Difference between revisions of "Team:Tec-Chihuahua/test"

 
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<h3 align="center">Gold Integrated Human Practices</h3>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">Our integrated human practices are the result of each and every single human practices activity that we carried out throughout the iGEM season. We truly believe our work, in every section of our project, including wet lab, has significantly changed towards the implementation of our relevant communities feedback. Since the first day we engaged with beekeepers, our project has been shaping and improving towards an effective, responsible, safe and ethical work.</p></div><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">After the video call we had with Maria Mercedes Roca, Ph.D, where emphasis was placed on the three pillars of the UN for sustainable development, we saw the importance of these three areas and decided to exploit them in our integrated human practices: the economic, social and environmental area of our project, as well as a section showing how the design and execution of it has been, molded thanks to our silver human practices.</p></div>
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  <h3>Project Basis</h3></div>
 
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<div class="a"><p align="justify"> The foundation of the project was evolving, improving and solidifying thanks to the interactions we experienced in our human practices. There were fundamental changes such as the production chassis of the peptides and the application method of the product, as well as recommendations for the experimental plan and insights about the risk factors we should consider.</p></div>
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<h2 align="center">Overview</h2>
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<p align="center"><i>"Human Practices is the study of how your work affects the world, and how the world affects your work.</i>"<br>— Peter Carr, Director of Judging</p><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">Beyond the technical work on the lab, we comprehend our project exists within a world that requires us exploring aspects that involve issues such as ethics, sustainability, safety, legal framework, security, between others. These issues are complex and approached only through our human practices. Being aware of this we engaged with the communities that might be impacted by our work to invite them to shape the course of our investigation.</p></div><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">These social considerations were upfront in our project and integrated with the design and execution of our project, impacting in our Entrepreneurship, Wet lab, and Mathematical model work. We aimed to develop a thoughtful project with inspiring Human Practices for other teams to build upon and come up with new and creative approaches for this section, striving not only to understand how the world affects our project but also aiming to contribute to how synthetic biology is understood and practiced around the world.</p></div><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify"> Excretion of antimicrobial peptides in <i>Pichia pastoris for</i> <i>Paenibacillus larvae</i> and <i>Melissococcus plutonius</i> inhibition. The initial plan was to apply genetically modified yeasts engineered to excrete AMP’s and surfactin in a solution with hexane extract of the plant A. satureioides; surfactin has a synergistic effect with the hexane extract. This solution would be applied to the bee bread we knew larvae ingested in their diet.
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<h2 align="center">Social Science Research Description</h2>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">Learned obstacles regarding the method:</p></div>
  <div class="a"><p align="justify">Since our Human practices involved interacting with communities to understand the social concern we are addressing, it was essential for us to approach these communities correctly by getting informed on our institution and national guidelines. This way we were able to conduct our social science research respectfully and always looking after the well-being of our cooperators.</p></div><br>
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  <div class="a"><p align="justify">The Mexican National Guidelines for integration and operation of the Research Ethics Committee (REC) declare the inclusion of ethical aspects as a quality indicator in social science research. The development of a bioethic culture is favorable to guarantee individual and social well-being since the discipline promotes the concepts of equity, solidarity, quality, principles of benefit, no maleficence, as well as the protection of human rights.<sup>1</sup></p></div><br>
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<li>Presence of genetically modified yeats would complicate the exportation process of honey to the European Union increasing the risks of having the product rejected.</li>
  <div class="a"><p align="justify">Human subjects research entails risks; this makes it necessary to guarantee ethically acceptable conditions in the production of knowledge, considering that the legal framework is not sufficient to elucidate or resolve conflicts of a moral or ethical nature that arise in scientific activity.<sup>1</sup></p></div><br>
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<li>The hexane extract of <i>A.satureioides</i> is oxidized by exposure to air; therefore, it may lose its efficiency.</li>
  <div class="a"><p align="justify">To protect our contributor’s human rights, respect their dignity and privacy, avoid any form of discrimination as well as ensure their integrity and wellness, we took into consideration the universally recognized ethical standards which are principles of benefit, no maleficence, justice and respect for autonomy.</p></div><br>
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<li>An overdose of yeasts would cause fermentation of the honey and an alteration in the microbiota of the bees which could be counterproductive since this would cause diseases such as Nosema and American foulbrood to arrive.</li>
  <div class="a"><p align="justify">We also made sure our procedures where according to the Mexican Federal Law on Protection of Personal Data Held by Individuals (2). First of all, we sought a pre-approval letter from our institution for doing social science research in accordance to their ethics code and values and under the stipulated in the annexed letter, we also requested a consent letter filled up by our participants where they accept we share their information on our webpage and in the Giant Jamboree's presentation. Trough this letter they also recognize our behavior and procedures were done according to the iGEM values.</p></div><br>
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<h4 align="justify">References</h4>
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  <ol>
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  <li>Ruiz de Chávez, M. (2016). <i>Guía Nacional para la integración y el funcionamiento de los Comités de Ética en investigación</i>. 5th ed. México: Secretaría de Salud, Comisión Nacional de Bioética.http://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LFPDPPP.pdf</li>
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          <div class="col-md-12">Consent Letter<div class="noDown"  style="position: absolute; top: 30px; right: 30px; background-color: #fff2cc;">&#9660;</div></div></center></a>
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<h3 align="center">Silver Human Practices</h3>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">Production of antimicrobial peptides in Escherichia coli for Paenibacillus larvae and Melissococcus plutonius inhibition. The second plan consisted in applying the purified antimicrobial peptides, after their production in E. coli BL21 (DE3), in the bee bread we knew larvae ingested in their diet.</div></p><br>
  <div class="a"><p align="justify">From the first time you set foot outside the laboratory and leave scientific articles aside to interact with people related to your project, you begin to realize how crucial human practices are.</p></div><br>
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  <div class="a"><p align="justify">Human practices allowed us to investigate and validate the purpose, design, scope, and execution of our project. Is our product suitable for beekeepers to use? Will it disturb the innocuousness of honey? Is it capable of counteracting more diseases?  Is it permissible before the law? These are some of the questions that were answered throughout our human practices chronology; we were driven to think, reflect, and act on it as our integrated human practices.</p></div><br>
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  <div class="a"><p align="justify">Beekeepers, beekeeping societies, international organisms, government representatives, and researchers were all essential for fortifying our research.</p></div><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">Learned obstacles regarding the method:</p></div>
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<li>Bee bread is mainly stored in the hive so there is little chance that the peptides reach the larva.</li>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">The third plan consisted in applying the purified peptides sprinkled as a liquid solution or as a powder on the hives.</p></div>
  
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">Learned obstacles regarding the method:</p></div>
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<li>When the product is found scattered in the hive, it can be easily affected by external factors such as air or other insects.</li>
  <div class="a"><p align="justify">The world of beekeeping is much more than what appears in texts; no research could have compared being in the field with a beekeeper sharing knowledge, getting to know his community and their needs. Our main reasons for approaching them were to be informed about Beekeeping in their region, their opinion on our project and validate technical aspects of it. We wanted to choose with their help, the optimal application method for our product into the beehives, investigate the presence of American foulbrood and European foulbrood in their regions or countries as well as current existing treatments, their benefits, and risks.</p></div><br>
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      <p align="center">April 28<sup>th</sup><br>Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua<br><b>Meeting with Mr. Guillermo Rodríguez</b></p>
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      <p align="center">June 15<sup>th</sup><br>Santiago de Querétaro City<br><b>Meeting with Engineer Alejandro Bianchi</b></p>
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      <p align="center">September 22<sup>nd</sup><br>Province of Melipilla<br><b>Videocall with Bryan Saavedra</b></b>
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      <p align="center">May 26<sup>th</sup><br>Delicias, Chihuahua<br><b>Meeting with Ing. Manuel Ramírez Salcido</b><br></p>
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      <p align="center">July 16<sup>th</sup><br>Castellón, Valencia<br><b>Valencian beekeeper interview</b></p></div>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">We were able to arrive at the <b>final application method</b> with the recommendation of <b>MVZ Ernesto Tanús</b> who considered that the most suitable way to apply our product would be through the liquid food beekeepers provide to the hives and that nurse bees ingest to feed the larvae subsequently.</p></div><br>
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<h4>Experimentation plan</h4>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">We integrated three aspects discussed during our interviews within the <a href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Tec-Chihuahua/Results">future  experimentation plan</a> of the project:</p></div>
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<li>Add an innocuous color dye to the nanospheres to make the track in the bee system and ensure that the product reaches the larvae. This topic was discussed during the meeting with <b>MVZ Ernesto Tanús Sánchez, MVZ Adolfo Arroyo,</b> and <b>Eng. José Luis González Miranda.</b></li>
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<li>Test the research on the pure Italian <i>Apis mellifera</i> spp. <i>ligustica</i>, as it is the most widespread in the world. This information was considered thanks to the video call with FAI presidential staff member <b>Lorenzo Della Morte.</b> </li>
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<li>Extract the hypopharyngeal glands of the nurse bees after they consume the liquid food where nanospheres were added in order to determine if there is the presence of AMP's. Consideration taken from the conversation with <b>Ph.D. David de Jong.</b></li>
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<h4>Important considerations for the project</h4>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify"><b>MVZ Ernesto Tanús</b> considered it was essential to take into consideration the factor of the microbiota of the bee, regarding the fact that there would be AMP's supplied that can alter the natural microbiota. Regarding this same subject, <b>Ph.D. David De Jong</b> considered that our product works like the antibiotics humans use; there is the negative part that the intestinal flora will be affected, but this is in search for a greater good, attacking pathogens. The experimentation is necessary in order to be able to know what would happen with the microbiota of the bee and what consequences this situation could bring.</p></div><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">Another of the considerations of <b>Ph.D. David De Jong</b>, was the analysis on how when you give certain substance to an animal, there is a proclivity for it to produce less of this substance; risk addressed in the <a href="#1">bioethical essay</a> and mentioned in the <a href="#2">legal plan</a>.</p></div><br>
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  <h4 align="justify">April 28<sup>th</sup><br>Meeting with Mr. Guillermo Rodríguez</h4><br>
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   <div class="a"><p align="justify">Viana and Ana Laura had the opportunity to travel to Cuauhtémoc, a city specialized in fruit growing; production and exportation of apples, peaches, strawberries, walnuts, among many others.<sup>1</sup> Thanks to Viana, who is native from this city, we were able to get to contact this beekeeper. Mr. Rodríguez is the president of the association of beekeepers in the city and we saw an enormous opportunity in talking to him. This was our very first direct approach with the beekeeper’s community! &nbsp;We &nbsp;were &nbsp;very &nbsp;excited &nbsp;to &nbsp;start &nbsp;getting &nbsp;to know &nbsp;&nbsp;them. &nbsp;What &nbsp;&nbsp;would &nbsp;they &nbsp;&nbsp;think &nbsp;about &nbsp;our &nbsp;ideas? &nbsp;Would &nbsp;&nbsp;they&nbsp;&nbsp; be</p></div>
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  <h3>Environmental</h3></div>
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<p align="justify">interested in our project? How many things would they have to tell us? Our project was about to begin its transformation path.</p>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify"><br>This enriching talk lasted approximately 1 hour 15 minutes and different topics were discussed. We learned many general characteristics of bees' lives thanks to the great experience of the beekeeper: The different varieties of bees that exist, specific tasks of each type of bee and the joint work bees and beekeepers do to ensure pollination.</p></div><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify"> The importance of the environment for the subsistence of life on earth is unquestionable. The magnitude of its value is represented by the human right to a healthy environment, a prerogative that protects the environment as a fundamental legal right and expresses the relevance of this to have a dignified life. This human right constitutes a guarantee for the realization and validity of the rest, since human being are in an indissoluble relationship with its environment and nature<sup>1</sup>. For this reason, achieving sustainable development would ensure the quality of present and future life. In this sense, the dignity, autonomy, and sanctity of the person depend on the health of the planet, its resources, and species. </p></div><br>
<div class="a"><p align="justify">Regarding the existing methods against Foulbrood, Mr. Rodríguez mentioned how SAGARPA (National Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fishing, and Food) does not allow the usage of chemical contaminants in beehives because wastes may end up in honey flows. Mr. Rodríguez mentioned how beekeepers sometimes use extracts of rosemary or oregano against Foulbrood, but it is always difficult for them to know what dose to add and ensure it is adequate for fighting the diseases and at the same time does not destabilize the hive. On another hand, he mentioned that the method of burning beehives results very expensive for them. Currently, in Cuauhtémoc, there is almost no presence of American Foulbrood, since, in the past, many sick hives were exposed to this burning method, then the disease decreased. On the other hand, European foulbrood is most commonly found in Cuauhtemoc.</p></div><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify"> Food Security is a central topic in the global agenda. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that by the year 2050, world population will exceed 9,000 million, of which 150 million will dwell in Mexico. This should increase agricultural production by 60% in the country by that year <sup>2</sup>. </p></div><br>
<div class="a"><p align="justify">The beekeeper emphasized how a natural product against Foulbrood is needed, so there are not left residues in the honey and he also highlighted how beekeeping varies around the world and sometimes there are specific necessities for each region.</p></div><br>
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  <div class="a"><p align="justify">Thanks to the sharing we made with the beekeeper of our project, he was able to have a new panorama of beekeeping, and how emerging technologies, in this case, synthetic biology, can accurately respond to specific problematics and can relegate past methods that imply many setbacks.</p></div><br>
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   <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/2/2c/T--Tec-Chihuahua--EnvBasket.png"></div>
  <div class="a"><p align="justify">Mr. Rodríguez kindly invited us to present our project with the Cuauhtémoc beekeepers association and commented us about M.C. Alejandro Romo who has done different investigations on the diseases and who we would talk with later in this story.</p></div><br>
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  <div class="a"><p align="justify">Getting to know real experiences of the treatment methods used against our interest diseases helped us to better measure the severity of the problem and the obstacles with which beekeepers have to fight to keep their bees’ welfare.</p></div></div>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">Beekeeping is a fundamental activity to achieve Food Security in Mexico and the world, which is why authorities, researchers, farmers, beekeepers, and members are aware of the importance of bees. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says 100 crop species provide 90% of the food worldwide, and bees pollinate 71% of these<sup>3</sup>. It is for this reason, given by the engineer <b>Manuel Ramirez Salcido</b>, that bees have been presented as a parameter of environmental health, talking about ecology.</p></div><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) says that if bees disappear there would be a food crisis; 84% of cash crops</p></div></div>
   <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/2/25/T--Tec-Chihuahua--T2.png"></div>
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</div>
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<small>
+
<h4 align="justify"><br>References</h4>
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<ol class="o">
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  <li>Soto, A. (2017). <i>Cuauhtémoc, región en crecimiento económico</i>. Retrieved from http://referente.mx/@Almer/cuauhtemoc-region-en-crecimiento-economico</li>
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  <li>Image retrieved from: <i>Visita Chihuahua</i>. (2018). <i>Chihuahua y sus alrededores</i>. http://www.visita-chihuahua.com/index.php/2015-05-06-09-42-18</li>
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</ol></small><br>
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</div>
 
</div>
 +
<p align="justify">depend on their pollination.<sup>4</sup> In the same way, SAGARPA states that multiple varieties of fruit trees depend on cross-pollination that uses animals as vectors, such as bees; that is to say that there is an enormous amount of zoophilic plants.</p><br>
  
<div id="Bees2" class="tabcontent1">
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<div class="a"><p align="justify"> According to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), the links between the population, environment, and natural resources are mediated by multiple factors. The immediate environmental impact of urban settlements derives from a change in land purpose<sup>5</sup>, reducing the size of crops that can be pollinated by bees, generating an effect similar to that of habitat loss and with this, nutritional complications in bees, conferring susceptibility to diseases. This is one of the points suggested by the engineer Alejandro Bianchi during our meeting on June 15, 2018. </p></div><br>
<br>
+
<div class="a"><p align="justify"> However, there are actions that seek to provide a healthy life for bees and their existence. There is a concern for the negative impact on anthophiles by irresponsible human activities; it is vital to prevent and attack the causes of bee reduction or loss at their roots. As we learned thanks to <b>MEXMUN 2018</b>, the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity should be used. These objectives are: </p></div>
 
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<li>Conservation of biodiversity.
  <h4 align="justify">May 26<sup>th</sup><br>Meeting with Ing. Manuel Ramírez Salcido</h4><br>
+
</li>
  <div class="a"><p align="justify">Key team members related to the development of the mathematical model, human practices, legal management, and wet lab traveled southeast from our city to visit Salcido apiaries in Delicias; a municipality that bases its economy fundamentally on the food industry. Since we arrived with Mr. Ramírez, it was amazing how the discussion flowed and flowed, getting a meeting that end-up lasting approximately 3 hours; all were valuable minutes that taught us many relevant aspects for the development of our project.</p></div></div>
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<li>Sustainable use of the components of biological diversity.
</div><br>
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</li>
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<li>Appropriate transference of technologies.
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</li>
  <div class="a"><p align="justify">First, Mr. Ramírez covered the topic of the importance of bees, emphasizing how they have always been considered an essential factor for environmental health and he even showed us a funny cucumber that had not been correctly pollinated; it was very small and thin.</p></div><br>
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  <div class="a"><p align="justify">Bee &nbsp;&nbsp;diseases &nbsp;&nbsp;were &nbsp;&nbsp;our &nbsp;&nbsp;next &nbsp;&nbsp;topic. &nbsp;He &nbsp;commented &nbsp;how Foulbrood</p></div></div>
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<br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">Currently, the importance of carrying out a risk analysis is integrated in our legal plan, as per the <b>Enviromental Risk Assesment Guide</b>. In addition to the aspects mentioned in the assessment of the quality control within the legal plan, the following steps are involved, such as the guidelines for animal health risk analysis according to the Regulation of the Federal Animal Health Law, which are the following: </p></div></div>
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<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/b/b0/T--Tec-Chihuahua--EnvBarrier.png"></div>
<p align="justify">presence isn’t that strong in Mexico, however, in Europe and in the USA, this is not the case. Mr. Ramírez took advantage and included implications of other frequent bee diseases like Nosema and Varroa in the conversation. He mentioned a very important point that we had previously started to notice: Most of the serious problems in bees caused by viruses or bacteria, are not correctly detected or even known. As Mr. Rodríguez had previously commented, Mr. Ramírez mentioned how different extracts of plants are used against diseases in bees, in this case, mint and grapefruit were the examples. On another hand it was mentioned how antibiotics are not an option at all for treatment, since the European Union does not accept them, neither does accept the presence of transgenics in the honey; there are rigorous studies exercised and if there is something wrong the EU may return an entire shipment of honey back to the remitter. We discussed the issue of innocuity of honey by highlighting that when there is a new product added to the hive, it should not generate any residue at all or change the expected properties from the consumer.</p><br>
+
<div class="a"><p align="justify">After talking about our project, a question arose in Mr. Ramírez, an issue that would be asked many times since that day and that we would do everything possible to solve and validate: Our product would actually pass from the food that the nurse bee ingest all through its system until reaching the larva by means of the royal jelly? And regarding the method of application, (initially consisting in applying the final product in the bee bread), Mr. Ramírez explained to us how this bee bread is created, and the fermentation process it goes through in the bee cell.</p></div><br>
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  <div class="a"><p align="justify">We also had the great opportunity of listening to some of the concerns Mr. Ramírez has as a beekeeper: He thinks the beekeeping area could be greatly impulsed by receiving more support from governmental institutions and he perceives that the validation of honey innocuousness here in Mexico results complicated as there are not enough tools to endorse the required diagnostics. On another hand, he mentioned how there are no young people able to continue with the job of the current farmers, and this is an alarming situation that requires a prompt resolution.</p></div></div>
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</div>
 
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 +
<ol class="o">
 +
<li> The resolution of whether the risks are acceptable or not, as a whole, as well as the strategies for the management of possible risks.
 +
</li>
 +
<li>Identification of the possible risks.
 +
</li>
 +
<li>Assessment of the chances that these risks arise.
 +
</li>
 +
<li>Evaluation of the consequences.
 +
</li>
 +
<li>Estimation of the possible global risk.
 +
</li>
 +
</ol>
 
<br>
 
<br>
<div class="a"><p align="justify">Mr. Ramírez gave us a lot of priceless information that was essential for the development of our whole project. He was the first to comment us about the beekeeping congress that would take place in the city of Delicias in the coming months, and which we would have the great  privilege to attend, he told us that by means of the different sites where he frequently researches information he had noticed another iGEM team that was working with bees, for the month of September we could establish a collaboration with this team (<a href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Tec-Chihuahua/Collaborations">consult collaborations for more information</a>) and on this same point of the media, Mr. Ramírez explained to us how he always tried to receive literature to focus and inform himself, he mentioned the magazine “Bee Culture”, where we successfully managed to make a publication about our project and synthetic biology regarding beekeeping (a href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Tec-Chihuahua/Public_Engagement">consult public engagement for more information</a>).</p></div><br>
+
<div class="a"><p align="justify"> <b>Dr. Ernesto Tanus Sánchez</b> mentioned the importance of avoiding the burning of hives, due to the limited accessibility to the wood with which they are made. Cedar, specifically red cedar (<i>Cedrela odorata</i>), is considered the best type of wood to make a hive. However, this species is subject to special protection according to NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010, which means factors that negatively affect its viability may threaten it. Obtaining permission to perform the practice of incinerating hives becomes an arduous and even deficient process. Due to the virulence of <i>Paenibacillus larvae</i>, American Foulbrood sweeps entire hives before there is an answer by the authorities. </p></div><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify"> In other Latin American countries, the action plan presents variations. <b>Ph.D. David De Jong</b> explained us how in Brazil, it is not permissible for someone to incinerate a beehive if it is not a beekeeper, sometimes the firefighters do it in an emergency. <b>Bryan Saavedra</b>, mentioned how in Chile, they have the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) who is in charge of incinerating hives in case the disease is present.
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</p></div><br>
  <div class="a"><p align="justify">He also shared with us the contacts of highly recommended specialists with whom we could consult about our product and with which we would have contact later: Juan Diego Pérez de la Rosa, Efraín Rocha, Felipe Esquivel Díaz.</p></div><br>
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<button class="collapsible3"><h4 align="center">References</h4></button>
  <div class="a"><p align="justify">We were able to share a new perspective on beekeeping in relation to synthetic biology with Mr. Ramírez by explaining him our project, the beekeeper mentioned how he was more than willing to help us, and he even shared some honey and bee bread with us! This meeting was an invaluable experience for us!</p></div></div>
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  <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/0/03/T--Tec-Chihuahua--8.png"><br><p align="center">Bee Bread</p></div>
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<small>
 
<small>
<h4 align="justify">References</h4>
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  <ol class="o">
<ol>
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      <li>National Human Rights Commission (Mexico). (2014). The Human Right to a Healthy Environment for Development and Wellbeing. Mexico: National Human Rights Commission (Mexico).</li>
  <li>Image retrieved from: <i>Administración</i>. (2018). ¡Conócenos! http://municipiodelicias.com/</li><br>
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      <li>Crop Protection, Science and Technology. (2018). Beekeeping; as a fundamental activity to reach food security in Mexico. October 10th, de Crop Protection, Science and Technology Web site: http://proccyt.org.mx/noticias/303-la-apicultura-actividad-fundamental-para-alcanzar-la-seguridad-alimentaria-en-mexico-2</li>
</ol></small><br>
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      <li>Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2016). The power of pollinators: why more bees means better food. October 10th, de Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Sitio web: http://www.fao.org/zhc/detail-events/en/c/428504/ </li>
 +
      <li>Delegación SAGARPA Yucatán. (2017). Apicultura, actividad de gran importancia económica y social en Yucatán [Beekeeping, activity of great economic and social importance in Yucatan]. October 10th, de SAGARPA Web site: https://www.gob.mx/sagarpa%7Cyucatan/articulos/apicultura-actividad-de-gran-importancia-económica-y-social-en-yucatan</li>
 +
      <li>SEMARNAT. (2010). Compendio de Estadísticas Ambientales 2010. October 10th, de SEMARNAT Sitio web: http://aplicaciones.semarnat.gob.mx/estadisticas/compendio2010/10.100.13.5_8080/ibi_apps/WFServlet1bdcb.html </li>
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  <h4 align="justify">June 15<sup>th</sup><br>Meeting with Engineer Alejandro Bianchi</h4><br>
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   <div class="a"><p align="justify">Engineer Alejandro Bianchi studied Agronomy at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education and has been dedicated to beekeeping since 30 years ago. Currently, he has a company called Kolmena Yothë that offers bee products for health and beauty purposes, his company also provides apitherapy treatments, complementing them with Bach flowers, Schuessler salts and homeopathy.</p></div><br>
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   <h3>Economic</h3></div>
   <div class="a"><p align="justify">&nbsp;As &nbsp;we &nbsp;were &nbsp;speaking &nbsp;with &nbsp;him &nbsp;about &nbsp;our &nbsp;project, &nbsp;&nbsp;he &nbsp;&nbsp;mentioned &nbsp;&nbsp;</p></div></div>
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<p align="justify">the importance of the Varroa mite, a parasite that sucks the hemolymph of bees, the equivalent to blood in this arthropods, weakening their immune system and making them susceptible to other diseases. He ensured that enhancing the natural defenses of bees would have a positive response since healthy bees are a lot less susceptible to diseases.</p><br>
 
<div class="a"><p align="justify">He mentioned the Varroa mite as part of the named “colony collapse disorder”, baptized by this name in the US, and described it to be a phenomenon where bees leave their beehives. Perhaps he announced foulbrood are not a current problem in his state, Varroa is, so he recommends us to expand our horizons to consider our product as a product that can also be applied when there is the presence of Varroa.</p></div><br>
 
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  <div class="a"><p align="justify">“If the bees are strong they can’t get sick, but how will they be strong if there are not enough flowers?” He mentioned urbanization is a problem bees are facing directly, and they are dying because of it. As flowering and bee population lower, he went from collecting a bucket of honey per box to a bucket every 40 boxes.</p></div><br>
 
  <div class="a"><p align="justify">He said the actual treatments for American foulbrood are formic acid, oxalic acid, thymol (thyme), &nbsp;among &nbsp;others &nbsp;treatments &nbsp;</p></div></div>
 
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<p align="justify">that don’t pollute the environment. Previously, fluvalinates were used to treat this diseases, however, they stopped using them since they are carcinogenic and pollute the environment. The Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (Spanish: SAGARPA) is the governmental institution responsible of inspecting their hives, it allows under certain requirements the use of antibiotics for treating foulbrood</a> but has to avoid products that pollute the environment and honey. He also shared with us the treatment he uses to fight Varroa which consists in an essential oils mix and stressed it is important not to use the same treatment for a long time since the pathogen can develop a resistance towards it.</p><br>
 
<div class="a"><p align="justify">We asked him if he could share with us certain regulations or standards that had to be followed to ensure the honey’s quality,  he mentioned the "Good livestock practices".</a>Discussing other issues affecting beekeeping in his state, another serious problem in Queretaro is bee theft, as beekeepers visit their bees every 8 or 15 days, they are the target for many people that take advantage of this situation. Engineer Bianchi assists to the Beekeeper's society meetings, and he sees there are not young beekeepers to take the hard work of beekeeping, he sees that as another issue.</p></div><br>
 
<div class="a"><p align="justify">Finally, after approximately an hour of conversating, he shared us his book of memories from the 25th International Apicultural Update Congress</a> which was held in Queretaro last year and invited us to visit his beehives as well as the facilities of his company.</p></div><br>
 
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">All modern human endeavors are, one way or another, economic activities. Beekeeping is no different. This income-generating activity plays a crucial role in the food industry, thanks to both pollination services and honey production.
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  <h4 align="justify">July 16<sup>th</sup><br>Valencian beekeeper interview</h4><br>
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  <div class="a"><p align="justify">Thanks to our colleagues from Valencia_UPV, we received written feedback from a Valencian beekeeper and information about the current status of foulbrood in his province. Our Valencian colleagues interviewed the beekeeper for us, thank you Valencia_UPV team! (LINK collaborations) Given that our interest diseases have a global presence, it is essential for us to make contact with beekeepers from all around the world; knowing how they face illnesses, the used treatment methods, their effectiveness and consequences, and the beekeeper's concerns and opinions about our solution proposal in</p></div></div>
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<p align="justify">order to also integrate them into the development of our project.</p><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">The interviewed beekeeper has spent approximately 70 years dedicating himself to the invaluable work of beekeeping and he shared with us some already experienced foulbrood implications that are lived in his province. In Valencia the treatment against foulbrood consist in the following:</p></div><br>
+
<div class="a"><p align="justify">First, the combs with the infected brood are replaced by healthy brood and then antibiotic with powdered sugar, is applied. The adult bees, when they realize the larvae are dead, clean the cell. The beekeeper ensures that with this treatment he has managed to heal all his hives, and has not suffered any loss from the disease, the drawback for this method is that it contaminates pollen, so it would no longer be suitable for human consumption, and when this treatment is not applied on time, beekeepers get to have very large losses of money and even the total loss of their hives (between 20 to 100 hives per beekeeper). Regarding this information, we could realize that antibiotics indeed are currently used and although they are effective in treating the disease, the innocuity of the honey is always altered resulting in market issues.</p></div><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">Once the beekeeper heard about our project and learned about biotechnological alternatives that seek to solve beekeeping problems, he considered it an adequate proposal which does not contaminate the bee products and he was expectant before the results of the project to evaluate if it is actually an effective method.</p></div><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">Classic economics tells us that it is time put into a product or service which gives it its value. Beekeepers know about this; they work all the time, with a lot of hives. They must take care of each colony, all while creating smoke to keep the bees passive. At the <b>IV State Beekeeping Forum</b>, emphasis was made on what a laborious activity this job is.</p></div><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">UN risk assessment researcher, <b>Maria Mercedes Roca, Ph.D. </b>, mentioned how economic activities are central to the functioning of our interconnected world. Beekeeping must be propelled to make for economic gains, especially in countries such as Mexico where a large part of its economy is based on the primary sector. <b>Mr. Manuel Ramirez</b></p></div></div>
      <h4 align="justify">September 22<sup>nd</sup><br>Videocall with Bryan Saavedra</h4><br>
+
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      <div class="a"><p align="justify">Keeping on with our international validation on the presence of foulbrood, its implications, and our project insights, we were able to contact a Chilean beekeeper thanks to our colleagues from UChile (LINK collaborations). Bryan Saavedra dedicates to honey production, pollination, and queen bee breeding and exportation. He has dedicated more than a decade of his life to beekeeping and he counts with more than 1000 beehives.</p></div><br>
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  <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/2/27/T--Tec-Chihuahua--EcoWagon.png"></div>
      <div class="a"><p align="justify">“Approximately 13% of &nbsp;the &nbsp;Chilean &nbsp;working &nbsp;population &nbsp;is &nbsp;engaged &nbsp;in</p></div></div>
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<p align="justify">agriculture, and agricultural products represent about 4% of the gross domestic product (GDP). The fruit sector is very important and includes crops such as grapes, melons, apples, and peaches.<sup>1</sup></p><br>
+
<p align="justify">also referred to this topic; Our country plays a significant role as a honey trader, with most of our exports making their way to the EU. However, there are several obstacles. EU imports can have neither genetically modified content nor most antibiotics. One can’t add anything to a product that would alter its sensorial characteristics without expecting a negative impact. <b>Dr. David de Jong</b> considered we should check what amount of AMPs make their way to honey products, aspect revised in the <b>IV State Beekeeping Forum</b> with <b>Dr. Sóstenes Rafael Rodríguez</b> where we ensured AMP’s are not a problem when it comes to EU honey exportation analysis. Since the national Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (<b>SAGARPA</b>) is also strict on contaminants, <b>Guillermo Rodriguéz</b> told us, a natural product against foulbrood is needed both nationally and internationally.</p><br>
 
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  <div class="a"><p align="justify">After UChile team sent us the beekeeper’s contact we were able to get in touch with him and schedule a video-call. During the meeting, that lasted approximately 35 minutes, we were able to discuss the presence of bee diseases in Chile, its implications and some activities of Chilean agencies in charge of supporting the development of agriculture, forests, and livestock.</p></div><br>
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   <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/6/6b/T--Tec-Chihuahua--EcoHoney.png"></div>
  <div class="a"><p align="justify">Foulbrood occur in Chile as foci of infection, &nbsp;once &nbsp;an &nbsp;infection&nbsp; is&nbsp; detected, &nbsp;which &nbsp;most &nbsp;likely &nbsp;originated</p></div></div>
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  <div class="a"><p align="justify">As explained in the chronology of the aforementioned facts, while the project was being developed and basing us on the comments and concerns expressed by professionals, we were able to ensure that our product would not impede exportations and importations of honey. The world honey market reported historical records during 2015, with volumes of operation exceeding 2.3 billion dollars<sup>1</sup> and it represents substantial revenues not only for Mexico but countries like China, Argentina, Spain, etc. More than ensuring that highest AMP concentrations in honey would not result in an exportation problem, our project fosters to make exportations go up since there will be no problem with antibiotic residues in honey when beekeepers have to deal with diseases.</p></div></div><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">The economic part of our project is also made up of the development of the <a href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Tec-Chihuahua/Entrepreneurship">entrepreneurial area</a> where the implications for the sale of the final product are analyzed.</p></div><br>
<p align="justify">from contaminated equipment, the SAG (Agricultural and Livestock Service) proceeds to burn and then bury the infected hives; the decision of burning the beehives is quite drastic but it is the only effective way to take care of the rest of the Chilean apiculture. The last outbreak of foulbrood the beekeeper noticed about, was in last February; normally the infection comes from Argentina, which is where the disease most often occurs. In Chile, they mostly struggle with varroa and nosema and for purposes of the SAG and exportations, the varroa mite is treated with organic products, that result inefficient and expensive. Antibiotics are also used against Varroa, getting back to the resistance problem. Regarding this topic, the beekeeper wondered if our product would help against varroa, and we could tell him how one of the most important consequences of varroa is that the immune system is weakened; providing the bee with new immunity components (AMP’s) will greatly help it, so the answer is yes! Our product can help bees get fortified when they are suffering from varroa.</p><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">Our project will make sure Foulbrood no longer generates huge economic losses (by killing bees and necessitating antibiotics) but instead become a small nuisance in an otherwise thriving industry.</p></div><br>
<div class="a"><p align="justify">The beekeeper also shared with us the main routes through which the disease is transmitted from Argentina to Chile, how the bee's life duration varies depending on the production stage and also shared with us details about SAC normative.</p></div><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">Regarding the discussed topic on how bee’s longevity varies depending on different production stages, we explained the beekeeper another approach of our project: When the bee uses less energy in the production of antimicrobial peptides it is possible that its longevity increases.<sup>2</sup></p></div><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">Bryan Saavedra did not know about synthetic biology and we gave him an approach to this area and how it had so many reaches, one of them being beekeeping. While explaining our project we absent-mindedly use a somewhat technical word that is usually complicated for the community in general. A peptide. The beekeeper, as in other times of the conversation, didn't hesitate to ask us and he attentively listened to us while we explained to him what we were referring to; he was always intrigued by our project.</p></div><br>
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      <li>PROCCyT. (2018). La apicultura; actividad fundamental para alcanzar la seguridad alimentaria en México. Retrieved from http://proccyt.org.mx/noticias/303-la-apicultura-actividad-fundamental-para-alcanzar-la-seguridad-alimentaria-en-mexico-2</li>
<h4 align="justify">References</h4>
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  <li><i>Economía de Chile: agricultura y pesca de Chile</i>. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.voyagesphotosmanu.com/economia_chile.html</li>
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  <li>Turcatto, A. P., Lourenço, A. P., & De Jong, D. (2017). <i>Propolis consumption ramps up the immune response in honey bees infected with bacteria</i>. Apidologie, 49(3), 287–296. doi:10.1007/s13592-017-0553-z</li>
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  <li>Image retrieved from: <i>Melipilla Chile: Ubicación, mapa y todo lo que desconoce</i>. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://conociendochile.com/c-region-metropolitana-de-santiago/melipilla-chile/</li><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">While we interacted with beekeepers and researchers, it was not difficult to realize the importance of considering social aspects within the activities and plans for our project.</p></div><br>
<h3 align="center">Specialists and Investigators</h3>
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  <div class="a"><p align="justify">Our project considers particular parts as the immune system of the bee, as well as bigger picture aspects like how beekeepers provide the liquid food to their hives; the required panorama is vast, and we sought to make fit each small component of the project in the life of bees and beekeepers. Researchers who have been surrounded by the beekeeping world for years were the indicated to guide us in external aspects regarding the beekeepers' field of expertise.</p></div><br>
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      <p align="center">June 7<sup>th</sup><br>Mexico, City<br><b>Video call with MVZ Ernesto Tanús Sánchez</b></p>
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      <p align="center">August 25<sup>th</sup><br>São Paulo, Brazil<br><b>Video call with Ph.D. David De Jong</b></p>
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  <div class="a"><p align="justify">Rider University explains “sociological imagination” as the ability to see the connection between the larger events affecting the whole society and the individual consequences for each of us in our own lives. Personal troubles may be our fault; but in others, they may be a result of social forces beyond our control as individuals; society shape us as we shape our society.<sup>1</sup></p></div><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="center"><i>Analyzing and acting upon social implications lies in living together in an organized and beneficial way.</i></p></div></div>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">In the first approach we had with a beekeeper, <b>Mr. Guillermo Rodríguez</b>, it was explained how beekeeping varies around the world and how many times the needs are different for each region. In our effort to consider all these needs in our project, we managed to have interviews with professionals related to the topic in Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Italy, Valencia, and Canadá, taking into account from beekeepers who manage few hives to complete associations, investigators, governmental institutions and international agencies. We considered specific needs to obtain a universal solution.</p></div><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">In the <b>IV State’s Beekeeping Forum</b> and the <b>CIAD</b> visit, we were able to experience what beekeepers’ work involves. Working with few beehives lessen the job, however in the case of beekeepers like the Chilean Bryaan Saaverdra, that works with more than 1000 hives the work notably intensifies, as you must attend beehive by beehive whatever the weather condition is. Through the application method of our product, which was transformed over the months basing on the concerns and needs of the beekeepers, we foster the welfare of this community taking in consideration for their working days not to become intensified when experiencing the diseases and applying the product. </p></div>
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  <p align="center">June 15<sup>th</sup><br>Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua<br><b>Center for Research in Food and Development A.C. (CIAD) visit</b></p>  
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  <div class="a"><p align="justify">In the meeting with <b>Mr. Manuel Ramírez Salcido</b>, he commented on how there are almost no young people who are interested in beekeeping and that there is a significant concern for the future of this sector. While developing our project, we saw the enthusiasm of beekeepers for seeing young people interested in the area. Throughout all these months we have shared our project in many places, we have tried to bring the youth to be interested in bee’s importance and beekeeping. For the <b>IV State’s Beekeeping Forum</b> we made an open invitation to different year students of our biotechnology career, encouraging them to attend, to listen &nbsp;to &nbsp;the &nbsp;conferences &nbsp;and &nbsp;learn &nbsp;about &nbsp;apiaries&nbsp;. By</p></div></div>
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  <p align="center">October 2<sup>nd</sup><br>Guelph, Canada<br><b>Video conference with Dr. Ernesto Guzmán Novoa</b></p>
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<p align="justify"> proudly conducting this project we are directly involving with beekeeping and fostering an important approach to this sector in the young people that surround us in our daily lives as college students.</p><br>
 +
<div class="a"><p align="justify">After all the research made, the ambiguities that were found when doing the evaluation of the presence of Foulbrood in the world and the different conclusions that were given, (some resulting from the video call with <b>FAI presidential staff member Lorenzo Della Morte</b> and others from the video call with <b>MVZ Juan Diego Pérez de la Rosa</b>) showed that there is a problem in the health and statistical assessment studies regarding bee diseases. Many times, beekeepers who have affected hives, do not report it because of the negative implications that this entails; burning of colonies, the need of using antibiotics that disturb the innocuity of honey and finally the risk of losing investment made over many years. Our product promotes this social problem to be resolved; by having a profitable and useful product, which displace conventional antibiotics usage and the burning of hives. It encourages that the beekeeper openly reports if their beehives suffer from the disease having the peace of mind that he will not have to lose large quantities of money or their hives nor he will need to alter their bee products with antibiotics. </p></div><br>
 +
<div class="a"><p align="justify">By addressing individual concerns as well as general insights such as the problem of statistical assessment studies, throughout the development of our project and the implementation of the product, we seek to address aspects that are often out of the hands of beekeepers, and that may also have an impact on communities outside of the beekeeping sector. Attention to the previously mentioned issues is based on the fact of building an organized society that interacts effectively within itself and with external communities.</p></div><br>
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<p align="justify">The social area covers the ethical and legal aspects:</p><br>
  
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      <li>The current burning of beehives threatens the environment and the loss of its resources, which is why a viable alternative to avoid such burning is necessary</li>
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      <li>He clarified that the word of a beekeeper is not in doubt; however, it might be hard for us to obtain real data regarding the presence of American foulbrood as it is a mandatory complaint issue, so there is distrust of the producer.</li>
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      <li>Dr. Tanus suggested liquid application (in the form of syrup) which beekeepers could feed their hives. This syrup (sweetened water) could contain the peptides in it and be fed directly to the box. This way, nurse bees would feed on here. Since Africanized bees appeared, he claims, it is better to have interior feeding to avoid foragers. This method would also avoid product loss from environmental conditions such as the wind or sun.</li>
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      <li>We mentioned the possibility of adding the solution cell by cell, but he said we must think of the beekeeper. This just isn’t scalable for 3,000 or 4,000 boxes. We realized here that the easier the application, the more attractive the product.</li>
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      <li>We should consider the effect our product would have on the bee's usual microbiome.</li>
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      <li>He put us in contact with MSc Alejandro Romo, MSc Juan Diego Perez de la Rosa, and Dr. Alfonso Arroyo.</li>
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       <li>We received an invitation to the XXVI International Congress for Beekeeping Updates in 2019.</li>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">Three of our human practices activities stood out in determining points that led us to reflect and to investigate more in the situation. Is saving bees our duty? Is our project good? Is it worth taking risks involved? Bioethical dilemmas that will be addressed below.</p></div><br>
  
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">From the meeting we had with <b>Dr. Roca</b>, we discussed the importance of not only considering human rights but also environmental rights. The next question arose: Should humanity intervene and conserve biodiversity by any means?</p></div><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">The participation in <b>MEXMUN</b> helped us to realize the importance of being responsible for the risks involved in the creation of any biotechnological tool; from there these questions arose: Should we develop the treatment even though it could result in the development of pathogen resistance? Or, in the worst case, damage the innate immune system leaving bees unable to defend themselves?</p></div><br>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">Based on comments from <b>Ph.D. David de Jong, Dr. Ernesto Guzmán Novoa, M.S. Alejandro Romo Chacón and M.S. Adrián Ponce de León</b>. We realized that there are no regulations to experiment with bees in Canada, Brazil, and Mexico. This led us to question whether the use of bee larvae is justified in order to obtain relevant data for the project to advance. Can even be considered morally relevant?
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  <h4 align="justify">October 2<sup>nd</sup><br>Video conference with Dr. Ernesto Guzmán Novoa</h4><br>
 
  <div class="a"><p align="justify">Dr. Ernesto Guzmán is a professor and head of the Honey Bee Research Centre at the University of Guelph; he received a DVM degree from the National Autonomous University of Mexico and a MSc and Ph.D. in entomology from the University of California, Davis. Dr. Guzmán has advised or co-advised the theses of more than 50 DVM, MSc, and Ph.D. students. Research in his lab focuses on three main areas: genetics, behavior and parasitic mites of honey bees, identifying factors that affect honey bee health.</p></div></div>
 
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  <div class="a"><p align="justify">On October 2, we met with Dr. Guzmán on a video conference to speak about our project; he referred to it as something new since to the best of his knowledge, no one has worked with bee’s antimicrobial peptide genes to treat diseases in these arthropods. He mentioned there might be some questions we won’t be able to answer until we get into bee experimentation, but we should consider possible risks such as the addition of external AMPs to the colony atrophying the natural production of AMPs in bees, as well as the possibility of weakening their microbiota.</p></div><br>
 
  <div class="a"><p align="justify">He emphasized that it is not an easy project to develop as working with American and European &nbsp;foulbrood &nbsp;of &nbsp;honey &nbsp;&nbsp;bees &nbsp;&nbsp;is &nbsp;&nbsp;extremely &nbsp;&nbsp;complicated &nbsp;because &nbsp;of &nbsp;&nbsp;the</div></div>
 
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<p align="justify">specialized infrastructure, techniques and studies required to work with honey bee brood diseases. It can take months or even years to standardize the protocols needed, so he was curious if we were planning to continue working on this project after the competition.</p><br>
 
  <div class="a"<p align="justify">Regarding American and European foulbrood disease presence in Canada, he stated European foulbrood predominates over American foulbrood in Canada, but in Mexico, American foulbrood is a severe problem.</p></div><br>
 
  <div class="a"><p align="justify">Finally, we were curious whether there were any regulations regarding experimentation on bees in his country, to which he answered there are none in Canada concerning experimentation on them, yet, he doesn't consider there should be since regulating it would hinder and inhibit research with them. Ultimately, he wished us luck and referred to our project as good and novel.</p></div><br>
 
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  <div class="a"><p align="justify">We had the great privilege of being able to get closer to complete and organized associations that show how beekeepers gather, collaborate and strengthen beekeeping. Dialogue is fundamental in a society and what a better way to join this dialogue than by discussing in these reunions, listening to the concerns or contributions expressed by the societies and building-up new group insights.</p></div><br>
 
  
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      <p align="center">May 5<sup>th</sup><br>Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua<br><b>Monthly beekeepers’ association meeting</b></p>
 
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      <p align="center">July 27<sup>th</sup>, 28<sup>th</sup> and 29<sup>th</sup><br>Delicias City, Chihuahua<br><b>IV State Beekeeping Forum</b></p>
 
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  <p align="center">July 19<sup>th</sup><br>Rome, Italy<br><b>Video call with FAI presidential staff member Lorenzo Della Morte</b></p>
 
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      <h4 align="justify">May 5<sup>th</sup><br>Monthly beekeepers’ association meeting</h4><br>
 
      <div class="a"><p align="justify">We thank Mr. Guillermo Rodríguez for inviting us to the monthly meeting of the Cuauhtemoc's beekeeping society where we had our first approach with the beekeeping community. The society consisted of approximately 33 beekeepers and researchers who gave us a warm welcome, listened to our project, and gave us their opinion on particular details that we had to consider or improve. They were happy that young students of other disciplines were interested in their work and &nbsp;bees, &nbsp;we &nbsp;explained &nbsp;to &nbsp;them &nbsp;the &nbsp;reason &nbsp;it &nbsp;was</p></div>
 
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<p align="justify">important for us to talk with them and why we had chosen to work with bees in our project, something that made them curious.</p><br>
 
<div class="a"><p align="justify">Until that meeting, our project consisted of the production of antimicrobial peptides in <i>Pichia pastoris</i> for exclusively the inhibition of the pathogen <i>Paenibacillus larvae</i>. We planned on using yeasts due to their high capacity to carry out post-translational modifications, similar to the protein folding mechanisms of bees and their ability to secrete heterologous proteins to the environment, in this case, our antimicrobial peptides. The intention was to apply these yeasts in a solution with hexane extract of the plant <i>Achyrocline satureioides</i> which its efficiency against <i>P. larvae</i> has already been shown previously 2, in presence also of surfactins, the surfactin would have a synergistic effect with the hexane extract. Previous studies on <i>B. subtilis</i> have shown that surfactin, a lipopeptide produced by the bacteria, inhibits the pathogens of honey bees, including <i>P. larvae</i>, <i>A. apis</i> and <i>Nosema ceranae</i>.<sup>1</sup> This solution would be applied to bee bread, which we knew, the larvae ingested in their diet.</p></div><br>
 
<center><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/5/5c/T--Tec-Chihuahua--T3.png"></center><br>
 
<div class="a"><p align="justify">Through their feedback, we evaluated the risks of using yeasts in our product and the risks of introducing GMOs in what is known as "harmless honey". They emphasized that an overdose of yeasts would cause a fermentation of the honey and an alteration in the microbiota of the bees which could be counterproductive since this would cause diseases such as American foulbrood to arrive, they recommended us to be very careful with the dose and consider the addition of a fermentation inhibitor in our formula. From this meeting, we set out to investigate the export requirements of honey, which is the main product exported by beekeepers, and how our genetically modified yeasts would affect or play a role in these requirements.</p></div><br>
 
<div class="a"><p align="justify">One issue we were asked to review was whether the hexane extract of <i>A.satureioides</i> oxidized because if so, it loses its qualities. Currently, a treatment that they use to fight diseases in bees is the oregano essential oil which they have already found to be oxidized. After further investigation, we verified that certainly, the extract that we wanted to add is oxidized by exposure to air. Another treatment that beekeepers use to fight diseases, is the sodium bicarbonate which, when it is spread in the hive, causes the bees to begin a cleaning protocol with which they take that bicarbonate out of their hive taking away the dirt present.</p></div><br>
 
<div class="a"><p align="justify">Thanks to this meeting, we set out to investigate the export requirements of honey, which is the main product exported by beekeepers, and how our genetically modified yeasts would affect or play a role in these requirements. They mentioned that they do not usually have much time to try different combinations of treatments and find out the optimal combination. They said there is not much research in the beekeeping sector, so it seems excellent that we intend to carry out scientific research in this field and try different combinations of peptides thus ensuring the best combination.</p></div><br>
 
<div class="a"><p align="justify">They also told us about other bee pathogens, <i>Nosema apis</i> and <i>Varroa destructor</i>. They commented that, if effective, our product is excellent, however, they also mentioned that in general there are many good products and at a reasonable price, however, they are challenging to work with, occasional applications are less complicated than regular ones. They look for a practical alternative, cheap and that doesn't consume time. Concerning the final product being a dilution, they commented that this was difficult to apply since, if our product was to be applied frequently, it would be laborious to have to spray every three days, for example, 2,000 boxes of bees.</p></div><br>
 
<div class="a"><p align="justify">Subsequently, they mentioned that, in their city, the foulbrood that represents a problem is the European, which occurs when bees have little accessibility to pollen because of the little flowering throughout the year. Previously we had read about this disease; however, it was from this meeting that we investigated more about it and after validating the theoretical efficacy of our antimicrobial peptides of interest against this disease, we decided to address it as part of the pathogens to combat with our product.</p></div><br>
 
<div class="a"><p align="justify">Finally, they congratulated us for our research and stressed the importance of feedback between researcher and producer since in this way we can collaborate in a more effective way, guaranteeing a bidirectional communication. They invited us to continue attending their and MSc Alejandro Romo, a researcher at the Center for Food Research and Development (For its acronym in Spanish: CIAD), offered to do the experimentation with bees from our research in his laboratory in Cuauhtémoc, the same laboratory that we visited one month later.</p></div><br>
 
<div class="a"><p align="justify">After this meeting, our project changed to production of antimicrobial peptides in Escherichia coli for the inhibition of <i>Paenibacillus larvae</i> and <i>Melissococcus plutonius</i></p></div><br>
 
<center><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/4/44/T--Tec-Chihuahua--T23.png"></center><br>
 
<small><h4 align="justify">References</h4>
 
<ol class="o">
 
  <li>Wu, M., Sugimura, Y., Iwata, K., Takaya, N., Takamatsu, D., Kobayashi, M., … Yoshiyama, M. (2014). <i>Inhibitory effect of gut bacteria from the Japanese honey bee, Apis cerana japonica, against Melissococcus plutonius, the causal agent of European foulbrood disease</i>. Journal of Insect Science, 14, 129. http://doi.org/10.1093/jis/14.1.129</li>
 
  <li>Chanchao, C., Stoić, M., Yoshiyama, M. and Kimura, K. (2018). Review on Apiary Management and Antimicrobial Compounds as Alternative Prevention or Treatment for Honeybee Diseases. OnLine Journal of Biological Sciences, 18(1), pp.46-61.</li>
 
</ol></small>
 
 
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">From the interviews we had with <b>Mr. Guillermo Rodríguez</b> and <b>Mr. Manuel Ramírez Salcido</b> we realized the importance of considering both national and international governmental agencies involved in the assurance of honey innocuousness. Nevertheless, the legal validation of the development of our project took a big step after the meeting we had with <b>MVZ Ernesto Tanús Sánchez, MVZ Adolfo Arroyo, and Mr. José Luis González Miranda</b>. In this meeting, different legislation that would be ideal to consider was mentioned; concerning innocuity, exportation, Federal Animal Health Law, Zoosanitary regulations as well as Regulations of the European Union regarding food safety.</p></div><br>
  
 +
<div class="a"><p align="justify">In addition, our participation in activities of international nature, being, in this case, <b>MEXMUN</b> and the <b>Environmental Risk Assessment Guide for Genetically Modified Organisms</b>, led us to evaluate aspects of biosecurity and risk analysis. We considered it appropriate and necessary to build a legal plan in accordance with the regulations and norms pertinent to our project, covering the local and international scope for ensuring that our project is attached to safety and legality.</p></div><br>
  
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  <h4 align="justify">July 19<sup>th</sup><br>Video call with FAI presidential staff member Lorenzo Della Morte</h4><br>
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      <li>Raider University. (n.d.). <i>Why Study Sociology?</i> Retrieved from https://www.rider.edu/academics/colleges-schools/college-liberal-arts-education-sciences/liberal-arts-programs/sociology/why-study-sociology</li>
   <div class="a"><p align="justify">Looking forward to expanding our international reach, we encountered the possibility to contact the Italian Federation of Beekeepers (FAI). Successfully, after exchanging some emails we were able to schedule a virtual meeting with the FAI presidential staff member Lorenzo Della Morte. We were very excited to have the opportunity to share and also nurture our project with insights, concerns and regulations that came from the city that hosts the headquarters of many important multinational food companies and agencies,</p></div></div>
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  <p align="justify">such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and The World Food Programme (WFP). Eight members of the team could attend this important reunion that lasted approximately 40 minutes.</p>
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  <div class="a"><p align="justify">FAI President Raffaele Cirone and his staff member Lorenzo Della Morte shared with us very invaluable information about how foulbrood is experienced in Italy:</p></div></div>
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<div class="a"><p align="justify">Foulbrood incidence rate in Italy usually has a seasonal trend with the largest number of registered infections during the second semester of the year (July-December). Regarding the impact and incidence of these two diseases on Italian beekeeping, FAI Italian Federation of Beekeepers has consulted the National Centre of Reference on bee diseases, who elaborated an official data reporting 51 complaints of colony infections from 7 on the 20 Italian Regions, for the year 2017. The number of infected and then destroyed colonies is a few tens of units compared to the 1.300.000 colonies, which constitute the Italian beekeeping heritage.</p></div><br>
 
<div class="a"><p align="justify">From the FAI point of view, the data is not to be considered statistically reliable both for the low number of registered cases and for the missing complaints. In fact, in order to avoid the Veterinarian Police controls, many beekeepers often don’t report the infection and directly destroy the colonies in secret. According to FAI estimates the incidence rate of foulbrood can’t be lower than the 10-20% of the Italian beekeeping heritage in total.</p></div><br>
 
<p align="justify">The treatment methods used in Italy to treat AFB and EFB are the following:</p>
 
<ol class="o">
 
  <li><b>For AFB</b>:<br>
 
  <p align="justify">Must be compulsorily notifiable to the Health Authority. It involves serious restrictive measures in accordance with the Veterinarian Police Regulation (DPR 8/2/1954, n.320). Apart from the Beekeeping Best Practices (BBP) there are no official and authorized control methodologies so that the infected colonies must be burned. Furthermore, the apiary is subject to health constraints until the recovery plan has been ascertained. All the beekeeper’s instruments must be disinfected and sterilized.</p></li>
 
  <li><b>For EFB</b>:<br>
 
  <p align="justify">Must be compulsorily notifiable to the Health Authority. It involves serious restrictive measures in accordance with the Veterinarian Police Regulation (DPR 8/2/1954, n.320). Differently, from the American foulbrood (AFB) regulation, the European foulbrood (EFB), has a less restricted regulation. In fact, the infected colonies must be distinguished in two different clusters related to their clinical picture:</p></li>
 
  <ol class="d">
 
      <li><i>Severely compromised colonies</i>: In this case, the approach is the same as the one for AFB and it lies in destroying both the colony and the hive and in disinfecting and sterilizing the beekeeper’s instruments.</li>
 
      <li><i>Not compromised colonies but with clinical signs</i>: In this case, the “swarming technique” is carried out to overcome the disease. It consists of:</li>
 
      <ol class="e">
 
        <li>Removing the infected combs from the hive.</li>
 
        <li>Replacing the queen bee.</li>
 
        <li>Adding adult bees from external healthy colonies.</li>
 
        <li>Feeding bees with an appropriate nutrition.</li>
 
        <li>Further practices suggested by the veterinarian in charge.</li>
 
      </ol>
 
  </ol>
 
</ol><br>
 
<div class="a"><p align="justify">The apiary will be seized for at least 9 days and until the positive outcome of the treatment, in order to assess the efficacy of the “swarming technique”. Anyway, also, in this case, the beekeeper can ask the destruction of all the affected colonies to the veterinarian authority.</p></div><br>
 
<div class="a"><p align="justify">In both the cases AFB and EFB, the use of antibiotics is not allowed in Italy because of its ineffectiveness and to prevent the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains.</p></div><br>
 
<div class="a"><p align="justify">FAI emphasized a very important point that seems not only to apply in Italy but throughout the whole world: there are no different solutions to AFB and EFB diseases these days and the legislative tools are often perceived as repressive, so many beekeepers don’t notify the infection in their apiary, destroying the infected colonies and concealing the fact. This is one of the most relevant problems for the health and statistical assessment studies.</p></div><br>
 
<div class="a"><p align="justify">After Mr. Della Morte learned about our project and the scopes of synthetic biology regarding beekeeping, he considered our proposal as a possibility of prevention method against the diseases. Our product would help beekeepers do not have to lose all their beehives and save money.</p></div><br>
 
<div class="a"><p align="justify">After the video call, Mr. Raffaele Cirone and his staff reflected on our project information and kindly sent us their final insights:</p></div><br>
 
<div class="a"><p align="justify">The Italian Federation of Beekeepers believes that AMPABEE Project is a new and innovative approach to such incurable diseases as AFB and EFB. Preventing the spread of these bacteria and increasing the immune system of bee larvae is an important goal to achieve in the health bee risk prevent. In particular, nowadays the only preventing tools are the Beekeeping Best Practices (BBP) which depends on the personal application beekeepers carry out. In this respect, FAI considers essential to test this research on the pure Italian <i>Apis mellifera ligustica</i>, as it is the most widespread in the world. In this regard, FAI will collaborate and provide the necessary support, remaining at iGEM team Tec-Chihuahua disposal in case of need for further information for the research project and programme. FAI is totally sure that such a research could find a spreading interest in the beekeeping world at different scales. FAI can support the product commercialization thanks to the FAI’s Service Company and the FAI trade partnerships covering the entire national territory.</p></div><br>
 
 
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Latest revision as of 22:32, 17 October 2018

Erwinions

Gold Integrated Human Practices

Our integrated human practices are the result of each and every single human practices activity that we carried out throughout the iGEM season. We truly believe our work, in every section of our project, including wet lab, has significantly changed towards the implementation of our relevant communities feedback. Since the first day we engaged with beekeepers, our project has been shaping and improving towards an effective, responsible, safe and ethical work.


After the video call we had with Maria Mercedes Roca, Ph.D, where emphasis was placed on the three pillars of the UN for sustainable development, we saw the importance of these three areas and decided to exploit them in our integrated human practices: the economic, social and environmental area of our project, as well as a section showing how the design and execution of it has been, molded thanks to our silver human practices.



Project Basis

The foundation of the project was evolving, improving and solidifying thanks to the interactions we experienced in our human practices. There were fundamental changes such as the production chassis of the peptides and the application method of the product, as well as recommendations for the experimental plan and insights about the risk factors we should consider.

Excretion of antimicrobial peptides in Pichia pastoris for Paenibacillus larvae and Melissococcus plutonius inhibition. The initial plan was to apply genetically modified yeasts engineered to excrete AMP’s and surfactin in a solution with hexane extract of the plant A. satureioides; surfactin has a synergistic effect with the hexane extract. This solution would be applied to the bee bread we knew larvae ingested in their diet.


Learned obstacles regarding the method:

  1. Presence of genetically modified yeats would complicate the exportation process of honey to the European Union increasing the risks of having the product rejected.
  2. The hexane extract of A.satureioides is oxidized by exposure to air; therefore, it may lose its efficiency.
  3. An overdose of yeasts would cause fermentation of the honey and an alteration in the microbiota of the bees which could be counterproductive since this would cause diseases such as Nosema and American foulbrood to arrive.


Production of antimicrobial peptides in Escherichia coli for Paenibacillus larvae and Melissococcus plutonius inhibition. The second plan consisted in applying the purified antimicrobial peptides, after their production in E. coli BL21 (DE3), in the bee bread we knew larvae ingested in their diet.


Learned obstacles regarding the method:

  1. Bee bread is mainly stored in the hive so there is little chance that the peptides reach the larva.


The third plan consisted in applying the purified peptides sprinkled as a liquid solution or as a powder on the hives.

Learned obstacles regarding the method:

  1. When the product is found scattered in the hive, it can be easily affected by external factors such as air or other insects.

We were able to arrive at the final application method with the recommendation of MVZ Ernesto Tanús who considered that the most suitable way to apply our product would be through the liquid food beekeepers provide to the hives and that nurse bees ingest to feed the larvae subsequently.


Experimentation plan

We integrated three aspects discussed during our interviews within the future experimentation plan of the project:

  1. Add an innocuous color dye to the nanospheres to make the track in the bee system and ensure that the product reaches the larvae. This topic was discussed during the meeting with MVZ Ernesto Tanús Sánchez, MVZ Adolfo Arroyo, and Eng. José Luis González Miranda.
  2. Test the research on the pure Italian Apis mellifera spp. ligustica, as it is the most widespread in the world. This information was considered thanks to the video call with FAI presidential staff member Lorenzo Della Morte.
  3. Extract the hypopharyngeal glands of the nurse bees after they consume the liquid food where nanospheres were added in order to determine if there is the presence of AMP's. Consideration taken from the conversation with Ph.D. David de Jong.

Important considerations for the project

MVZ Ernesto Tanús considered it was essential to take into consideration the factor of the microbiota of the bee, regarding the fact that there would be AMP's supplied that can alter the natural microbiota. Regarding this same subject, Ph.D. David De Jong considered that our product works like the antibiotics humans use; there is the negative part that the intestinal flora will be affected, but this is in search for a greater good, attacking pathogens. The experimentation is necessary in order to be able to know what would happen with the microbiota of the bee and what consequences this situation could bring.


Another of the considerations of Ph.D. David De Jong, was the analysis on how when you give certain substance to an animal, there is a proclivity for it to produce less of this substance; risk addressed in the bioethical essay and mentioned in the legal plan.


 







Environmental


The importance of the environment for the subsistence of life on earth is unquestionable. The magnitude of its value is represented by the human right to a healthy environment, a prerogative that protects the environment as a fundamental legal right and expresses the relevance of this to have a dignified life. This human right constitutes a guarantee for the realization and validity of the rest, since human being are in an indissoluble relationship with its environment and nature1. For this reason, achieving sustainable development would ensure the quality of present and future life. In this sense, the dignity, autonomy, and sanctity of the person depend on the health of the planet, its resources, and species.


Food Security is a central topic in the global agenda. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that by the year 2050, world population will exceed 9,000 million, of which 150 million will dwell in Mexico. This should increase agricultural production by 60% in the country by that year 2.


Beekeeping is a fundamental activity to achieve Food Security in Mexico and the world, which is why authorities, researchers, farmers, beekeepers, and members are aware of the importance of bees. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says 100 crop species provide 90% of the food worldwide, and bees pollinate 71% of these3. It is for this reason, given by the engineer Manuel Ramirez Salcido, that bees have been presented as a parameter of environmental health, talking about ecology.


The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) says that if bees disappear there would be a food crisis; 84% of cash crops

depend on their pollination.4 In the same way, SAGARPA states that multiple varieties of fruit trees depend on cross-pollination that uses animals as vectors, such as bees; that is to say that there is an enormous amount of zoophilic plants.


According to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), the links between the population, environment, and natural resources are mediated by multiple factors. The immediate environmental impact of urban settlements derives from a change in land purpose5, reducing the size of crops that can be pollinated by bees, generating an effect similar to that of habitat loss and with this, nutritional complications in bees, conferring susceptibility to diseases. This is one of the points suggested by the engineer Alejandro Bianchi during our meeting on June 15, 2018.


However, there are actions that seek to provide a healthy life for bees and their existence. There is a concern for the negative impact on anthophiles by irresponsible human activities; it is vital to prevent and attack the causes of bee reduction or loss at their roots. As we learned thanks to MEXMUN 2018, the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity should be used. These objectives are:

  1. Conservation of biodiversity.
  2. Sustainable use of the components of biological diversity.
  3. Appropriate transference of technologies.

Currently, the importance of carrying out a risk analysis is integrated in our legal plan, as per the Enviromental Risk Assesment Guide. In addition to the aspects mentioned in the assessment of the quality control within the legal plan, the following steps are involved, such as the guidelines for animal health risk analysis according to the Regulation of the Federal Animal Health Law, which are the following:

  1. The resolution of whether the risks are acceptable or not, as a whole, as well as the strategies for the management of possible risks.
  2. Identification of the possible risks.
  3. Assessment of the chances that these risks arise.
  4. Evaluation of the consequences.
  5. Estimation of the possible global risk.

Dr. Ernesto Tanus Sánchez mentioned the importance of avoiding the burning of hives, due to the limited accessibility to the wood with which they are made. Cedar, specifically red cedar (Cedrela odorata), is considered the best type of wood to make a hive. However, this species is subject to special protection according to NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010, which means factors that negatively affect its viability may threaten it. Obtaining permission to perform the practice of incinerating hives becomes an arduous and even deficient process. Due to the virulence of Paenibacillus larvae, American Foulbrood sweeps entire hives before there is an answer by the authorities.


In other Latin American countries, the action plan presents variations. Ph.D. David De Jong explained us how in Brazil, it is not permissible for someone to incinerate a beehive if it is not a beekeeper, sometimes the firefighters do it in an emergency. Bryan Saavedra, mentioned how in Chile, they have the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) who is in charge of incinerating hives in case the disease is present.



  1. National Human Rights Commission (Mexico). (2014). The Human Right to a Healthy Environment for Development and Wellbeing. Mexico: National Human Rights Commission (Mexico).
  2. Crop Protection, Science and Technology. (2018). Beekeeping; as a fundamental activity to reach food security in Mexico. October 10th, de Crop Protection, Science and Technology Web site: http://proccyt.org.mx/noticias/303-la-apicultura-actividad-fundamental-para-alcanzar-la-seguridad-alimentaria-en-mexico-2
  3. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2016). The power of pollinators: why more bees means better food. October 10th, de Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Sitio web: http://www.fao.org/zhc/detail-events/en/c/428504/
  4. Delegación SAGARPA Yucatán. (2017). Apicultura, actividad de gran importancia económica y social en Yucatán [Beekeeping, activity of great economic and social importance in Yucatan]. October 10th, de SAGARPA Web site: https://www.gob.mx/sagarpa%7Cyucatan/articulos/apicultura-actividad-de-gran-importancia-económica-y-social-en-yucatan
  5. SEMARNAT. (2010). Compendio de Estadísticas Ambientales 2010. October 10th, de SEMARNAT Sitio web: http://aplicaciones.semarnat.gob.mx/estadisticas/compendio2010/10.100.13.5_8080/ibi_apps/WFServlet1bdcb.html





Economic


All modern human endeavors are, one way or another, economic activities. Beekeeping is no different. This income-generating activity plays a crucial role in the food industry, thanks to both pollination services and honey production.


Classic economics tells us that it is time put into a product or service which gives it its value. Beekeepers know about this; they work all the time, with a lot of hives. They must take care of each colony, all while creating smoke to keep the bees passive. At the IV State Beekeeping Forum, emphasis was made on what a laborious activity this job is.


UN risk assessment researcher, Maria Mercedes Roca, Ph.D. , mentioned how economic activities are central to the functioning of our interconnected world. Beekeeping must be propelled to make for economic gains, especially in countries such as Mexico where a large part of its economy is based on the primary sector. Mr. Manuel Ramirez

also referred to this topic; Our country plays a significant role as a honey trader, with most of our exports making their way to the EU. However, there are several obstacles. EU imports can have neither genetically modified content nor most antibiotics. One can’t add anything to a product that would alter its sensorial characteristics without expecting a negative impact. Dr. David de Jong considered we should check what amount of AMPs make their way to honey products, aspect revised in the IV State Beekeeping Forum with Dr. Sóstenes Rafael Rodríguez where we ensured AMP’s are not a problem when it comes to EU honey exportation analysis. Since the national Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) is also strict on contaminants, Guillermo Rodriguéz told us, a natural product against foulbrood is needed both nationally and internationally.


As explained in the chronology of the aforementioned facts, while the project was being developed and basing us on the comments and concerns expressed by professionals, we were able to ensure that our product would not impede exportations and importations of honey. The world honey market reported historical records during 2015, with volumes of operation exceeding 2.3 billion dollars1 and it represents substantial revenues not only for Mexico but countries like China, Argentina, Spain, etc. More than ensuring that highest AMP concentrations in honey would not result in an exportation problem, our project fosters to make exportations go up since there will be no problem with antibiotic residues in honey when beekeepers have to deal with diseases.



The economic part of our project is also made up of the development of the entrepreneurial area where the implications for the sale of the final product are analyzed.


Our project will make sure Foulbrood no longer generates huge economic losses (by killing bees and necessitating antibiotics) but instead become a small nuisance in an otherwise thriving industry.



  1. PROCCyT. (2018). La apicultura; actividad fundamental para alcanzar la seguridad alimentaria en México. Retrieved from http://proccyt.org.mx/noticias/303-la-apicultura-actividad-fundamental-para-alcanzar-la-seguridad-alimentaria-en-mexico-2





Social


While we interacted with beekeepers and researchers, it was not difficult to realize the importance of considering social aspects within the activities and plans for our project.


Rider University explains “sociological imagination” as the ability to see the connection between the larger events affecting the whole society and the individual consequences for each of us in our own lives. Personal troubles may be our fault; but in others, they may be a result of social forces beyond our control as individuals; society shape us as we shape our society.1


Analyzing and acting upon social implications lies in living together in an organized and beneficial way.


In the first approach we had with a beekeeper, Mr. Guillermo Rodríguez, it was explained how beekeeping varies around the world and how many times the needs are different for each region. In our effort to consider all these needs in our project, we managed to have interviews with professionals related to the topic in Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Italy, Valencia, and Canadá, taking into account from beekeepers who manage few hives to complete associations, investigators, governmental institutions and international agencies. We considered specific needs to obtain a universal solution.


In the IV State’s Beekeeping Forum and the CIAD visit, we were able to experience what beekeepers’ work involves. Working with few beehives lessen the job, however in the case of beekeepers like the Chilean Bryaan Saaverdra, that works with more than 1000 hives the work notably intensifies, as you must attend beehive by beehive whatever the weather condition is. Through the application method of our product, which was transformed over the months basing on the concerns and needs of the beekeepers, we foster the welfare of this community taking in consideration for their working days not to become intensified when experiencing the diseases and applying the product.


In the meeting with Mr. Manuel Ramírez Salcido, he commented on how there are almost no young people who are interested in beekeeping and that there is a significant concern for the future of this sector. While developing our project, we saw the enthusiasm of beekeepers for seeing young people interested in the area. Throughout all these months we have shared our project in many places, we have tried to bring the youth to be interested in bee’s importance and beekeeping. For the IV State’s Beekeeping Forum we made an open invitation to different year students of our biotechnology career, encouraging them to attend, to listen  to  the  conferences  and  learn  about  apiaries . By

proudly conducting this project we are directly involving with beekeeping and fostering an important approach to this sector in the young people that surround us in our daily lives as college students.


After all the research made, the ambiguities that were found when doing the evaluation of the presence of Foulbrood in the world and the different conclusions that were given, (some resulting from the video call with FAI presidential staff member Lorenzo Della Morte and others from the video call with MVZ Juan Diego Pérez de la Rosa) showed that there is a problem in the health and statistical assessment studies regarding bee diseases. Many times, beekeepers who have affected hives, do not report it because of the negative implications that this entails; burning of colonies, the need of using antibiotics that disturb the innocuity of honey and finally the risk of losing investment made over many years. Our product promotes this social problem to be resolved; by having a profitable and useful product, which displace conventional antibiotics usage and the burning of hives. It encourages that the beekeeper openly reports if their beehives suffer from the disease having the peace of mind that he will not have to lose large quantities of money or their hives nor he will need to alter their bee products with antibiotics.


By addressing individual concerns as well as general insights such as the problem of statistical assessment studies, throughout the development of our project and the implementation of the product, we seek to address aspects that are often out of the hands of beekeepers, and that may also have an impact on communities outside of the beekeeping sector. Attention to the previously mentioned issues is based on the fact of building an organized society that interacts effectively within itself and with external communities.


The social area covers the ethical and legal aspects:



Ethical


Three of our human practices activities stood out in determining points that led us to reflect and to investigate more in the situation. Is saving bees our duty? Is our project good? Is it worth taking risks involved? Bioethical dilemmas that will be addressed below.


From the meeting we had with Dr. Roca, we discussed the importance of not only considering human rights but also environmental rights. The next question arose: Should humanity intervene and conserve biodiversity by any means?


The participation in MEXMUN helped us to realize the importance of being responsible for the risks involved in the creation of any biotechnological tool; from there these questions arose: Should we develop the treatment even though it could result in the development of pathogen resistance? Or, in the worst case, damage the innate immune system leaving bees unable to defend themselves?


Based on comments from Ph.D. David de Jong, Dr. Ernesto Guzmán Novoa, M.S. Alejandro Romo Chacón and M.S. Adrián Ponce de León. We realized that there are no regulations to experiment with bees in Canada, Brazil, and Mexico. This led us to question whether the use of bee larvae is justified in order to obtain relevant data for the project to advance. Can even be considered morally relevant?