The advantages of silicon include the long-term stability sufficiency low cost and non-toxicity of the element as well as the advanced production technology.
and Shweta Iyer twin-sister high school students who contributed to the research as part of an internship under the guidance of Brookhaven chemist Wei-Fu Chen supported by projects led by James Muckerman Etsuko Fujita
#High-nutrition and disease-resistant purple and yellow-fleshed potato clones obtainedthe Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and development Neiker-Tecnalia has created four new potato clones
and number of tubers as well as by their resistance to the usual diseases of this crop.
The aim of this specialist was to find potatoes which brought together the features of the South american varieties (their colour resistance to pathogens
Resistance to diseases is another of the achievements. The four clones show certain resistance to the pathogens analysed such as the potato virus Y as well as the Pectobacterium atrosepticum bacteria
which weaken the vegetable and considerably undermine its production. Researcher Raquel LÃ pez highlights the importance of taking into account the clones achieved.#
#Strengthening legumes to tackle fertilizer pollutionthe overuse of nitrogen fertilizers in agriculture can wreak havoc on waterways health and the environment.
or triple cassava and maize yields by introducing disease-resistant plant varieties increasing fertilizer use
#Tart cherries linked to reduced risk of strokefor the millions of Americans at risk for heart disease
or diabetes a diet that includes tart cherries might actually be better than what the doctor ordered according to new animal research from the University of Michigan Health System.
A class of drugs called PPAR agonists that help regulate fat and glucose was considered promising by doctors who prescribed them for patients with metabolic syndrome--a collection of risk factors linked to heart disease
and type 2. However studies have shown the long-term use of these drugs can also increase stroke risk which has prevented many from securing FDA approval.
The new research from the U-M Cardioprotection Research Laboratory suggests that tart cherries not only provide similar cardiovascular benefits as the prescribed medications
but can also reduce the risk of stroke even when taken with these pharmaceutical options. The results which were seen in stroke-prone rats were presented April 23 at the Experimental Biology 2013 meeting in Boston.
The group's previous research has shown that intake of U s.-produced Montmorency tart cherries activates PPAR isoforms (peroxisome proliferator activating receptors) in many of the body's tissues.
Researchers believe that anthocyanins--the pigments that give the fruit its red color--may be responsible for PPAR activation.
and glucose metabolism and when modified can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. PPAR agonists among them medications such as Actos (pioglitazone) act in a similar way but cardiovascular side effects have limited their use.
Our previous research has shown that Montmorency tart cherries can have a positive effect on cardiovascular health
and can reduce risk factors like high cholesterol and diabetes says E. Mitchell Seymour Ph d. supervisor of the Cardioprotection Research Laboratory.
While prescribed drugs improve the outlook for certain risk factors they've also shown to have undesirable side effects.
We wanted to see if a tart cherry-rich diet might provide similar cardiovascular benefits without the risk of heart attack or stroke.
The researchers compared the effect of tart cherries and the drug Actos in stroke-prone rats by measuring the animals'systolic blood pressure as well as locomotion balance coordination all of
which can show the aftereffects of a stroke. By putting the rats through various physical tests such as walking on a tapered beam
and Actos also did better than those who only took the drug. Seymour cautioned that the results can't be applied directly to humans
but they are a potentially positive sign for those taking medications. We weren't sure
and the drug Seymour says. It turns out that the cherries did have a positive effect even
when combined with the medication. Steven Bolling M d. a U-M cardiac surgeon and the laboratory's director said the study adds to the group's growing body of research linking cherries to positive heart health.
The results provide the groundwork for continued investigation into the topic he says. This research is the first to link to cherries to a reduction in stroke-related symptoms Bolling says.
It gives us a good preclinical model to further explore the positive stroke-related benefits of an anthocyanin-rich diet.
Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by University of Michigan Health System. Note:
Materials may be edited for content and length h
#Rescue me: New study finds animals do recover from neglectanimal sanctuaries can play an important role in rehabilitating goats
and the goats'mental health by comparing the behaviour of the mistreated goats with that of the goats that had been treated generally well.
which means they are more resilient to stress. In the same way measures of optimism and pessimism can provide indicators for an understanding of animal welfare explains co-author Dr Elodie Briefer from Queen Mary's School of Biological and Chemical sciences.
It was thought that the goats from the poor welfare group would be more'pessimistic 'and slower than the well-treated goats to explore ambiguous locations for food where the promise of reward was guaranteed not.
Dr Briefer adds: In this case we found that female goats that had been neglected previously were the most optimistic of all the tested animals.
Dr Alan Mcelligott also from Queen Mary's School of Biological and Chemical sciences said: The study shows that animal rescue centres such as Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats where we collected our data can provide a vital role in reversing long-term neglect once the animals receive excellent care.
#Vets and medical doctors should team up to tackle diseases transmitted from animals to humansa new study at the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) in Antwerp analyses the impact of animal brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis (BTB) on animals
The World health organization (WHO) ranks them as major zoonoses infectious diseases transmitted between species. The research maps risk factors for transmission of these diseases from animals to humans indicating that closer collaboration between medical doctors
Mapping these kind of dynamics provides vital information about the diseases and how they are transmitted said Abdou Razac Boukary about his doctoral research at ITM and the University of Liã ge (Ulg).
The study concludes that it is crucial to address the interlinks between humans animals and the environment to control animal brucellosis and BTB.
They are both an economic and a public health threat. While contagion is extremely unlikely in industrialised countries the largest part of the world's population lives in areas where animal brucellosis
and bovine tuberculosis are not under control. Hence ITM calls for increased collaboration between animal and human health specialists in a so called One Health approach.
We should not forget that more than 60%of human pathogens originate from animals. But raising awareness about these relatively unknown diseases is also crucial from an economic perspective.
According to an African saying if livestock die so does said the village ITM scientist Eric Thys co-promoter of the thesis. Research resultsabdou Razac Boukary an agronomist
and advisor to the government of Niger brought together a group of human and animal health specialists for his Phd research.
Boukary studied brucellosis and BTB in over 1100 households keeping livestock. He collected nearly 5000 blood samples for brucellosis and tested almost 400 cattle for BTB.
Such a large scale approach involving animal and human health specialists is still a rarity. Results show that around 13%of herds included animals infected with brucellosis.
It was found that animals below the age of one were more likely to fall ill than animals aged 1-4 years.
Around one in hundred cows were found to be infected with BTB. Analysis of samples taken at the abattoir of Niamey showed that cows were affected significantly more by BTB than other categories of cattle.
The research also characterised a new profile of Mycobacterium bovis bacterium (SB1982) which has never been reported before.
Human brucellosis and tuberculosis from animal originin humans brucellosis induces undulating fever sweating weakness anemia headaches depression as well as muscular and bodily pain testicular inflammations in men and spontaneous abortion
in pregnant women. Human tuberculosis from animal origin can affect the lungs but is located often in others part of the body.
While contagion is extremely unlikely in industrialised countries the largest part of the world's population lives in areas where animal brucellosis
and bovine tuberculosis are not under control. Future studies at ITM will analyse the impacts of these diseases in humans in more detail.
Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp. Note:
Materials may be edited for content and length g
#Roe deer more likely to be run over at nightfall on a Sunday in Apriltraffic accidents involving wildlife are on the rise in Europe.
The establishment of a time pattern for the accidents could be useful for increasing safety
For that reason the state is seen by many as a model for agricultural development that minimizes harm to the environment.
and Microbiology annual meeting in Boston on April 22 and also concurrently appear in Dermato-Endocrinology on line open access.
Vitamin d is crucial for good bone health and muscle strength; adequate amounts help the body maintain bone density reducing the risk of fracture osteomalacia osteoarthritis
and osteoporosis. The nutrient also plays an integral role in modulating the immune system to help fight infections like the flu
and reduces the risk of many common diseases including cancer cardiovascular disease depression and diabetes. The study to be presented consisted of 30 healthy adults who were randomized to take capsules containing 2000 International Units (IU) of vitamin D2 2000 IU of vitamin D3
or 2000 IU of mushroom powder containing vitamin D2 once a day for 12 weeks during the winter.
The study is available on line concurrently in the journal Dermato-Endocrinology. These results confirm other studies that have demonstrated that ingesting vitamin D2
either from fortified orange juice a supplement or a pharmaceutical formulation were all capable of increasing total circulating 25 (OH) D concentrations for at least 3 months and up to 6 years added Holick the senior
The above story is provided based on materials by Boston University Medical center. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length h
#Grape intake may protect against metabolic syndrome-related organ damageconsuming grapes may help protect against organ damage associated with the progression of metabolic syndrome according to research presented Monday at the Experimental Biology conference in Boston.
The study led by investigator E. Mitchell Seymour Ph d. of the University of Michigan Health System studied the effects of a high fat American-style diet both with added grapes
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that occur together--increased blood pressure a high blood sugar level excess body fat around the waist
or low HDL (the good cholesterol) and increased blood triglycerides--significantly increasing the risk for heart disease stroke and Type 2 diabetes.
Metabolic syndrome is a major public health concern and is on the rise in the U s. Our study suggests that a grape-enriched diet may play a critical role in protecting against metabolic syndrome
and the toll it takes on the body and its organs said Seymour. Both inflammation and oxidative stress play a role in cardiovascular disease progression and organ dysfunction in Type 2 diabetes.
Grape intake impacted both of these components in several tissues which is a very promising finding.
which demonstrated that a grape-enriched diet reduced risk factors for heart disease and diabetes in obesity-prone rats.
The above story is provided based on materials by University of Michigan Health System. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length h
Nutritional sustainability is not just about minimizing environmental impact it also involves promoting pet health through appropriate nutrition and food quality and safety.
Advancement in areas of nutritional sustainability will help us develop innovative products to improve pet health
much as 20 percent more than they need so their health is poor and you're wasting all that food said Swanson.
Research has demonstrated the positive impact pets have on both the emotional and physical health of people with
Using Lessons Learned from recent studies on H5n1studies on this disease recently completed by researchers from the Asia Partnership on Emerging Infectious diseases Research (APEIR) developed a series of messages for policy makers that are highly relevant to the current outbreak.
The recent human cases of H7n9 avian influenza demonstrate the importance of adopting the lessons learned from H5n1 avian influenza.
Studies on this disease recently completed by researchers from the Asia Partnership on Emerging Infectious diseases Research (APEIR) developed a series of messages for policy makers that are highly relevant to the current outbreak.
Economic studies and studies on small scale producers showed that these producers were hit very hard by avian influenza.
While it was necessary to close infected markets to protect public health the flow-on effects for producers
In areas affected by H7n9 influenza which already covers Jiangsu Zhejiang and Anhui provinces and beyond support for taking up alternative jobs should be considered for households rearing poultry
The measures in place on these farms would not be sufficient to prevent an H7n9 influenza virus from gaining entry to farms
Studies on wild birds conducted as part of APEIR demonstrated the importance of undertaking surveillance in wild birds to characterise the influenza viruses carried by these birds.
The studies conducted by APEIR did find some additional influenza virus subtypes other than H5n1 viruses
and this information helps in understanding the transmission of other influenza viruses by wild birds.
APEIR recommended that all gene sequences of influenza viruses should be shared as soon as they are available
APEIR researchers including Professor Lei Fumin of the Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences are currently investigating the possible role of wild birds in transmission of H7n9 avian influenza.
whether or not to use vaccination to contain this disease so as to reduce the likelihood of exposure of humans to the H7n9 virus. APEIR studies on policy development showed the importance of having sound evidence on the merits
and pitfalls of vaccination so that these can be weighed up scientifically without outside interference. Although there is no evidence so far that this virus will result in a human pandemic this outbreak provides a reminder of the importance for all countries to ensure they have an appropriate stockpile of antiviral medication.
This study on avian influenza policies also found that agriculture sectoral policy should be coherent with public health sectoral policy
and should aim to reduce the risk of emergence of human pandemic agents. Dr. Pongpisut Jongudomsuk Director of the Health Systems Research Institute Thailand and Chair of the APEIR Steering committee said:
APEIR is a unique Asian trust-based EIDS research network composed of over 30 partner institutions from six countries (Cambodia China Indonesia Lao PDR Thailand and Vietnam.
We have established partnerships and networks on the global regional and country levels. Much has been learned from studies conducted by APEIR researchers
so as to minimise effects on livelihoods and to prevent the disease caused by H7n9 avian influenza. APEIR is poised to play an important role in investigating
#More evidence berries have health-promoting propertiesadding more color to your diet in the form of berries is encouraged by many nutrition experts.
To evaluate the protective effects of berries on brain function specifically the ability of the brain to clear toxic accumulation researchers from the Human Nutrition Research center on Aging at Tufts University
which the brain clears toxic accumulations. Most diseases of the brain such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's have shown an increased amount of toxic protein Berries seem to promote autophagy the brain's natural housekeeping mechanism thereby reducing the toxic accumulation said Poulose.
The researchers are currently conducting a human study in older people ages 60-75. We have a lot of animal work that suggests these compounds will protect the aged brain and reverse some of behavioral deficits.
We are hoping it will translate to human studies as well said Dr. Barbara Shukitt-Hale the lead investigator conducting the human study.
and has broader applications related to exploring disease-causing genes and developmental processes shared with humans.
and other findings in the American Journal of Public health published online today. It has been shown previously that community gardens can provide a variety of social and nutritional benefits to neighborhoods says Cathleen Zick lead author of the study
But until now we did not have data to show a measurable health benefit for those who use the gardens.
To gauge a health benefit researchers used body mass index or BMI a calculation based on a person's height and weight and which is used widely to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems.
In general a normal BMI ranges from 18.5 to 24.9; a smaller number is better than a larger one.
That could be of interest to urban planners public health officials and others focused on designing new neighborhoods and revitalizing old ones.
How the study was conductedthe study used unique administrative data to examine--for the first time--the relationship between community gardening and a health outcome.
Data for neighbors siblings and spouses were drawn from administrative records using the Utah Population Database a multifaceted data resource used by health researchers.
In a new study at UC San francisco researchers measuring chemicals in the blood and urine concluded that hookah smoke contains a different--but still harmful--mix of toxins.
The findings are published in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Peyton Jacob III Phd a UCSF research chemist and Neal Benowitz MD a UCSF tobacco researcher both based at San francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center
or respiratory conditions and to higher levels of benzene long associated with leukemia risk. People want to know
if it is a lesser health risk if they switch from cigarettes to smoking a water pipe on a daily basis Jacob said.
We found that water-pipe smoking is not a safe alternative to cigarette smoking nor is it likely to be an effective harm-reduction strategy.
If you are smoking from a hookah daily you are likely to be increased at risk for cancer.
Toxins Unique to Hookah Smoking The UCSF study included eight men and five women all of whom had previous experience smoking cigarettes
Occupational exposure to benzene has been shown to increase the risk of developing leukemia. Furthermore the researchers measured carbon monoxide in the breath over 24 hours and found levels 2. 5 higher after water pipe use in comparison to cigarette smoking.
The differences in the slew of toxins that ended up in the bodies of volunteers were due largely to the fact that the smokers were smoking two different materials according to Benowitz.
In addition to delivering toxic substances from the charcoal and tobacco the heat causes chemical reactions in the mixture which produce toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCS) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHS).
Some PAHS are highly carcinogenic and can cause lung cancer. Intake of nicotine the addictive component of tobacco was less with water pipe use.
Among those not yet addicted the most common pattern of hookah use in the United states--about once per week--is not likely to cause addiction Benowitz said.
In general exposures for various known toxins differed for the two modes of smoking the researchers found.
Individuals vary in how their bodies metabolize and excrete toxic substances so for a better comparison the researchers had the same person smoke cigarettes and a water pipe on different days.
Additional authors of the UCSF study include former physiological nursing student Ahmad Abu Raddaha Phd;
research physician Delia Dempsey MD; and staff research associates Chris Havel Margaret Peng and Lisa Yu.
The research was funded by the California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program and by the National institutes of health.
Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by University of California San francisco (UCSF. The original article was written by Jeffrey Norris. Note:
Research conducted by Dr. Nachum Ulanovsky and research student Michael Yartsev of the Weizmann Institute's Neurobiology Department published today in Science reveals for the first time how three-dimensional volumetric space is perceived in mammalian brains.
#Experts examine Mediterranean diets health effects for older adultsaccording to a study published in the Journals of Gerontology Series A:
Biological sciences and Medical sciences a baseline adherence to a Mediterranean diet (Mediet) is associated with a lower risk of hyperuricemia defined as a serum uric acid (SUA) concentration higher than 7mg/dl in men and higher than 6mg
Hyperuricemia has been associated with metabolic syndrome hypertension type 2 diabetes mellitus chronic kidney disease gout and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
Due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties the Mediet might play a role in decreasing SUA concentrations.
and 11 others this study is the first to analyze the relationship between adherence to a Mediet in older adults and the risk of hyperuricemia.
and women aged 60 to 80 years who were free of cardiovascular disease but who had either type 2 diabetes mellitus
or were at risk of coronary heart disease. The findings below demonstrate the positive health effects of a Mediet in older adults:
Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by The Gerontological Society of America. Note:
Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference e
#Student tracks Asian birds migration patterns; recommends conservation strategiesan Arizona State university biologist and her team have found that the Asian subspecies of great bustard one of the heaviest birds capable of flight covers migratory routes of more than 2000 miles traveling to
so painstaking that it becomes an obsession. Members of our team often dream about capturing a bustard.
Brushes with humansbrushes with humans have resulted in casualties when lions were struck by cars or caught raiding livestock.
#Chink in the armor of Schmallenberg virus identifieda key building block in the Schmallenberg virus could be targeted by antiviral drugs according to a new study led from the University of Leeds. The disease
which causes birth defects and stillbirths in sheep goats and cattle was discovered first in Germany in late 2011
and has already spread to more than 5000 farms across Europe and 1500 farms in the UK alone.
Dr John Barr of the University of Leeds'Faculty of Biological sciences and co-leader of the study said:
and cause disease. We have developed a very finely detailed picture of the shape of the protein
Co-lead Dr Tom Edwards also from Leeds'Faculty of Biological sciences said: The shape of the nucleocapsid protein has shown us important details of how the individual proteins in these rings are interacting.
and could therefore be an effective antiviral drug. The Schmallenberg virus appears to be spread by midges.
It causes a relatively mild illness in adult animals but is responsible for stillbirths and birth defects in cattle sheep and goats.
The Department for Environment Food and Rural affairs (DEFRA) believes the disease was brought probably into the UK from infected midges blown across the Channel.
It has since spread rapidly causing severe losses on many holdings across the entire UK.
and wild boar raising the possibility that a reservoir of the disease could develop outside the control of farmers
Developing a vaccine for the Schmallenberg virus is a possibility. One already exists for the similar Akabane virus
We found some very interesting things including that at the very lowest levels plant health improves.
Dooley started off to examine the toxic effects of hydrogen sulfide on plants but mistakenly used only one-tenth the amount of the toxin he had intended.
The results were so unbelievable that he repeated the experiment. Still unconvinced he repeated it again--and again and again.
or treat disease say CU-Boulder Associate professor Rob Knight and CU-Boulder doctoral student Se Jin Song the study leaders.
and pets said Knight also a faculty member at CU-Boulder's Biofrontiers Institute and an Early Career Howard Hughes Medical Institute Scientist.
A paper on the subject was published today in the new online science and biomedical journal elife a joint initiative of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute the Max Planck Society and the Wellcome Trust fund.
Studies of the human microbiome have become one of the hottest areas of biological research said Knight a scientist in the ongoing National institutes of health Human Microbiome Project that has sequenced thus far the microbial mosaic of 300 humans.
And the microorganisms humans carry around--or don't--have been linked to a broad spectrum of diseases ranging from malnutrition
and obesity to diabetes asthma and depression he said. There is mounting evidence that exposure to a variety of environmental sources of microbes can affect long-term health findings known as the'hygiene hypothesis'said Song a graduate student in CU-Boulder's ecology and evolutionary biology department and first
author on the paper. Proposed by British epidemiologist Richard Strachen in 1989 the hypothesis is that children who have had a lack of exposure to bacteria
and microorganisms might be more prone to getting sick because many microbes have evolved co with people to be beneficial.
The study was funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America and the National institutes of health.
and mung beans in heated bags for treating soft tissue injuries. Rice displayed superior quality in maintaining heat
or heat gels in treating these injuries. Researchers from the Faculty of Applied sciences and the Faculty of sport Sciences at University Teknology MARA collaborated in a study to invent supplementary and better solutions to treat soft tissue and muscle injuries.
This study looked into the effectiveness of Ricebag which was heated and used to treat soft tissue injuries.
This bag is invented specifically for individuals in need of treatment for soft tissue or muscle injuries.
Usually Ice and Heat (gel cream modalities electrical) based) are used in managing soft tissue or muscle injuries (Prentice 2006.
The use of Ice and Heat has been observed to give some negative effects. Hence this rice bag has been invented as an alternative.
and hot pack and acts as a substitute to help treat soft tissue injury. Story Source:
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