-bio-bug-bounty/ #techcircus #biosafety #humor #cybersecurity #HackerNews #ngated -
“Measures to strengthen international #biosafety and #biosecurity practices”
There is an absolute necessity for research on ‘pandemic-prone pathogens’. Studies must, however, be conducted responsibly & according to strict principles of safety & security
This piece @PLOSBiology outlines steps for global accountability
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You need another meme for irony? Hold my morning cup of tea 🍵
#irony #biosafety -
🧬 Attention iGEM teams!
Are you starting a new project and thinking about biosafety systems? This is a great resource to explore different containment strategies:
📘 Auxotrophy to Xeno-DNA: an exploration of combinatorial mechanisms for a high-fidelity biosafety system for synthetic biology applications
➡️ https://doi.org/10.1186/s13036-018-0105-8
From engineered auxotrophy to xeno-DNA containment, it is full of ideas that could help shape your design and safety planning.
#iGEM #SynBio #Biosafety #OpenResearch -
EFSA reconfirms that a #drought tolerant GM #maize is as safe as non-GM varieties with respect to potential effects on #health and the environment: doi.org/10.2903/j.ef... #corn #plantbreeding #GMO #foodsafety #biosafety
Assessment of genetically modi... -
EFSA: The evaluation of a three-event stack #maize & its sub-combinations shows they are as safe as non-GM reference varieties with respect to potential effects on #health and the environment: doi.org/10.2903/j.ef... #GMO #foodsafety #biosafety #environment
Assessment of genetically modi... -
EFSA: The re-assessment of the #foodsafety & #biosafety of a GM maize variety supports the conclusion that it is as safe as conventional #maize varieties regarding potential effects on #health and the environment: doi.org/10.2903/j.ef... #plantbreeding #GMO #environment
Assessment of genetically modi... -
An insect-resistant GM #soybean does not raise #foodsafety concerns regarding toxicity & allergenicity, its consumption does not represent #nutrition concerns, and it is as safe as conventional #soybeans with respect to #health & the environment: doi.org/10.2903/j.ef... #GMO #biosafety #environment
Assessment of genetically modi... -
Sharka, an Important Quarantine Disease for California: Risk Assessment through Almond Cultivars and Rootstocks Phenotyping
https://journals.ashs.org/view/journals/hortsci/60/11/article-p1959.xml
#Horticulture #PlantPathology #PlantBreeding #California #Biosafety
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Cont'd "They once produced so many nuts that they harvested the nuts with flat blade shovels. The Ozark Chinquapin foundation is trying to do what the American Chestnut Foundation is doing with a tiny fraction of the money and attention. Ozarks At Large on KUAF did a great story about it."" https://ozarkchinquapinmembership.org/ #PlantBreeding #Forest #Biosafety
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America's Great Lost Tree Is Finally Returning
More updates on Castanea dentata (the American Chestnut).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADA6cuWy8Xg #Forest #Biosafety #PlantBreeding
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The new “Spirit of Asilomar”: Move fast, don’t ask questions. “The conference showed that #biotech developers will press ahead with just about anything.. Questions about #biosafety, corporate ownership or harm are brushed aside as interventions in nature are becoming deeper and less controllable. This misplaced confidence in the harmlessness of synthetic cells risks enabling increasingly reckless projects...” https://gmwatch.org/en/106-news/latest-news/20548
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BioLP-bench evaluates large language models' comprehension of biological laboratory protocols, aiming to identify potential biosecurity threats before they arise. Learn more at: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.21.608694v3
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The plan for #deregulation of plants derived from new #geneticengineering violates international law.
#NewGE #NGT #NewGeneticEngineering #CRISPR #biodiversity #biosafety
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The Coalition for a GM-Free India has highlighted the illegal cultivation of #GMO maize — which has been traced to locations in Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka — and the #biosafety risks and regulatory failures involved. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/food/illegal-gm-maize-detected-in-processed-and-unprocessed-food-products-in-india
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Recombinant DNA advanced pharmaceutical & crop #biotechnology, but commercialization of plant-beneficial #microbials remains limited. Current #regulations, influenced by outdated #biosafety perceptions, hinder #innovation. Their reform could help address global challenges: doi.org/10.1016/j.ti...
Redirecting -
#BirdFlu: Should You Take Down Your Feeders?
By Lori Vanover, updated April 2022
"In wild birds, waterfowl including ducks, geese, and swans, are the main group impacted. It can be fatal in these species, although often they carry and transmit the virus without showing symptoms. Other birds including raptors like hawks and eagles, as well as shorebirds and gulls have also tested positive for HPAI H5N1 during this outbreak. Research has shown songbirds are less likely to contract bird flu and are less likely to shed large amounts of the virus. A small number of corvid species (crows, jays, and magpies) have tested positive.
"Visible symptoms of bird flu include runny eyes, swelling, and lethargy.
"Poultry operations are especially feeling the effects of bird flu. When the disease is detected in domestic poultry, flocks are depopulated to prevent the disease from spreading and removed from the food system. Other area flocks are then monitored for the disease.
Is it Safe to Feed Wild Birds Right Now?
"A small number of corvids, including jays and crows, have tested positive for bird flu. [Other species as well. Outdated information!]
"There is no official recommendation to take down feeders unless you also keep domestic poultry, according to the National Wildlife Disease Program.
"Ken says, 'The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and United States Department of Agriculture have both stated that bird feeding is safe. Out of an abundance of caution, some agencies initially suggested taking feeders down, but these guidelines have been scaled back. Currently, I’m not aware of any restrictions in place on bird feeders.'
"He further explains if you raise poultry and live in an area where avian influenza is being reported, you could consider removing bird feeders in the short term. 'Past outbreaks of avian flu have generally waned by early summer,' he says.
"Joy O’Keefe, assistant professor and Illinois Extension wildlife specialist in the Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences, advises homeowners to plant #NativeShrubs and #wildflowers this spring for their backyard birds. 'In the absence of feeders, birds should be able to find natural sources of food from sprouting native plants and emerging insects, she says. [However, this year, there was NOT as much berries because of #ClimateChange, drought, and heatwaves.]
"The Illinois Department of Natural Resources says hummingbird feeders and oriole feeders do not need to be removed. Check with your state wildlife agency for updated guidelines in your area.
Clean Your Feeders to Reduce the Spread of Disease
"Clean your feeders and bird baths regularly to keep birds healthy
"Maintaining clean feeders and bird baths is always important. Scrub your feeders clean with some soapy water and a good stiff brush. Then soak them in a 10% bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water) for a few minutes. Next, rinse them very thoroughly and let them dry completely before putting them back outside. Here’s how to clean a bird bath.
"Ken points out it’s also important to maintain a clean area around your feeders. 'If you aren’t feeding a no mess blend of seeds without any shells, rake up the empty hulls from under the feeders. You can also consider moving your feeding station around the yard to minimize accumulation,' he says. Try these no mess bird feeders to keep your yard clean.
"The USDA has issued #biosafety recommendations for #BackyardPoultry flocks. '#Poultry owners should keep things as clean as they can,' says Kenneth Koelkebeck, professor and Illinois Extension poultry specialist in the Animal Sciences department. 'Remove standing water if possible because it will attract migratory waterfowl.'
[A bunch of outdated information -- not included]
What to Do if You See Sick or Dead Birds
"Report sick or dead birds to your state wildlife agency or local agricultural extension agent. You can also contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Veterinary Services toll-free at 1-866-536-7593."
Source:
https://www.birdsandblooms.com/birding/birding-basics/bird-flu/
#HPAINews #H5N1 #HPAI #AvianInfluenza #BirdFlu #USHealth #Birding #Nature #BackyardFeeders #WeKeepUsSafe #CDCCensorship#Censorship #USFail -
Focused on two globally significant #pathogens, Cryptosporidium and Plasmodium, "Biopreserving Pathogens: Promise & Peril" explores advantages and potential risks of #biopreservation concerning #biosafety, #biosecurity and biocontainment. www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
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Sublethal #pesticide exposure (of #insecticides, #herbicides, #fungicides, etc.) affects larval behavior, long-term survivability & reproduction in #insects, especially with rising #temperatures. This can threaten long-term population survival: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ado0251 #biosafety
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The article should be free but if you hit a paywall it is archived here: https://archive.ph/h9Yq6
A related, *paywalled* recent article: AI and biosecurity: The need for governance
Governments should evaluate advanced models and if needed impose safety measures https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adq1977
