Biology

Introduction
There are several microorganisms in the environments which have established their secure places their respective ecological niches as determined by evolutionary strategic fitnesses in the environment. They coexist among themselves as well with all other macroorganisms. Each organism whatever the size also demonstrates a genetically bestowed innate capacity to out-survive others in many relationships such as being obligate or facultative parasites (on any other organism of any group), commensals, symbionts and so on.

Among the many microorganisms, two fungal organisms of one each of beneficial and pathogenic groups are discussed for their similarities and differences. Beneficial organisms are the species of the genus Trichoderma viride. The harmful pathogenic organisms are several species belonging to Aspergillus such as A. flavus.

Similarities
Fungi of both the groups are micropscopic and grow to a cottony off white irregular mass (some inches longwode) consisting of many microscopically visible numerous intertwined filamentous structures called (2-10 microns in diameter) hyphaemycelia.  These are septate (compartmented) with clear partitions between segments, or coenocytic (multinucleate, mostly with no compartments), and also hollowempty showing freely randomly distributed nuclei in the cytoplasm generally at the growing apices of these hyphae. They all contain all the usual subcellular organelles necessary for the other metabolic phenomena such as synthesis of proteins, cell wall material, and respiration. Generally they are aerobic.

They are all heterotrophic because they lack chlorophyll may live in dry or moist soil, decaying organic matter or on other organisms such as barks, stems, roots, leaves or of trees.  The fungi are widely distributed in all the kinds of environments. They produce numerous spores asexually or sexually fertilized zygote which are dispersed in air, or by sticking to surfaces of motile other organisms.

They are generally recognized by staining with dyes for coloring the hyphae which are a product of general or specific for each organism specific metabolism

Differences
Species of Trichoderma produce enzymes called chitinases or cellulases which Therefore they are very useful as antagonistic microorganisms or even to produces these enzymes under controlled in vitro conditions.

The pathogenic species of HYPERLINK aspergillus  Aspergillus such as A. flavus survives by colonizing on many nutritionally important fruits and seeds such peanuts and many other species during maturity and post harvest storage.. It sucks nutrients and carbohydrates from the seedsfruits thus depriving the seeds and fruits developing into mature useful seeds. They are thus big loss to farmers.

Aspergillus flavus is notorious for promoting the production of a deadly carcinogenic toxin in the seeds called the aflatoxins. Even at low concentrations such parts per billion can be very potentially carcinogenic. Peanuts are used for consumptions in various ways and also as oils and butter for confectionary purposes. The persons consuming any of these infected products are high dangers of developing many kinds of cancers which are still not curable. There is a strict ban on importing and exporting seeds of these crops.

Plants adapt themselves to different environmental and climatic conditions with the help of special vegetative and reproductive modifications. Certain plants use some ingenious methods of adaptation for survival in different geographic regions of the earth. Darlingtonia californica commonly known as the Cobra Lily is one such plant. It grows in boggy, water logged conditions with low nitrogen availability. Hence it depends on insects for its nitrogen requirements. The leaves of the plant are modified to form trap  like structures, to capture insects.

Flora or plant - life thrive in different climatic and environmental conditions in all regions of the earth. The abiotic factors, e.g. temperature, relative humidity, soil condition and ultraviolet radiation, may be very different depending on the location on earth and the time of the year. In addition, protection against predators (biotic factor) and intense sunlight may be needed (Radboud University Nijmegen 2005). Plants survive the toughest of climatic conditions with the help of vegetative and reproductive modifications.

The Cobra Lily (Darlingtonia californica)
Darlingtonia californica Torr. (1853) (one species, common name Cobra lily) belongs to the family Sarraceniaceae. This plant occupies boggy habitats in the northwest United States of America (southern Oregon, northern California). They prefer sunshine and dont grow well in shade. Darlingtonia, like other carnivorous plants, grows in areas poor in nitrogen. The leaves of this plant are modified to capture and digest insects to obtain nitrogen. They are tubular the upper part of the leaf is modified for the trapping function. The end of the leaf is hooded.

There is a circular opening through which insects can fly into the hood. The leaves are reddish in color with two flag-like structures, which have glands that secrete sugary nectar this attracts flies and other insects. There are more nectar glands inside the hood.

The hood has many translucent areas, which creates an illusion to the insect that they are openings to fly out. The inside surface of the leaf is waxy and the insect slips down into the tubular area of the leaf. Sharp downwardly-pointing hairs prevent the insect from climbing back up the tube to the hood. Darlingtonia produces a fluid in its trap which aids in digestion of the trapped prey (BSA).

Asbestos has been recognized as one of the minerals with adverse side effects on health.  As a mineral, asbestos can be described as a mineral fiber that is mostly used as a construction materials especially in insulation and as a fire-retardant (U.S Environmental Protection Agency, 2010). Due to its health effects, asbestos has been banned for use in several products and has been greatly reduced in others.  However, it is commonly used in manufacture pipes and furnace insulation, shingles, millboard, paints, tiles, and many others. The issue of effects of asbestos on health has been a subject of intense research in many studies where adverse health has been exposed. Understanding of the health effects of asbestos is important as it can give the public various ways through they can reduce exposure to the chemical and hence reduce health effects.   This paper will look into the adverse health effects of asbestos on health.

Adverse health effect
Research findings have shown that long term exposure to asbestos comes with adverse side effects (Lilienfeld, 1991).  In recognition of research findings, governments all over the world have instituted various measures aimed at mitigating the effects of long term exposure to the mineral, more specific reducing the amount of asbestos in products while completely banning its use in products. For example, in 1970s, U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) imposed a total ban on use of asbestos in wallboard pathing and gas fire places However, there are still sources of exposure to asbestos (Environmental Working Group, 2010). The current sources of exposure to asbestos include deteriorating and disturbed insulation, fireproofing, acoustical materials, floor tiles, and many others.

Asbestos fibers are found in the environment though in low levels (HSE, 2010).  The reason why it has become quite difficult to establish health risk associated with Asbestos is that it takes longer time to developed.  The key risk factor for one to develop a health condition related to exposure to Asbestos squarely depends on the total number of fibers that an individual has breathed in (U.S Environmental Protection Agency, 2010).  Intake of high level of asbestos fiber, which comes with long term exposure to asbestos contain materials increases the risk of developing asbestos related complication.

Asbestos related complications have been known to cause more than 4000 deaths every year in Great Britain alone (HSE, 2010). In the United States, the number of death from asbestos is increasing each and every year. It is estimated that asbestos related disease can be held responsible for death of one out of 125 American men who die above the age of 50 (Environmental Working Group, 2010).

Asbestos has largely been attributed to be a causative factor in four main category of diseases which include mesothalioma, which is very fatal lung cancer, an almost always fatal conditions asbestosis, which is not always fatal but can be quite debilitating and finally diffuse pleural thickening, which is not  a fatal condition (OReilly et al., 2007). These disease does not come with immediate effects but their effects are felt later in life which means there is need to take early protection to avoid contracting them. There are different steps that have been taken to minimize exposure to asbestos which include regulations like Control of Asbestos Regulation 2006 in UK (HSE, 2010), U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) ban of asbestos in 1970s, and many others (Environmental Working Group, 2010). At individual level it is advisable to leave undamaged asbestos material alone without any disturbance, use of qualified individuals to handle such materials, and follow procedures while handling asbestos containing materials.
Conclusion
Although asbestos is an important mineral, it comes with adverse health effects.  It has been established that long term exposure to asbestos containing materials can lead to different disease like mesothalioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and diffuse pleural thickening.

Complications from these diseases lead to thousands of deaths every year. At community level, this topic is important since it gives community members the knowledge on dangers of asbestos and how to avoid long term exposure. With the current efforts in public education on dangers of asbestos exposure, coupled with government regulations and policies, it is hoped in the future, the number of deaths attributed to asbestos will reduce substantially.

Since Al Gores documentary film An Inconvenient Truth, awareness on climate change has never been this big.  His discussions on how overconsumption of humankind brought danger to our planet, made people rethink and change their lifestyle just so to lessen emission of carbon dioxide.  Al Gore has made it clear from his film that rapid increase of carbon dioxide in the last 10 or 50 years increased Earths temperature, leading to global warming.  According to an article discussing the evidence of global warming on his website.

Carbon dioxide and other gases warm the surface of the planet naturally by trapping solar heat in the atmosphere. This is a good thing because it keeps our planet habitable. However, by burning fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil and clearning forests we have dramatically increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earths atmosphere and temperatures are rising.

Were already seeing changes. Glaciers are melting, plants and animals are being forced from their habitats, and the number of severe storms and droughts is increasing.

There is no doubt we can solve this problem. In fact, we have a moral obligation to do so. Small changes to your daily routine can add up to big differences in helping to stop global warming. The time to come together to solve this problem is now.

He advocates himself in influencing people to revolutionize their behavior- less usage of plastic bags, less driving, less consumption of electricity, less travel, and the list goes on.  He established the Alliance for Climate Protection, which is focused on a 300 million public-service campaign We, which encourages people to adjust their wasteful ways (Levitt and Dubner 170).

Having said all these, does changing our habits to achieve a zero-carbon dioxide lifestyle can really address global warming  This belief has actually been challenged by several scientists, who looked into global warming in a different perspective.  One of these scientists is Nathan Myhrvold, former chief technology officer at Microsoft.  He believes that the objective of the film an Inconvenient Truth was to scare the crap out of people (Levitt and Dubner 181).

He cited the 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines, could enlighten the mystery on how to attack global warming.  How is this so Can a natural calamity provide answers into solving another natural or environmental issue

The eruption of Mt. Pinatubo was the strongest volcanic eruption in the last one hundred years.  It was said that within several hours from the explosion, sulfuric ash extended 22 miles into the sky, and released 20 million tons of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere (Levitt and Dubner, 176).

How did this affect the environment  The sulfur dioxide in the stratosphere worked as a layer of sunscreen, lessening the solar radiation touching the earth.  According to studies, the sulfur dioxide haze was settling in the next couple of years after the eruption and cooled off our planet by an average of almost 1 degree Fahrenheit, or 0.5 degrees Celsius.  This one time volcanic explosion briefly countered the collective global warming of the prior several hundred years (Levitt and Dubner 176).

Myhrvold, together with another scientist, Lowell Wood, saw this unfortunate event as an opportunity to study how else to address global warming aside from lessening emission of carbon dioxide.  According to Wood, the emphasis given on carbon dioxide is misplaced.  Carbon dioxide is not the major greenhouse gas, but water vapor.

The volcanic eruption of Mt. Pinatubo showed them the light.  Before this event, and even up to now, there is no accurate climate model that can be experimented on to prove that decreasing carbon dioxide can actually attack global warming.  To simplify, the opposite of global warming is to cool the earth.  Decreasing carbon dioxide will not add to the earths temperature, but it wont also cool it earth.  Carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, which has been there several hundred years ago, will still be there.  What we need is a global cooling effect to reverse global warming.  And the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo serves as a reliable and proven scientific climate model.

The proposal of Myrvold and Wood, with other respected climate scientists in the world including Ken Caldeira, to replicate the cooling effect brought about by sulfur dioxide from Mt. Pinatubo is truly compelling for me.  They are proposing to build and roll-out a mechanism- a garden hose to the sky or also known as stratospheric shield for climate stabilization (Levitt and Dubner, 193).

This hose will be hanging from a series of high-strength, helium-filled balloons fastened to the hose at 100 to 300 yard intervals.  Liquefied sulfur dioxide will be sent to the sky by a series of pumps.  Objective is to pump enough sulfur dioxide into the sky, enough to replicate the diffusion of sun rays, which was what happened during the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo.  Their proposal was simple, practical and way cheaper than the 300 million campaign of Al Gore just to increase awareness of the people on global warming.

A lot of criticisms were raised and attacked this proposal.  Radical as it may seem, I strongly believe in this garden hose to the sky project.  Sulfur dioxide effect on cooling the earth was already been done and proven.  The reliability, practical and realistic sense of this proposal is scientifically computed and the minds behind this project are really credible.

Lets face it it is a fact that changing our lifestyle is not only physically hard, but economically as well.  It is not a cheap step to achieve this.  It is also realistically challenging. Al Gore is not wrong in saying that carbon dioxide has contributed to global warming.  And if we are every bit of scared and affected by what was shown in the Inconvenient Truth, it is acceptable to say that addressing the carbon dioxide issue might just be too small of a step to attack the issue of global warming head on.  The project garden hose to the sky is a pretty strong and credible proposal.  We have nothing to lose on this.  Piloting this project in the most affected and sensitive to global warming areas, like the Northern and Southern Hemisphere can be a start.

Every experiment and projects have to be monitored and evaluated.  With the sophisticated technology available within our grasps, it will be easy to conclude the effectiveness or non-effectiveness of this project.

The World Health Organization has long been spearheading the information drive for the awareness and prevention of the spread of Bird Flu. Avian influenza, otherwise knows as bird flu is an infectious disease. The World Health Organization (2005) explained that the Avian Flu is a kind of bird disease caused by type A strain of the influenza virus. WHO further explained that

The infection can cause a wide spectrum of symptoms in birds, ranging from mild illness, which may pass unnoticed, to a rapidly fatal disease that can cause severe epidemics. Avian influenza viruses do not normally infect humans. However, there have been instances of certain highly pathogenic strains causing severe respiratory disease in humans. In most cases, the people infected had been in close contact with infected poultry or with objects contaminated by their feces.

Many countries took safety measures in ensuring that the virus strain would not further take the lives of many vulnerable people. International organizations also exerted their effort in the prevention and control of the spread of such threat. The Asian Development Bank for instance has launched updates and information drive on the severity as well as updates on the avian influenza situation given the fact that most people affected by the virus are Asians. According to the Asian Development Bank (2009)

Mutations of the bird flu virus into new strains occur regularly and may cause avian flu outbreaks among birds, sometimes severe, that may also affect and kill humans sometimes. Experts are particularly concerned with the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1, which has been responsible for many outbreaks spreading across Asia, Europe and Africa since 2005 and has killed at least 246 persons.

The extent of the effects of avian flu is alarming as it may pose threats to a global influenza pandemic. More human population is at risk as new of flu outbreaks spreads.

The avian influenza, knows as bird flu is knows as avian influenza A (H5N1) infection in humans. H5N1 influenza is transmitted through different instances. According to the New England Journal of Medicine (2010), transmission of the strain virus happens through the inhalation of infectious droplets and droplet nuclei, by direct contact, by indirect (fomite) contact, with self-inoculation onto the upper respiratory tract or conjunctival mucosa.

An animal to human transmission is also possible through the exposure to live birds and other poultry infected by the virus through there has yet no evidence of transmission related to eating or preparing poultry products. However, the New England Journal of Medicine (2010), explained that plucking and preparing of diseased birds handling fighting cocks playing with poultry, particularly asymptomatic infected ducks and consumption of ducks blood or possibly undercooked poultry have all been implicated to have caused viral transmission to humans.

Data from the New England Journal of Medicine (2010) indicates that the virus strain can also be transmitted through human to human interaction, particularly through intimate contacts without proper precautions. Transmission of the viral strain from environment to humans was also noted, stating reasons as follows
Oral ingestion of contaminated water during swimming and direct intranasal or conjunctival inoculation during exposure to water are other potential modes, as is contamination of hands from infected fomites and subsequent self-inoculation.

Patients with confirmed cases of Avian Influenza usually experience fever in which temperature is higher that 38 degrees Celsius headache and vomiting diarrhea and abdominal pain myalgia cough and sputum accompanied by sore throat.

Sever symptoms of the viral infection include shortness of breath rhinorrhea pulmonary infiltrates lymphopenia increased aminotransferase levels thrombocytopenia respiratory failure cardiac failure and renal dysfunction.

Based on the report from the New England Journal of Medicine (2010), most hospitalized patients with avian influenza A (H5N1) were given immediate ventilator support within 48 hours after admission, as well as intensive care for multi-organ failure and sometimes hypotension (www.nejm.org). In addition to immediate empirical treatments being made from the time a patient was admitted in the hospital, antibiotics antiviral medicines are also used such as Amantadine, Ribavirin and Oseltamivir.

The best prevention for avian flu up to date is more of precautionary measures given the fact that there are not vaccines available for humans up to date. To minimize if not stop the spread of the avian influenza, patients confirmed of having the virus must be treated with careful isolation precautions. On the part of health workers, they must undergo a pre-exposure prophylaxis if they are often exposed to patients infected with the flu.

At the household level, each member of the family should have proper hand hygiene, should not have close contact with members of the family suspected or confirmed to be having H5N1 flu. In case of out-of-the-country visits, travelers must be immunized with available trivalent vaccine and should avoid direct contact with live poultry.

Why BT-corn is developed
Corn is an important food for humans and it is used as a source for industrial raw materials. But, it is mainly used to feed the animals by approximately two-thirds of population. There are many uses of corn as there are many different types available such as popcorn, sweet corn, field corn etc.

Because of its importance economically, corn has been widely and intensively bred to manufacture high yielding hybrids that are opposed to pests, diseases, and environmental stresses, suitable for changing climatic conditions, and simple to produce.

Even with the rewards of new hybrids, growers face a variety of challenges in sustaining levels of production and, simultaneously, preserving the fertility of soil and structure, and caring the environment.

Corn yields can be decreased by weeds, pests, weather damage, and a broad range of bacteria and fungi. Many insects damage the corn yields, but one of the most destruction is corn borer. Corn borer is so called because the moths larvae tunnel into the plant and eat as they go. It is estimated that every year, forty million tons of corn never arrive at the market due to the damage by corn borer. Biological control techniques and chemical insecticides exist to manage epidemic of corn borer, but the infestation nature makes it hard and costly to deal with.

This is the reason why BT corn, a genetically modified corn, was introduced in 1996, with in-built resistance to the corn borer (Syngenta, 2003).What is BtBT (Bacillus Thuringiensis) is a naturally occurring soil-borne bacterium that is found globally. The exclusive characteristic of this bacterium is its production of crystal like proteins that kill selectively particular groups of insects. These crystal proteins or Cry proteins are insect stomach poisons that should be eaten for killing the insects. Once these proteins are eaten, the insects own digestive enzymes stimulate the proteins toxic form. The Cry proteins attach to the particular receptors on the lining of the intestine and rupture the cells. Within two hours of the first bite, insects stop feeding and if sufficient toxic is eaten, they die within two to three days.

How Bt-corn was madePlant geneticists made Bt corn introducing selected exotic DNA into the corn plants DNA. DNA, a genetic material, controls the expression of animals or plants traits. The Bt gene, which is modified for improved expression in corn, create the crystal proteins that are toxic to some caterpillars such as the European corn borer. Promoters decide where the toxin should be put in the plant. Varieties that put across the toxin in kernels, pith, and silks tend to present longer season safety than varieties that put across only in the green tissue and pollen of the plant (Wisconsin College of Agricultural and Life Sciences).

How was the gene isolated and used
To change a plant into genetically modified plant, the gene that develops a genetic characteristic of interest is recognized and separated from the remaining genetic material from a donor organism. Most organisms consist of thousands of genes, and a single gene signifies only a small part of the complete genetic makeup of an organism.

The donor organism can be a fungus, bacterium or another plant. In the case of BT-corn, the naturally occurring soil bacterium, Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT) is the donor organism. The gene of interest produces a protein, BT delta endotoxin, that kills Lepidoptera larvae, mainly, European corn borer. Cultivators use BT-corn as a substitute to spraying insecticides for controlling the European and Southwestern corn borer.The BT delta endotoxin was chosen because it is very much efficient at managing the Lepidoptera larvae, caterpillars. The protein is very choosy, normally not hurting insects (such as bees, beetles, wasps, and flies).

This protein is also believed to be harmless for humans, fish, birds, other mammals and insecticides.For killing a susceptible insect, a plant part that includes Bt protein should be ingested. Within a few minutes, the protein attaches to the gut wall and the insect ends feeding. The gut wall breaks down within hours and the usual gut bacteria attack the body cavity. The bacteria multiply in the blood leading to septicemia and the insect dies. How was the gene infused into the corn plant After recognizing the gene that develops a genetic trait of interest, trait should be added to the crop plant. For adding a trait to the crop plant, the gene should be placed along with added genetic material. A promoter sequence is present in the additional genetic material that decides how a new trait is put across in the plant. For example, the promoter sequence may cause the protein to be put across in some parts of the plants or during a specific time period. Marker genes are also present that lets plant breeders to simply decide which plants have been changed (The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, 1999). Benefits with Bt-cornBt corn decreases the necessity for pesticides, and while the major advantage comes mostly during a serious corn borer infestation, an erratic occasion, a secondary advantage is that helpful insects fare a lot better under these situations. Growers who take on genetically modified crops benefit much in tough periods. In fact, virus and insect resistant traits have saved already a number of industries. According to the latest review of International Council for Science (ICSU), corn crops that are disease resistant may have lower mycotoxin levels, which are possibly carcinogenic compounds to human beings. Mycotoxins occur from the activity of fungus in insect-infested corn yields. With less insect holes in tissues of plant, related fungi are not able to attack and create toxins (Gewin, 2003).

Environmental concerns with the use of genetically modified crops
In genetically modified crops, there is a raised concern for the transfer of genes from cultivated species to their wild relatives. Yet, many plants are not local to the places in which they are grown. Locally, they may also have no wild relatives to which genes can flow. If the gene flow takes place, it is doubtful that hybrid plants would bloom in the wild, as they would have the features that are beneficial in agricultural environments only.

A debate also has arisen regarding whether genetically modified plants could hurt not only insects but also other species such as monarch butterfly.

Effects of Genetically modified crops on animals
Animal feeds often include genetically modified foods and enzymes derived from genetically modified micro-organisms. Feed mixtures are mainly used for pigs, poultry, and dairy cows, which contain a variety of elements, including corn and other cereals and oilseeds such as canola and soybeans (GreenFacts, 2004).

Personal statement
Genetically modified crops ensure sufficient food supply for the increasing population. These crops help the humans and environment in many ways. These are pest resistance, herbicide tolerance, disease resistance, cold tolerance, and drought tolerance (Whitman, 2000).

But, these genetically modified crops have many risks that fall into three categories human health risks, environmental hazards, and economic concerns. Environmental risks include harm to other organisms, decreased efficiency of pesticides, and transfer of genes to non-target species. Human health risks include Allergies, and other unknown effects.

There are many benefits and risks with genetically modified crops. However, we must proceed with care to prevent causing unintentional damage to health of humans and the environment (Whitman, 2000).

Sudden infant death syndrome (crib death) continues to be a phenomenon of indefinite cause and, despite significant reduction in rates over the past few years, still is liable for more child deaths than any other cause of infancy deaths beyond neonatal period. There has been a number of discourses concerning the rightful definition of this syndrome, but the present most accepted definition is as follows The unexpected, sudden or unanticipated death of a child under the age of 1 year that remains mysterious following a meticulous case investigation, comprising performance of complete autopsy, assessment of death scene and review of patients clinical history. SIDS occurrence is very rare in the first and sixth months of life, augments to a peak between second months and fourth months, and later decreases.

The noteworthy decrease in the prevalence of SIDS has been associated with educational campaigns regarding the value of placing children to sleep on their backs. However, it still remains the leading source of death for children within the first year of life in many countries. In past years, studies carried out have ruled out several possible causes of SIDS, including vomiting or chocking, infection, suffocation, and birth defects.

Unerringly why sudden infant death syndrome takes places remains indefinable, but various experts suppose that multiple factors are involved. For instance, it is possible that a child must encompass some kind of biological vulnerability like brain or heart defect, amalgamated with external stressor, such stomach sleeping and be in a critical developmental stage prior to SIDS occurrence. It is as well alleged that the mothers behavior and health during pregnancy as well play indispensable role in this dreadfully childhood syndrome. The three factors of critical developmental phase, biological vulnerability and external stressor, combined within the first six months of a childs life form whats referred to as the triple risk model for SIDS.

Researches have provided predictions as to what may and may not be the root cause of crib syndrome. It has been discovered that abnormalities in a brain part that assists control arousal and breathing possibly play a major role in SIDS. Babies who die of this syndrome may have brainstems which mature much more slowly than those of other babies. In addition, it has been noted that a fatty substance (myelin) concerned with nerve signal transmission, as well may mature more slowly in babies with crib death. That said researchers carry on with studies to examine the correlation between a long QT syndrome (a slight electrical disturbance within the heart, which results in abrupt and rapid heart rates) and SIDS. A research established that almost 1 out of 10 infants who died of SIDS had a genetic defect in 1 of the genes liable for long QT syndrome. This disclosure implies that SIDS can be genetically caused and therefore an infant from a family with SIDS history need to be checked for the existence of long QT syndrome. The syndrome can be identified by use of electrocardiogram and confirmed, if need be, with extra genetic studies.

Though crib death can occur in any baby, recent researches have identified various risk factors which may perhaps escalate a babys risk. At higher risk of this syndrome, are infants who are
Male, it has been found that boy infants are more probable to pass on of SIDS than girl infants.

Between one and six months of age, babies are most susceptible in the 2 and 3 months of their life.

Low birth weight or premature, infants are more vulnerable to crib death if they have low birth weight or born premature.

Stomach sleeping, cultural disparities in infant care practices, such as whether infants are to be positioned to sleep on their stomach or backs may be a considerable factor. Infants sleeping on their stomachs are more likely to die of SIDS as compared to those sleeping on their backs.

Born to mothers who use drugs or smoke, cigarettes smoking during or following pregnancy exposes an infant at a higher risk of SIDS. Using hard substances, such as methodone, heroin or cocaine while pregnant as well increases the risk.  

Overheated, some proof suggest that infants who are covered with numerous blankets, overdressed or whose rooms are excessively warm are at a great risk of SIDS, especially if they are positioned to sleep on their stomachs.

That aside, there is no assured way to curb SIDS, but one can assist the infant to sleep safely. Suggestions from American Academy of Pediatricians and Center for Disease Control comprise the following Infants should sleep on their backs. Moreover, these two medical bodies further suggest that if an infant is used to sleeping on the back, it is imperative to shun placing him or her to stomach position. One should not take it for granted that other people will assist place his or her infant in the correct sleeping position. Advice must be given to the child care personnel as well as baby sitters not to opt for the stomach position when calming an upset infant. Further, use of a compact mattress, rather than a beanbag or waterbed is recommended as one measure of curbing crib death. Placing a baby on thick, fluffy padding like a thick quilt or lambskin may interfere with breathing process if an infants face presses against such bedding materials. Just to lessen the risk of SIDS to infants its recommended not to leave fluffy toys, stuffed animals or pillows in the cribs of an infant.

Crib death as earlier said, is still responsible for significant number of unanticipated infant deaths in several countries. While various theories continue to contravene each other concerning the real cause of the syndrome and the most applicable preventive measures, its more and more clear that crib death results from the multifaceted interaction of a number of idiosyncratic and heritable endogenous factors interrelating with exogenous factors. These factors have been pleasingly summarized in triple risk model and include biological vulnerability, critical developmental period and external stressors. Contradictions, controversies and lack of consistencies in SIDS literature have arisen from capricious applications of analytical criteria, inconsistent utilization of definitions and dissimilar autopsy approaches. My considered opinion supports the triple risk model as a probable cause of crib death and that any measure to curb the syndrome should be based on the factors in this model. Furthermore, regardless of the inconsistencies and contradictions surrounding crib death, it ought to be understood that SIDS is a fatal and thus, any attempt toward curbing it should be take serious. Suggestions from AAP and CDC, as much as they are unfamiliar to some people they are very essential, vital and substantial in preventing the occurrence of crib death in our children, therefore we must embrace them to further reduce the rate of infancy deaths.