#Sahara olive tree: Genetic heritage to be preservedthe Saharan cousin of Mediterranean olive trees remains largely unknown.
and are used as a traditional pharmacopoeia. Scientists also underline its agronomic benefits. Indeed it can be crossed with cultivated olive trees to improve various properties such as the drought-resistance of the latter.
He argues that we should not allow farmers spray a toxic soup of chemicals onto their crops.
Pesticides not adequately testedconnolly exposed bee brains to these pesticides and organo-based pesticides andreported that the nerves spun into hyperactivity
A combination of these two pesticides types had a stronger impact suggesting the combined soup of pesticides could be causing more serious harm.
But harm is only evident over a period of two weeks in bumblebees and is seen when you look at entire colonies.
He suggests that we should be tracking pesticides use in the environment just like we monitor drug use in patients.
Not collecting such data might even pose health issues for people. Bear in mind we have lots of idiopathic diseases in humans
which we don't know the cause of and given that we don't know what pesticides are used in
or even all these unknown diseases Connolly warns. More research neededconnolly argues that we need to carry out research to find out which pesticides are the least harmful.
If neonicotinoids are the least toxic then we should go with them. He says governments have underfunded this research area partly
Julian Little spokesperson for Bayer Cropscience based in Norwich UK says the evidence against these pesticides has all been based lab essentially taking a social insect
A simple analogy is that it's like taking antibiotics in case you get ill rather than
#Risks of H7n9 infection mappeda map of avian influenza (H7n9) risk is presented in Biomed Central's open access journal Infectious diseases of Poverty today.
and to advise on ways to prevent infection. As of today there have been confirmed 127 cases of H7n9 in Mainland china with 27 deaths.
A lack of information about the virus and its mode of transmission has led to public concerns that H7n9 could be a pandemic waiting to happen.
and distribution of potentially infected poultry we are able to produce a time line of the estimated risk of human infection with H7n9.
The preliminary results of our study made a prediction of bird flu risk which could explain the pattern of the most recent cases.
By extending the model we will be able to predict future infection risks across central and western China
which will aid in surveillance and control of H7n9 infections. Since the effect of poultry-to-poultry infection is understood not really it may become necessary to regulate the activity of poultry markets.
Prof Xiao-Nong Zhou from the Chinese Center for disease control and Prevention who was involved also in this study commented We are continuing to work on research into the sources of infection of H7n9 and the mode of transmission.
However so far there is no evidence of the sustained human-to-human transmission required for a pandemic to occur.
Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by Biomed Central Limited. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
#Mechanism for how grapes reduce heart failure associated with hypertension identifieda new study appearing in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry demonstrates that grapes are able to reduce heart failure associated with chronic high blood pressure (hypertension) by increasing the activity of several genes responsible for
This study funded by a grant from the National institutes of health (NIH) and conducted at the University of Michigan Health System uncovered a novel way that grapes exert beneficial effects in the heart:
influencing gene activities and metabolic pathways that improve the levels of glutathione the most abundant cellular antioxidant in the heart.
An estimated 1 billion people worldwide have hypertension which increases the risk of heart failure by 2 to 3-fold.
Heart failure resulting from chronic hypertension can result in an enlarged heart muscle that becomes thick and rigid (fibrosis)
and unable to fill with blood properly (diastolic dysfunction) or pump blood effectively. Oxidative stress is correlated strongly with heart failure
and deficiency of glutathione is observed regularly in both human and animal models of heart failure. Antioxidant-rich diets containing lots of fruits
and vegetables consistently correlate with reduced hypertension. In this study conducted at the University of Michigan Health System hypertensive heart failure-prone rats were fed a grape-enriched diet for 18 weeks.
The results reproduced earlier findings that grape consumption reduced the occurrence of heart muscle enlargement and fibrosis and improved the diastolic function of the heart.
Furthermore the mechanism of action was uncovered: grape intake turned on antioxidant defense pathways increasing the activity of related genes that boost production of glutathione.
Our earlier studies showed that grapes could protect against the downward spiral of hypertensive heart failure
but just how that was accomplished--the mechanism--was known not yet said lead investigator E. Mitchell Seymour Ph d. The insights gained from our NIH study including the ability of grapes to influence several genetic pathways related to antioxidant defense provide further evidence
that grapes work on multiple levels to deliver their beneficial effects. Seymour noted that the next phase of the NIH study
which will continue into 2014 will allow his team to further define the mechanisms of grape action
and also look at the impact of whole grape intake compared to individual grape phytonutrients on hypertension-associated heart failure.
Our hypothesis is that whole grapes will be superior to any individual grape component in each of the areas being investigated said Dr. Seymour.
and heart health but will also provide translational information on the value of dietary (whole foods)
and dietary supplement approaches for prevention of heart disease stemming from chronic hypertension. The NIH grant is allowing the team at the University of Michigan Medical System to expand its work in this important area
and further highlight the multifaceted role of grapes in supporting heart health said Kathleen Nave president of the California Table Grape Commission.
This work will also provide key insights into the role of whole fruit versus individual components of a fruit using grapes as the benchmark.
The above story is provided based on materials by University of Michigan Health System. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
and walking under or felling these trees can cause illness. In Papua new guinea figs are believed to be the haunt of evil spirits
Figs are also a source of traditional medicine with sap being used to treat a variety of illnesses from intestinal upsets to heart problems and malaria.
#Dustless chalk may cause allergy and asthma symptoms in students with milk allergy, study findsmany of today's schools
and school teachers opt for dustless chalk to keep hands and classrooms clean. But according to a study published in the May issue of Annals of Allergy Asthma
& Immunology the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) this choice in chalk may cause allergy
and asthma symptoms in students that have a milk allergy. Casein a milk protein is used often in low-powder chalk.
When milk allergic children inhale chalk particles containing casein life-threatening asthma attacks and other respiratory issues can occur.
Chalks that are labeled as being anti-dust or dustless still release small particles into the air said Carlos H. Larramendi MD lead study author.
when the particles are inhaled by children with milk allergy coughing wheezing and shortness of breath can occur.
Inhalation can also cause nasal congestion sneezing and a runny nose. Milk allergy affects an estimated 300000 children in the United states according to the ACAAI.
Although it has been believed the majority of children will outgrow milk allergy by age three recent studies contradict this theory showing school aged children are affected still.
However 80 percent of children with milk allergy will likely outgrow it by age 16.
Chalk isn't the only item in a school setting that can be troublesome to milk allergic students said James Sublett MD chair of the ACAAI Indoor Environment Committee.
Milk proteins can also be found in glue paper ink and in other children's lunches.
Parents with milk allergic children should ask to have seated their child in the back of the classroom where they are less likely to inhale chalk dust advises Sublett.
and other triggers that might cause health problems for children said Sublett. A plan for dealing with allergy and asthma emergencies should also be shared with teachers coaches and the school nurse.
Children should also carry allergist prescribed epinephrine inhalers or other lifesaving medications. If your child is sneezing
and wheezing at school you should see a board-certified allergist for proper testing diagnosis and treatment.
Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length h
#Diet, anti-aging supplements may help reverse blood vessel abnormalitya diet low in grains beans and certain vegetables--combined with anti-aging supplements--improved blood vessel function in a study presented at the American Heart Association's Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology 2013 Scientific Sessions.
The blood vessel abnormality or endothelial dysfunction occurs when cells lining the interior wall of blood vessels malfunction.
It's a serious condition that's often one of the first signs of heart disease.
Of the 200 51-to 86-year-old people in the study 40 percent were women.
All had risk factors for blood vessel disease and nearly three-quarters had endothelial dysfunction. The diet restricted foods high in the sugar-binding protein lectin generally regarded as a healthy nutrient.
At the same time patients consumed plenty of leafy greens shellfish and fish olive oil and grass-fed animal protein
These findings represent a fundamental paradigm shift in how the diseases of the'Western Diet'should be treated said Steven R. Gundry M d. lead author
and medical director of the International Heart & Lung Institute at The Center for Restorative Medicine in Palm springs Calif. Simple removal of'healthy'lectin-containing foods
which in turn can reverse high blood pressure diabetes and obesity. Despite the study's findings consumers shouldn't eliminate tomatoes
Arsenic is classified as a poison by the National institutes of health and is considered a carcinogen by the National Toxicology Program.
Long-term exposure to arsenic has been associated with skin lung bladder liver kidney and prostate cancers and low levels can cause skin lesions diarrhea and other symptoms.
The risks of arsenic in rice were highlighted recently in the national press when arsenic was detected in baby foods made from rice.
In regions of the world where rice is the major component of the human diet the health of entire communities of people can be impacted negatively by arsenic contamination of rice.
or it may be a result of environmental contamination. Despite the health risks arsenic in rice poses to millions of people around the world there are currently no effective agricultural methods in use to reduce arsenic levels.
Sherrier professor and Bais associate professor are investigating whether UD1023 --which is naturally found in the rhizosphere the layer of soil
Sacerdote-Velat and King's research has found that emodin is toxic to amphibian embryos disrupting their development preventing hatching.
Whilst this study specifically found emodin to detrimentally impact development of two species of frogs Western chorus frogs and African clawed frog (a common test species for environmental toxicity studies) Sacerdote-Velat and King
In a related study published online Feb 21 in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Relyea's Pitt research team examined
The article published Feb 21 in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry is titled Cross-tolerance in amphibians: Wood frog mortality when exposed to three insecticides with a common mode of action.
#Substances in honey increase honey bee detox gene expressionresearch in the wake of Colony Collapse Disorder a mysterious malady afflicting (primarily commercial) honey bees suggests that pests pathogens
Some components of the nectar and pollen grains bees collect to manufacture food to support the hive increase the expression of detoxification genes that help keep honey bees healthy.
However honey bees have relatively few genes dedicated to this detoxification process compared to other insect species she said.
and pollen and are exposed potentially to thousands of different types of phytochemicals yet they only have one-third to one-half the inventory of enzymes that break down these toxins compared to other species Berenbaum said.
If you don't know what your next meal is going to be how does your detoxification system know which enzymes to upregulate?
Research had shown previously that eating honey turns on detoxification genes that metabolize the chemicals in honey
They identified p-coumaric acid as the strongest inducer of the detoxification genes. We found that the perfect signal p-coumaric acid is in everything that bees eat--it's the monomer that goes into the macromolecule called sporopollenin
and with that food so are potential toxins Berenbaum said. Her team showed that p-coumaric acid turns on not only P450 genes but representatives of every other type of detoxification gene in the genome.
This signal can also turn on honey bee immunity genes that code for antimicrobial proteins. According to Berenbaum three other honey constituents were effective inducers of these detoxification enzymes.
These components probably originate in the tree resins that bees use to make propolis the bee glue
which lines all of the cells and seals cracks within a hive. Propolis turns on immunity genes--it's not just an antimicrobial caulk or glue.
It may be medicinal and in fact people use it medicinally too Berenbaum said. Many commercial beekeepers use honey substitutes such as high-fructose corn syrup
or sugar water to feed their colonies. Berenbaum believes the new research shows that honey is a rich source of biologically active materials that truly matter to a bee.
so beekeepers can enhance their bees'ability to withstand pathogens and pesticides. Although she doesn't recommend that beekeepers rush out
and dump p-coumaric acid into their high fructose corn syrup she hopes that her team's research can be used as the basis of future work aimed at improving bee health.
and fuel demandsnew discoveries of the way plants transport important substances across their biological membranes to resist toxic metals
and resist toxic substances like salt and aluminum said Julian Schroeder a professor of biology at UC San diego who brought together 11 other scientists from Australia Japan Mexico Taiwan the U s
These dietary deficiencies have an enormous negative impact on global health resulting in increased susceptibility to infection
and diseases as well as increasing the risk of significant mental impairment. During the next four decades an expected additional two billion humans will require nutritious food.
When soils are acidic aluminum ions are freed in the soil resulting in toxicity to the plant the scientists write.
From their recent findings the plant biologists now understand how transport proteins control processes that allow roots to tolerate toxic aluminum.
and zinc deficiencies because their plant-based diets are not a sufficiently rich source of these essential elements the biologists write.
These recent developments in understanding the biology of plant transporters are leading to improved varieties less susceptible to adverse environments and for improving human health.
Such a process is used broadly for human-health and ecological risk assessments throughout the federal government.
The National Academy of Sciences National Academy of Engineering Institute of Medicine and National Research Council make up the National Academies.
and health policy advice under a congressional charter granted to NAS in 1863. The Research Council is the principal operating agency of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering.
#Identification of stem cells two separate roles raises possibility of therapies that could inhibit fat formation,
promote muscle repairmany diseases--obesity Type 2 diabetes muscular dystrophy--are associated with fat accumulation in muscle.
Scientists at Wake Forest Baptist Medical center have discovered the biological mechanism involved in this process which could point the way to potential therapies.
The findings are published in the April 27 online edition of Stem Cells and Development. The Wake Forest Baptist researchers proved that pericytes stem cells associated with blood vessels contain two sub-types with completely different roles:
while Type 2 helps in forming muscle said Osvaldo Delbono M d. Ph d. professor of internal medicine at Wake Forest Baptist and senior author of the study.
This is important because now we have the potential to develop therapies that can block the activity of Type 1 pericytes to form fat
what happens in diseases such as diabetes and muscular dystrophy the researchers injected glycerol into healthy mice to induce fat accumulation in the muscle.
When Type 1 pericytes were injected into the disease model they formed fat not muscle. When Type 2 pericytes were injected into the disease model nothing happened.
Our results indicate that Type 1 and Type 2 pericytes may play a critical role in successful muscle regeneration
which results from a balance between different cells in the skeletal muscle said Alexander Birbrair a doctoral student in Delbono's lab and first author of the study.
We suggest that Type 1 pericytes could be used as a cellular target for therapy to diminish fat accumulation in the muscle.
Funding for the study was provided by a PUSH grant from the Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center
and grants from the National Institute on Aging AG13934 AG15820 and RO1AG040209 and National institute of mental health grant RO1MH092928.
The above story is provided based on materials by Wake Forest Baptist Medical center. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length h
As far as we know these are the first images of fish consumption by white-lipped peccaries said Dr. Alexine Keuroghlian of the Wildlife Conservation Society and an expert on peccaries.
While there was one reported account by Dr. Joe Fragoso of the white-lipped peccary dining on fish in the Amazon the behavior has been seen rarely
and small invertebrates such as insect larvae worms and snails when fruits are said scarce Dr. Keuroghlian.
and ash and generate this signal says Noel holder of Salk's Arthur and Julie Woodrow Chair and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator.
More research is needed to understand exactly how the change in shape of the KAI2 protein activates a genetic pathway that regulates germination says Chory the Howard H. and Maryam R. Newman Chair in Plant Biology and a Howard Hughes Medical
The work was supported by the National institutes of health grants 5r01gm52413 and GM094428 National Science Foundation awards EEC-0813570 and MCB-0645794 and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
The research was supported by an IBB Hamill Innovations Grant the Robert A. Welch Foundation the National Science Foundation and the National institutes of health through the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases.
The findings which were published today (Apr 29) in the journal Crop science are good news for plant breeders who've relied increasingly in recent years on the wild kin of domesticated crops as new sources of disease resistance drought tolerance
Echinacea St john's wort and other medicinal herbs; and what Khoury calls iconic U s. crops including sugar maple and wild rice.
and isolate genes that are responsible for different traits such as disease resistance and days to maturity.
Wheat varieties grown in the Great plains are protected from the leaf rust disease by genes extracted from goatgrass
and from Hessian fly in the eastern U s. The physical map developed by the research team provides a roadmap for the mapping of genes that make wheat resistant to diseases heat
and diseases and their natural enemies all engaged in the struggle for existence. In order to meet the food demand of nine billion people in 2050 and at the same time reduce our impact on the environment such as the use of crop protection agents
Also striking is the fact that mixed cultures are on average 40%less affected by diseases on average than single crops.
In China there are even examples of a 90%reduction in diseases caused by fungi leading to increased overall production.'
and blood pressure for individuals with specific genetic polymorphismsyour genetic makeup can help determine how well your body will respond to weight loss efforts aimed at controlling high blood pressure a new study confirms.
The multi-institutional study led by researchers at The Cardiovascular Institute part of the University of Medicine
and Dentistry of New jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical school may help clarify how hypertension develops and progresses in certain individuals
Results were published in the current issue of Hypertension 2013; 61: 857-863. The Trial of Nonpharmacologic Interventions in the Elderly (TONE) looked at 21 polymorphisms that have been identified as relating to hypertension obesity
and diabetes mellitus to see what impact weight loss and sodium-reduction programs would have on blood pressure.
Polymorphisms are the elements of a person's DNA that make it different from another's
The TONE study identified several polymorphisms that relate to weight sensitivity with regard to hypertension according to principal investigator John B. Kostis MD John G. Detwiler professor of cardiology professor of medicine and pharmacology
or more important in controlling blood pressure Dr. Kostis said. Our work describes the variability of blood pressure drop in response to weight loss according to a number of genetic polymorphisms added William J. Kostis Phd MD clinical
and research fellow in medicine Massachusetts General Hospital Cardiology Division alumnus of Robert Wood Johnson Medical school
and member of The Cardiovascular Institute who was the first author of the study. Participants in the TONE study--individuals age 60 to 80 who were already taking one
or two antihypertensive medications--were assigned randomly to one of four interventions:#¢#¢Intensive dietary intervention focused on sodium reduction#¢Weight loss program#¢Combination of weight loss and sodium-reduction programs#¢Attention control in
which individuals attended meetings that discussed dentistry podiatry or other topics unrelated to hypertension weight loss
or sodium reductionregardless of the intervention participants'levels of antihypertensive medication remained the same throughout to remove medication changes as a variable.
The study showed that both weight loss if individuals are decreased overweight and sodium intake may each lead to lower blood pressure
and the combination of weight loss and sodium restriction is more effective than either strategy alone noted Dr. William Kostis.
Physicians can put these findings to use today through a blood test or even saliva test that measures genotype Dr. John Kostis said They can compare the patient's genetic background with the polymorphisms that have been identified in the study
and counsel patients accordingly offering advice as to which type of intervention may be more successful in lowering that patient's blood pressure he said.
With genomic studies becoming more widespread and less expensive evaluating weight sensitivity may be one way to identify individuals who may benefit more from weight loss as compared with other types of lifestyle interventions like cutting salt from their diet Dr. William Kostis said.
Analysis of the polymorphisms also may give an indication of how much of a drop in blood pressure a person should expect
if he or she were to lose a given amount of weight Dr. John Kostis added In addition to Dr. John Kostis and Dr. William Kostis the research team included Nora M. Cosgrove RN;
Jerry Q. Cheng Phd; and Yingzi Deng MD MS from The Cardiovascular Institute of New jersey part of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical school.
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Tulane University School of Public health and Tropical Medicine;
Wake Forest School of medicine; The Johns hopkins university School of medicine; and Welch Center for Prevention Epidemiology and Clinical Research Johns Hopkins Medical institutions also contributed to the study.
Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by Robert Wood Johnson Medical school. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length n
The new discovery was made by Dr Erica van de Waal and Professor Andrew Whiten of the University of St andrews
Dr van de Waal conducted the field experiments at the Inkawu Vervet Project in the Mawana private game reserve in South africa.
It's a real paradox explain Dr Tom Reed and Prof Marcel Visser of The netherlands Institute of Ecology.
#How trees play role in smog productionafter years of scientific uncertainty and speculation researchers at the University of North carolina at Chapel hill show exactly how trees help create one of society's predominant environmental and health concerns:
However in 2004 researchers contrary to popular assumptions revealed that isoprene was involved likely in the production of particulate matter tiny particles that can get lodged in lungs lead to lung cancer and asthma and damage other tissues not to mention the environment.
Jason Surratt assistant professor of environmental sciences and engineering at the Gillings School of Global Public health now reveals one mechanism by
which isoprene contributes to the production of these tiny potentially health-damaging particles. The study found that isoprene once it is altered chemically via exposure to the sun reacts with human-made nitrogen oxides to create particulate matter.
and plants but because of the presence of nitrogen oxides it is involved in producing this negative effect on health and the environment.
and make regulatory decisions that impact public health and climate change. We observe nature's quirks
Dr. Kit Macleod catchment scientist at the James Hutton Institute and one of the authors of the paper said:
However there is increasing recognition that the health and utility of plants can be enhanced greatly by improving belowground traits such as root growth.
#Early dialogue between parents, children stems teen smokingearly substantive dialogue between parents and their grade-school age children about the ills of tobacco and alcohol use can be more powerful in shaping teen behavior
Dr. Yang's work answers some important and thorny questions about how to sell less
and what parents may be able to do to help improve their children's health and well-being.
Each day about 3900 people under the age of 18 begin smoking in the United states according to the U s. Center for disease control.
and will die early from a smoking-related disease the agency says. Yang earned his doctorate from Concordia University in Montreal Quebec
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