sexta-feira, 3 de abril de 2015

“De Materia Medica” por Dioscórides

http://dl.wdl.org/10632/service/10632.pdf

Esse livro é um exemplo da transferência de conhecimento ao longo dos séculos. Durante o primeiro século, o médico e farmacêutico grego Dioscórides, considerado o pai da farmacologia, escreveu um documento muito importante sobre botânica e produtos farmacêuticos. 

No século X, durante os tempos de ʻAbd al-Raḥmān III (de 891 a 961), califa de Córdova, a obra foi traduzida para o árabe. Em 1518 na Escuela de Traductores de Toledo (Escola de Tradutores de Toledo), Antonio de Nebrija fez a primeira tradução da obra na Espanha para o latim. Em 1555, na cidade de Antuérpia (na atual Bélgica, na época governada pela Espanha), o editor Juan Lacio (por volta de 1524 a 1566) publicou uma tradução em espanhol traduzida do latim por Andrés Laguna, médico do Papa Julius III. 

Em suas frequentes viagens a Roma, Laguna consultou uma variedade de códices, bem como livros sobre plantas medicinais produzidas em Veneza pelo herborista Pietro Andrea Matthioli. Essa versão do livro continuou sendo editada e aperfeiçoada até meados do século XVIII, e no século XIX ganhou uma cópia fac-símile. Na edição apresentada aqui, Laguna incluiu suas próprias ilustrações, gravuras feitas em painéis de fibra de madeira. 

O livro contém um total de 600 imagens que descrevem plantas e animais, e os nomes de todas as espécies mostradas aparecem na página em vários idiomas. Detalhes precisos sobre o gravador são desconhecidos, mas como a edição foi impressa na Bélgica, muitos acreditam que ela foi criada por um artista flamengo da época. Outros acreditam que o gravador era italiano, por causa da forte semelhança que essas ilustrações apresentaram com os da edição de Matthioli. Essas autoridades acreditam que as placas foram feitas na Itália, trazidas para a Antuérpia por Laguna, e por último enviadas à Espanha para a produção de cópias adicionais da obra. Essa valiosa edição foi impressa em pergaminho e iluminada para ser oferecida como presente ao futuro rei Filipe II, na época ainda príncipe.

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Telhados verdes e/ou painéis solares serão obrigatórios na França

Telhados verdes e/ou painéis solares serão obrigatórios na França 
Postado por Adaptado de: Redação Sustertarqui - Quinta-feira, 02 de Abril de 2015 

Fonte: http://goo.gl/SCJR2o 

Telhados verdes na França passam a ser obrigatórios em novos edifícios comerciais. Segundo a nova lei aprovada, as coberturas de novos edifícios construídos em zonas comerciais devem ser, pelo menos parcialmente, cobertos de plantas ou painéis solares. As vantagens dos telhados verdes são inúmeras, têm um efeito isolante, ajudando a reduzir a quantidade de energia necessária para aquecer um edifício no inverno e deixar a temperatura mais fresca no Verão. Eles também retêm a água da chuva, ajudando assim a reduzir os problemas com o escoamento, favorecem também a biodiversidade, dando as aves um lugar para aninhar na selva urbana, dizem os ecologistas.

A lei aprovada pelo parlamento foi menos severa do que almejavam os ativistas ambientais franceses, que pediam que o âmbito desta medida não fosse restrito aos edifícios comerciais, e sim a todos os novos edifícios. A lei foi feita menos onerosa também para as empresas, exigindo que apenas uma parte do telhado seja coberto por plantas, e dando-lhes a opção de instalar painéis solares para gerar eletricidade em seu lugar.

A cidade de Toronto, no Canadá, em 2009, foi a primeira a aprovar uma lei que obrigava que os novos edifícios comerciais instalassem os telhados verdes. Em seguida, em 2010, foi a vez de Copenhague, que hoje conta com cerca de 20 mil metros quadrados do sistema. Recentemente seguindo a tendência da preocupação ambiental, Recife adotou o mesmo modelo.

Foto: Escola Marcel Semba na França -Flickr image marcelhs01 

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CFN promove ações para nutricionistas das políticas públicas

02 de Abril de 2015 


Fonte: http://www.cfn.org.br/eficiente/sites/cfn/pt-br/site.php?secao=noticias&pub=2057 

O CFN se uniu ao Ministério do Desenvolvimento Social e Combate à Fome (MDS), com a intermediação do CECANE/UFOP, com o objetivo de discutir e formar multiplicadores para as compras públicas, para a educação alimentar e nutricional, o Direito Humano à Alimentação Adequada, o Sistema Nacional de Alimentação e Nutrição (SISAN) e outras políticas governamentais de alimentação e nutrição.

Para efetivar essa parceria, as estratégias a serem adotadas são a realização de uma pesquisa com os nutricionistas que atuam nesses segmentos; a divulgação de cartilhas e manuais com orientações sobre a área e a promoção de uma oficina nacional para discutir a temática. Estão previstas, ainda, a realização, até 2016, de 14 seminários regionais, preparatórios para a oficina nacional. Até o dia 17 de abril, coletaremos sugestões para definir os conteúdos da oficina e dos seminários. Acesse https://pt.surveymonkey.com/r/necform e envie sua contribuição.

Com essas ações será possível identificar as habilidades, experiências e até as dificuldades enfrentadas pelos profissionais nas políticas públicas de alimentação e nutrição. Esse trabalho será a base do planejamento e desenvolvimento de ações eficazes que atendam aos interesses da população beneficiária de tais políticas.

O CFN conta com a colaboração dos nutricionistas que atuam nessas políticas e, desde já, agradece a colaboração dos participantes.

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Livros sobre os índios Potiguara da Paraíba e outras etnias


ÍNDIOS NA VISÃO DOS ÍNDIOS POTIGUARA - BAIXE ESTE LIVRO EM PDF.

O povo da nação Potiguara é o verdadeiro autor deste livro. As ideias, opiniões e os sentimentos dos Potiguara estão expressados nesta obra através de textos e fotografias feitos pelos próprios indígenas Potiguara. A tecnologia social ÍNDIOS NA VISÃO DOS ÍNDIOS é uma realização da ONG THYDÊWÁ, com a coordenação de Sebastián Gerlic que, com esta publicação, realiza seu décimo quinto título: POTIGUARA. 

Autores: Ailton Silva de Lima, Bruno Potiguara, Cacique Comadre, Capitão Potiguara, Gessé Potiguara, Irembé Potiguara, Ivanilda da Rocha Silva, Isaías Potiguara, José Medeiros, Josecy Potiguara, Luís Benedito da Silva, Magna Lima, Maria Antônia, Maria de Lourdes, Michele Benedito da Silva, Natali Galdino, Nathália Rafaela, Poran Potiguara, Raíssa Potiguara.

Participação: Amilton Fernandes da Silva, Cacique Alcides, Cacique Aníbal, Cacique Bel, Cacique Toinho da Carneira, Chico Potiguara, Danielle Lima da Silva, Itajaciana Maximiano da Silva, Josafá Padilha Potiguara, Manoel Pereira “Manezinho” Potiguara, Marcos Santana Potiguara, Natanael da Silva, Sandro Potiguara. Fotografias: Bruno Potiguara, Gessé Potiguara, Irembé Potiguara, Peter Anton Zoettl, Raíssa Potiguara. Organização: Sebastián Gerlic, Peter Anton Zoettl. Projeto gráfico: Peter Anton Zoettl. Consultoria: Derval Cardoso Gramacho. 

Este livro foi realizado através do Programa BNB de Cultura, Edição 2010, Parceria BNDES com tiragem de 1.000 exemplares. A THYDÊWÁ quer registrar seu sincero agradecimento a todo o povo da nação Potiguara pela confiança. Agradecemos também o apoio do Ministério da Cultura e a colaboração de Atia Pankararu, Maria Pankararu, Alessandra Girotto.
Etnomapeamento dos Potiguara da Paraíba - BAIXE ESTE LIVRO EM PDF.

A experiência contida neste livro ocorreu sob iniciativa do Povo Potiguara e da Coordenação Geral de Monitoramento Territorial (CGMT) contando com apoio técnico da Coordenação Geral de Promoção ao Etnodesenvolvimento (CGETNO) e Coordenação Geral de Gestão Ambiental (CGGAM). Convênio Funai/UNESCO PRODOC 914BRA4008, “Impactos do Desenvolvimento e Salvaguarda de Comunidades Indígenas”. 

Organização: Thiago Mota Cardoso e Gabriella Casimiro Guimarães 
Assessoria e texto: Th ssessoria e texto: iago Mota Cardoso, Isabel Fróes Modercin e Lilian Bulbarelli Parra 
Assistente Técnico: Luiz Pereira dos Santos
Equipe Potiguara: TI Monte-Mor e Jacaré de São Domingos: Leandro, Roseli, Luan, Antônio Gomes, Antônio Severino, Adalberto, José Roberto (Bel), Claudecir da Silva, Josecy Soares, Claudeir, Elias, Seu João, Anibal Cordeiro Ramos, Seu Tota, Sandro Gonçalves. TI Potiguara: Josafá dos Santos, Antônio Ferreira, Marcelino, Alcides Alves, José da Silva, Genival Ciriáco, Elias de Lima, Antônio Marcolino, João Roberto, Edmilson Cinésio, Neda, Seu Francisco (Pajé), Lenildo Brasiliano, Rosângela Galdino, José Ciriáco (Capitão Potiguara), Seu José, Dona Chica, Francisco dos Santos, João Batista, Maria Soares, Antônio André, Luis Benedito, Quél. 
Equipe de Apoio: Josafá Padilha Freire, Marcos Santana, Benedito Rangel, Nemézio, Seu Bastos, Glauciano.
Revisão: Josafá Padilha Freire (professor), Nathan Galdino da Silva (cacique), Sandro Gomes Barbosa (Cacique Geral), Alcides da Silva Alves (Cacique) e José Roberto de Azevedo (Bel) (Cacique)
Mapas: Lilian Bulbarelli Parra 
Fotos: Lilian Bulbarelli Parra, Thiago Mota Cardoso, Isabel Fróes Modercin e Gabriella Casimiro Guimarães 
Catalogação: Cleide de Albuquerque Moreira - CRB 1100 
Projeto Gráfico/Editoração: Lorena Soares/COGESC/CGGE/DAGES/FUNAI

Revista Cubana de Plantas Medicinales, v. 20, n. 4 (2014): Octubre-Dieciembre

ARTÍCULOS ORIGINALES


Juan Manuel Bernal Gutiérrez, Andrés Felipe López Ortiz, Elizabeth Murilla Perea, Jonh Jairo Méndez Arteaga 

Leonardo Leiva Acebey, Raylen Escobar Román, Juan Ariel Morales Espinosa, Yanicel Sori León, Gilberto Eugenio Escobar Vázquez 

Schirley Aparecida Costalonga, Maria do Carmo Pimentel Batitucci 

Marisol López Barreiro, MsC Ana Ibis García Hernández, MsC Elisa Boucourt Rodríguez, Lic. Zulema Morejón Rodriguez 

Josivany Valério Freitas, Maria do Carmo Pimentel Batitucci, Marciene A. Andrade, Anny Caroliny da Luz, Urraca J. A. Pereira, Fernando de souza santos 

Alberto Alcibíades Salazar Granara, Angelica María León Fernández, Lourdes Lissette Tupia Céspedes, Yessica Turriate Montaldo, Julio Eduardo Maraví Rengifo, Alejandro Jesús Barrientos Herrera, Orlando Jesús Urbano Farje 

Marilú Roxana Soto Vásquez 

Dary Luz Mendoza Meza, Sergio Armando Loza Rosas 

Ana Luiza de Albuquerque Siebra, Izabel Cristina Santiago Lemos, Gyllyandeson de Araújo Delmondes, Larissa Rolim de Oliveira, Anita Oliveira Brito Pereira Bezerra Martins, David de Carvalho Siebra, Henrique Coutinho Henrique, Rosimeire Sabino Albuquerque, Nadghia Figueiredo Leite, José Galberto Martins da Costa, Irwin Rose Alencar de Menezes, Marta Regina Kerntopf 

Jessica Amanda Bonilla, Ana Miriam Santa Maria, Gonzalo Toloza, Paul Espinoza Madrid, Jesus Noel Avalos, Marvin J. Nuñez, Miguel Moreno 

Aliuska Castillo Mompié, Yoandris Manuel Pascual Sanchez, Livio Cesar Cunha Nune, Caridad de la Paz Lorente, Francisco Cañete Aguilar 

Mijail Mijares Bullaín Galardis, Eugenio Torres Rodriguez, Robinson Hermosilla Espinosa 

Julio César EScalona Arranz 

ARTICULOS DE REVISIÓN

Lorenna Mousinho, Paulo Michel Pinheiro Ferreira, Camila Carvalho Menezes, Ana Paula Peron 

Maria Trindade Trindade

USP disponibiliza mais de 8 milhões de títulos online de graça

Dica do:
A Universidade de São Paulo – USP, disponibiliza através do Sistema Integrado de Bibliotecas da USP – SIBiUSP, mais de 8 milhões de título online de forma gratuita.

O SIBiUSP, criado em 1981, é formado por 46 bibliotecas distribuídas pelas faculdades, escolas e institutos em dez cidades do Estado de São Paulo, um departamento técnico que se responsabiliza pelo gerenciamento de suas atividades e um Conselho Supervisor, composto por docentes, funcionários e alunos da USP.

Para a primeira ação, investe na expansão do acesso aberto à produção científica, aspecto indissociável do caráter público da Universidade, com o projeto da Política Institucional de Informação que contempla também a criação do Repositório Institucional da Universidade de São Paulo, o incremento do Portal de Revistas publicadas sob a responsabilidade da USP (com mais de 50 títulos disponíveis para acesso ao texto completo) e digitalização da memória e produção científica da USP e das obras raras e/ou especiais do acervo USP. Referente à segunda ação, integra programas de comunicação científica onde busca atuar tanto na formação e treinamento da comunidade uspiana para a redação científica, como fortalecer a edição científica eletrônica e digital das produções internas (revistas, teses, anais e e-books) e desenvolver mecanismos de avaliação bibliométrica desta produção institucional.

Os títulos podem ser consultados pela internet através do site www.sibi.usp.br, que dá acesso aos registros bibliográficos de livros, periódicos, todas as teses e dissertações apresentadas à Universidade, além de anais, catálogos, filmes, iconografias, jornais, folhetos, entre outros, conduzindo ao texto completo sempre que possível. As bibliotecas são responsáveis pelo registro da Produção Intelectual e Artística da Universidade, aumentando a visibilidade dos pesquisadores e criando um registro histórico das pesquisas na USP, conservando e preservando os acervos impressos e digitais.

O SIBiUSP abriga um inestimável acervo de cerca de 8 milhões de títulos que cobrem todas as áreas do conhecimento. Em sintonia com as novas tecnologias, oferece acesso remoto a um acervo digital gratuito, que compreende mais de 250 mil títulos de livros eletrônicos e cerca de 20 mil títulos de periódicos, além dos conteúdos, disponíveis pelas Bibliotecas Digitais de Obras Raras e Especiais, de Teses e Dissertações e em mais de 65 diversas bases de dados.
Logotipo SIBiUSP
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quinta-feira, 2 de abril de 2015

Manejo adequado amplia rendimento de criação de abelhas

Por Júlio Bernardes - jubern@usp.br
Publicado em 2/abril/2015

Pesquisa com a participação do Instituto de Biociências (IB) da USP com 250 criadores de abelhas sem ferrão aponta as práticas de manejo mais adequadas para ampliar produtividade e os rendimentos da produção de mel e de colônias. Com base nas entrevistas com os produtores, o trabalho indica os procedimentos mais eficientes, como a multiplicação de colônias, a coleta não invasiva e a pasteurização do mel. A ideia dos pesquisadores é difundir as informações obtidas no estudo por meio de atividades de extensão e cursos técnicos de criação de abelhas. O estudo é descrito em artigo publicado na revista PlOs One.
Pesquisa com a participação do IB envolveu 250 criadores de abelhas sem ferrão

O pós-doutorando Rodolfo Jaffé, do Laboratório de Abelhas do Departamento de Ecologia do IB, que integrou o trabalho de pesquisa, afirma que a criação de abelhas nativas sem ferrão é uma prática comum em todo o Brasil e em países tropicais. “No entanto, a maioria dos criadores ainda utiliza práticas rudimentares de manejo”. Os pesquisadores envolvidos no trabalho distribuíram um questionário entre 250 criadores em 20 Estados brasileiros. “A variedade de espécies criadas é grande, são utilizados diversos tipos de caixa para acomodar as colônias, alguns criadores fazem controle de pragas e há desde criações comerciais até pessoas que criam abelhas por hobby”.

O estudo relacionou as práticas de manejo com a produtividade, para identificar os procedimentos que mais ampliam os rendimentos da criação. “Uma prática importante é a inspeção regular das colônias e a alimentação das abelhas. Na estação seca, por exemplo, os produtores que alimentaram as colônias com xarope ou mel diluído conseguiram melhores resultados”, diz o professor. “Existem criadores que apenas obtém as colônias de abelhas na natureza, entretanto o ideal seria ensinar esses produtores a multiplicarem suas colônias, de modo a incrementar o tamanho do plantel”.

Segundo Jaffé, a pesquisa aponta práticas de colheita e preservação do mel que melhoram os resultados da produção. “Entre elas estão a coleta com seringa, que é menos invasiva, e a conservação do mel por meio da pasteurização”, destaca. O controle da infestação por pragas também influi na otimização da produção de mel. “Por fim, a experiência do produtor e sua rede de contatos com outros criadores foi um preditivo importante das melhores práticas de manejo, pois auxilia na multiplicação de colônias e na troca de conhecimentos que são transferidos para a criação”.

Rendimento 

O levantamento também contabilizou a quantidade de mel produzida por ano e o rendimento com as vendas do produto. “A maior parte dos criadores vende cerca de 20 litros por ano, embora alguns consigam vender mais de 200 litros”, relata o professor. Em geral, a venda do mel é não é a única fonte de ingresso de renda do produtor, sendo uma atividade secundária. “O rendimento normalmente atinge R$ 2 mil, embora alguns consigam obter até R$ 15 mil com mel e outros produtos das abelhas sem ferrão”.

Entre os produtores entrevistados para o estudo, as espécies de abelhas mais criadas são a jataí (Tetragonisca angustula) e a mandaçaia (Melipona quadrifasciata (Lepeletier)). “Elas são mais comuns no Sudeste brasileiro, região em que se concentra a maior parte dos criadores pesquisados”, aponta Jaffé. “As espécies que predominam entre os criadores variam conforme a região. No Nordeste, por exemplo, são a jandaíra (Melipona subnitida duke) e uruçu (Melipona scutellaris)”.

De acordo com o professor, os resultados da pesquisa servirão para desenvolver uma metodologia que avalie as práticas de manejo de abelhas mais efetivas. “Algumas dessas práticas já foram identificadas e a ideia é compartilhar essas informações com entidades formuladoras de políticas públicas e com os criadores”, planeja. “As conclusões do estudo também serão utilizadas na criação de programas de extensão e cursos técnicos de meliponicultura, de modo a otimizar essa atividade”.

O levantamento teve a colaboração de pesquisadores da Universidade de Texas, nos Estados Unidos, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (Ufersa), no Rio Grande do Norte, Universidade Federal do Recôncavo Baiano (UFRB), Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUC-RS), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (Inpa) e Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa). Também colaborou com o trabalho o Núcleo de Apoio a Pesquisa em Biodiversidade e Computação (NAP BioComp) da USP, sediado na Escola Politécnica (Poli) da USP, por intermédio da professora Vera Lúcia Imperatriz-Fonseca, do IB. A pesquisa faz parte do projeto de pós-doutorado do professor Rodolfo Jaffé, que contou com apoio da Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (Fapesp).

Foto: Foto: R. Jaffé

Mais informações: (11) 3091 7533; email r.jaffe@ib.usp.br, com Rodolfo Jaffé

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Adding peanuts to a meal benefits vascular health

Date: March 30, 2015

Source: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB)

Summary:
A study of peanut consumption showed that including them as a part of a high fat meal improved the post-meal triglyceride response and preserved endothelial function. Vascular dysfunction plays a major role in the development of atherosclerosis and the formation of coronary plaques and lesions that lead to coronary artery disease.

A study of peanut consumption showed that including them as a part of a high fat meal improved the post-meal triglyceride response and preserved endothelial function.

"Peanuts are a healthy snack when eaten as part of a healthy diet," said lead researcher Xiaoran Liu, a graduate student in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at The Pennsylvania State University.

The purpose of this research was to evaluate vascular function after a high fat meal challenge. Fifteen overweight males were randomized to either a peanut meal containing 3 oz. of ground peanuts (as a shake) or a control meal (a shake without peanuts) that were matched for energy and macronutrients.

The lipid profile, glucose and insulin were measured five times after each meal. Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) was measured to assess vascular function. This non-invasive method required a cuff at the forearm to restrain blood flow, which was then released to assess dilation of the brachial artery. The control meal decreased FMD by 1.2 percent compared to baseline. In contrast, there was no decrease in FMD after the peanut meal. These results demonstrate that the peanut meal maintained normal vascular function whereas the high fat-matched control meal impaired vascular function acutely.

Vascular dysfunction plays a major role in the development of atherosclerosis and the formation of coronary plaques and lesions that lead to coronary artery disease. Typically after a high fat meal, vascular function is reduced, albeit temporarily, until the fat that is in the blood (from the meal) is cleared. Strategies that can blunt this response to both dietary fat and its effect on vascular dysfunction may decrease the risk of coronary disease. Our finding demonstrated that that peanut consumption was shown to be atheroprotective as a part of high fat meal.

"Previous studies have shown that individuals who consume peanuts more than two times a week have a lower risk of coronary heart disease," said Liu. "This study indicates that the protective effect of peanut consumption could be due, in part, to its beneficial effect on artery health."

Peanuts are nutrient dense and energy dense, so Liu noted the importance of being aware of their calorie content when incorporating them in the diet. Thus, peanuts must replace other food sources of calories when included in the diet. For example, peanuts can be substituted for high fat, nutrient-poor foods in the diet that contain solid fats.

Looking ahead, the Penn State group hopes to investigate the effects of peanut consumption on other risk factors including inflammatory markers. Liu will present the research at the American Society for Nutrition's Scientific Sessions & Annual Meeting during EB 2015.

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Cite This Page:

Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). "Adding peanuts to a meal benefits vascular health." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 30 March 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150330112230.htm>.

Natural extract shows promise for preventing breast cancer, study suggests

Date: March 29, 2015

Source: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB)

Summary:
In a new study, the extract from rosehips — the fruit of the rose plant — significantly reduced the growth and migration of cells from a type of breast cancer known as triple negative. This particularly aggressive form of cancer does not respond to most available treatments and tends to affect young women as well as those who are African-American or Hispanic.

In a new study, the extract from rosehips -- the fruit of the rose plant -- significantly reduced the growth and migration of cells from a type of breast cancer known as triple negative. This particularly aggressive form of cancer does not respond to most available treatments and tends to affect young women as well as those who are African-American or Hispanic.

"Doctors, patients and researchers are looking for alternative treatments for triple negative breast cancer, and people are always looking for ways to prevent cancer," said Patrick Martin, Ph.D., associate professor at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and leader of the study. "How awesome would it be to be able to say: Here, take a daily vitamin tablet from the rose plant to possibly help prevent or treat cancer? It's a natural product that we found to be effective, with no known side effects."

Triple negative breast cancer draws its name from the fact that the cancer cells in these tumors lack the three growth factor receptors that are normally targeted during breast cancer treatment. As a result, most existing treatments are ineffective against it, and triple negative breast cancer patients who do go into remission experience higher recurrence and death rates in the first three years compared with other types of breast cancer.

In the study, the scientists treated tissue cultures of triple negative breast cancer cells with several concentrations of rosehip extract. Exposure to the highest concentration (1.0 mg/ml) decreased triple negative breast cancer cell proliferation by 50 percent. The effect was reduced with decreasing concentrations. The highest concentrations of rosehip extracts (.025 to 1.0 mg/ml) decreased triple negative breast cancer cell migration by 25 to 45 percent. Additional experiments revealed that the extract appears to work by reducing MAPK and Akt, two enzymes that are known to promote cell growth in triple negative breast cancer.

The extract also enhanced the ability of the commonly used breast cancer chemotherapy drug doxorubicin to decrease cell proliferation and migration in the tissue cultures, suggesting rosehip extract might be a beneficial addition to the overall treatment regimen for patients with triple negative breast cancer.

"My hope is that our studies in tissue cultures, along with future studies in animal models, will lead to rosehip being recommended as a preventative measure in breast cancer or as an addition to current cancer treatment," Martin said.

Patrice Cagle, a doctoral student in Martin's lab, said she feels a personal connection to the research. "I am a young African-American female so there's a higher risk for me to potentially get triple negative breast cancer," she said. "There isn't a lot of research on triple negative breast cancer and African-Americans, so we're trying to increase the profile of this particular cancer in the scientific community and in the public eye." Cagle will present this research at the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) Annual Meeting during Experimental Biology 2015.

The outlook for African-American women with triple negative breast cancer is particularly poor, an aspect Cagle said should be investigated further. Scientists speculate the disparity might be tied to biologic and genetic differences, prevalence of risk factors, barriers to health care access, health behaviors or the fact that African-American patients tend to be diagnosed with breast cancer at a later stage of the disease.

Rosehips, the round part of the rose flower located just below the petals, are used as a natural source of vitamin C in tea and other foods. For the experiments, the researchers used pure rosehip, which can be purchased as a supplement in pill or liquid form.

The breast cancer research grew out of previous studies in which the investigators used rosehip extract to successfully prevent cancer cell growth in the brain, one of the places to which triple negative breast cancer tends to spread. They would also like to test the extract's effects on prostate cancer cells.

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Cite This Page:

Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). "Natural extract shows promise for preventing breast cancer, study suggests." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 29 March 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150329141007.htm>.

Consuming eggs with raw vegetables increases nutritive value

Date: March 29, 2015

Source:
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB)

Summary:
There is burgeoning research showing that co-consuming cooked whole eggs with your veggies can increase carotenoids absorption. With the recent scientific report from the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee lessening past concern over cholesterol in eggs, this is particularly good news.

See more at:

Prebiotic shows promise in regulating kids' appetites

Date: March 28, 2015

Source: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB)

Summary:
The obesity epidemic among children has caused alarm throughout the United States and Canada. Achieving healthy energy intake among this age group is a widespread health concern. A new method of appetite regulation in children was recently investigated.

The obesity epidemic among children has caused alarm throughout the United States and Canada. Achieving healthy energy intake among this age group is a widespread health concern. A new method of appetite regulation in children was recently investigated by graduate student Megan Hume from University of Calgary. The findings will be presented at the American Society for Nutrition's Annual Meeting.

"We knew that prebiotic fiber improved appetite regulation in adults, and wanted to evaluate its potential in children," said Hume.

Hume, working with professor Raylene Reimer, PhD, RD, Faculty of Kinesiology, recruited 42 children whose BMIs were above the 85th percentile. The children were randomized to receive the treatment, a prebiotic fiber, or to the placebo group who received maltodextrin, a polysaccharide. Both treatments were in powdered form and mixed with 250 ml water. The children were instructed to drink the mixture 30 minutes before dinner. At week 0 and week 16 Hume and colleagues collected measurements including a blood sample and subjective scales rating their appetite. The children were taken to a breakfast buffet at start and end of the study, where they had a choice of foods. Before and after eating, children rated their appetite levels and the researchers weighed their food. The prebiotic fiber group consumed 100 calories less at the final buffet and experienced more feelings of fullness. The fiber group rated their satiety levels before the meal higher than the maltodextrin group.

"These findings are promising, showing that intake of prebiotic fiber could cause a reduction in energy intake and body weight," said Reimer. "It's one more tool to use in the obesity epidemic. As a dietary strategy it should be in the toolbox. Of course, we still have to address all food factors in a child's life. But this type of small, incremental change can make a positive impact on their health."

Moving forward, the researchers said it will be important to know what happens if you give the prebiotic to normal weight kids. "In adults we know it is safe. I wouldn't expect to see compromised growth in normal/underweight kids either and there may be other benefits from increasing fiber intake given that very few North Americans eat enough fiber every day," she added. A second goal is for food companies to eventually put the fiber into their products.

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Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). "Prebiotic shows promise in regulating kids' appetites." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 28 March 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150328132429.htm>.

Legalizing marijuana and the new science of weed

Date: March 23, 2015

Source: American Chemical Society (ACS)

Summary:
More than a year into Colorado’s experiment legalizing marijuana, labs testing the plants are able for the first time to take stock of the drug’s potency and contaminants – and openly paint a picture of what’s in today’s weed. Now, one such lab will present trends — and some surprises — that its preliminary testing has revealed about the marijuana now on the market. Scientists are studying potency, amounts of a substance called CBD and contaminants in the products.

More than a year into Colorado's experiment legalizing marijuana, labs testing the plants are able for the first time to take stock of the drug's potency and contaminants -- and openly paint a picture of what's in today's weed. At the 249th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), one such lab will present trends -- and some surprises -- that its preliminary testing has revealed about the marijuana now on the market.

Three major patterns have emerged over the past few months since Andy LaFrate, Ph.D., and his lab began testing marijuana samples. Those patterns concern potency, amounts of a substance called CBD and contaminants in the products.

"As far as potency goes, it's been surprising how strong a lot of the marijuana is," LaFrate says. "We've seen potency values close to 30 percent THC, which is huge." LaFrate is the president and director of research of Charas Scientific, one of eight labs certified by Colorado to do potency testing.

THC is an abbreviation for tetrahydrocannabinol, which is the psychoactive compound in the plant. He explains that three decades ago, THC levels were well below 10 percent. Its content has tripled in some strains because producers have been cross-breeding them over the years to meet user demands for higher potency, he says.

But an unexpected consequence of this breeding has occurred, says LaFrate. Many of the samples his lab has tested have little to no cannabidiol, or CBD. CBD is a lesser known compound in marijuana that is of increasing interest to medical marijuana proponents. Researchers are investigating CBD as a treatment for schizophrenia, Huntington's disease and Alzheimer's disease. It is also being considered for anxiety and depression. But unlike THC, CBD doesn't get people high -- that's a key trait for many people who are wary of buzz-inducing drugs and for potential medical treatments for children. As for recreational users, the lack of CBD in marijuana means that many of the hundreds of strains they select from could in actuality be very similar chemically, according to LaFrate.

"There's a lot of homogeneity whether you're talking medical or retail level," he says. "One plant might have green leaves and another purple, and the absolute amount of cannabinoids might change, which relates to strength. But the ratio of THC to CBD to other cannabinoids isn't changing a whole lot." That means there might be little difference in how the varieties make you feel, even though some people claim one kind will make you mellow and another will make you alert, LaFrate explains.

As for contamination testing, although Colorado doesn't yet require it, some producers have voluntarily submitted samples to see what's in their products. LaFrate says the results have been surprising. His lab looks for both biological and chemical contaminants, such as pathogenic microbes and solvents.

"It's pretty startling just how dirty a lot of this stuff is," he says. "You'll see a marijuana bud that looks beautiful. And then we run it through a biological assay, and we see that it's covered in fungi."

The lab also finds varying levels of chemical contaminants such as butane, which is used to create marijuana extracts. Contamination isn't necessarily a cause for alarm, but it does signal a need to figure out what levels are safe.

"It's a natural product," LaFrate says. "There's going to be microbial growth on it no matter what you do. So the questions become: What's a safe threshold? And which contaminants do we need to be concerned about?"

In other words, legalizing marijuana has raised a lot of issues that still have to be hammered out. LaFrate, who has been involved with the policy side of Colorado's new marijuana market, as well as the laboratory side, says he expects regulations will continue to evolve as scientists, lawmakers and others learn more about the plant and its products.

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American Chemical Society (ACS). "Legalizing marijuana and the new science of weed." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 23 March 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150323075237.htm>.

Metformin, vitamin D3 show impressive promise in preventing colorectal cancer

Date: March 23, 2015

Source: Case Western Reserve University

Summary:
The concept was simple: if two compounds each individually show promise in preventing colon cancer, surely it's worth trying the two together to see if even greater impact is possible. Not only did the combination of the two improve outcomes in animal studies, but the dual-compound effect was dramatically better than either option alone.
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150323162400.htm

What is the definition of 'natural' foods? Consumers want to know

Date: March 24, 2015

Source: American Marketing Association (AMA)

Summary:
After decades of debate there remains no generally accepted definition of a "natural" food product. Regulatory agencies have refused to settle the issue but may be under new pressure from consumer lawsuits, according to a new study.

After decades of debate there remains no generally accepted definition of a "natural" food product. Regulatory agencies have refused to settle the issue but may be under new pressure from consumer lawsuits, according to a new study in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing.

"Consumers don't agree on a definition either, yet clearly believe that 'natural' is important," writes author Ross D. Petty (Babson College). "In 2009, 30% of newly launched foods claimed to be natural but by 2013 this dropped to 22%, possibly due to an increase in the number of consumer lawsuits. Lawyers are increasingly willing to take cases which regulatory agencies have abandoned."

In 1973, the Federal Trade Commission warned that no other area of national health was as abused by deception as nutrition, but by 1983 the FTC had given up on the issue of defining "natural" products. The FDA required in 1977 that artificial flavors be identified as such, but refused to define "natural." When federal district courts in 2014 questioned the legality of promoting genetically modified ingredients as natural, the FDA declined to give an opinion. The US Department of Agriculture fared better, requiring that "natural" meats be free of substances such as artificial flavoring. The industry itself sporadically addressed the "natural" problem, with the Council of Better Business Bureaus advising Nutrasweet to cease claiming it was "made from natural ingredients."

Industry progress in general, however, has been limited. With no regulations to fall back on, consumers have begun resorting to legal action, petitioning the FDA in 2001 to act against "natural" food products that hid genetically modified ingredients. Next came the "Sugar Wars," with the Sugar Association and Equal suing Splenda for claiming it was natural. Splenda resisted, and as of April 2014, no natural community class action lawsuit has actually gone to trial.

"Though natural food lawsuits to date have disappointed, they encourage marketers to drop the claim of being natural or reformulate their products to avoid future lawsuits. Perhaps this will persuade the FDA or FTC to consider creating, finally, a definition for the meaning of natural," concludes the author.

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The above story is based on materials provided by American Marketing Association (AMA). Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:
Ross D. Petty. “Natural” Claims in Food Advertising: Policy Implications of Filling the Regulatory Void with Consumer Class Action Lawsuits. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 2014; 150114105810009 DOI: 10.1509/jppm.14.147

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American Marketing Association (AMA). "What is the definition of 'natural' foods? Consumers want to know." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 24 March 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150324111510.htm>.

More flavorful, healthful chocolate could be on its way

Date: March 24, 2015

Source: American Chemical Society

Summary:
Chocolate has many health benefits -- it can potentially lower blood pressure and cholesterol and reduce stroke risk. But just as connoisseurs thought it couldn't get any better, there's this tasty new tidbit: researchers have found a way to make the treat even more nutritious -- and sweeter.

Chocolate has many health benefits -- it can potentially lower blood pressure and cholesterol and reduce stroke risk. But just as connoisseurs thought it couldn't get any better, there's this tasty new tidbit: Researchers have found a way to make the treat even more nutritious -- and sweeter.

They will describe their research here today at the 249th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society.

Cocoa undergoes several steps before it takes shape as a candy bar. Workers cut down pods from cocoa trees, then split open the pods to remove the white or purple cocoa beans. They are fermented in banana-lined baskets for a few days and then set out to dry in the sun. Roasting, the next step, brings out the flavor. But some of the healthful polyphenols (antioxidants) are lost during the roasting process, so the researchers wanted to figure out a way to retain as much of the polyphenols and good flavors as possible.

"We decided to add a pod-storage step before the beans were even fermented to see whether that would have an effect on the polyphenol content," says Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, Ph.D., who is at the University of Ghana. "This is not traditionally done, and this is what makes our research fundamentally different. It's also not known how roasting affects polyphenol content."

Afoakwa's team divided 300 pods into four groups that were either not stored at all or stored for three, seven or 10 days before processing. This technique is called "pulp preconditioning." After each storage period passed, fermentation and drying were done as usual. He reports that the seven-day storage resulted in the highest antioxidant activity after roasting.

To assess the effects of roasting, the researchers took samples from each of the storage groups and roasted them at the same temperature for different times. The current process is to roast the beans for 10-20 minutes at 248-266 degrees Fahrenheit, he explains. Afoakwa's team adjusted this to 45 minutes at 242 degrees Fahrenheit and discovered that this slower roasting at a lower temperature increased the antioxidant activity compared to beans roasted with the conventional method.

In addition, the beans that were stored and then roasted for 45 minutes had more polyphenols and higher antioxidant activity than beans whose pods were not stored prior to fermentation, says Afoakwa. He explains that pulp preconditioning likely allowed the sweet pulp surrounding the beans inside the pod to alter the biochemical and physical constituents of the beans before the fermentation. "This aided the fermentation processes and enhanced antioxidant capacity of the beans, as well as the flavor," he says. He adds that the new technique would be particularly useful for countries in Southeast Asia and Latin America where cocoa beans produce a chocolate with a less intense chocolate flavor and have reduced antioxidant activity.

Looking to the future, he says the team will be studying in more detail the effects of roasting on the flavor of freshly picked compared to stored cocoa beans. They will be testing different temperatures and roasting and storing times to determine if even higher amounts of antioxidants can be retained through the process.

The researchers acknowledge funding from the Belgium Government under the VLIR TEAM Cocoa Project between Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium, and the University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.

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American Chemical Society. "More flavorful, healthful chocolate could be on its way." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 24 March 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150324084800.htm>.

Eating green leafy vegetables keeps mental abilities sharp

Date: March 30, 2015

Source: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB)

Summary:
Something as easy as adding more spinach, kale, collards and mustard greens to your diet could help slow cognitive decline, according to new research. The study also examined the nutrients responsible for the effect, linking vitamin K consumption to slower cognitive decline for the first time.

Something as easy as adding more spinach, kale, collards and mustard greens to your diet could help slow cognitive decline, according to new research. The study also examined the nutrients responsible for the effect, linking vitamin K consumption to slower cognitive decline for the first time.

"Losing one's memory or cognitive abilities is one of the biggest fears for people as they get older," said Martha Clare Morris, Sc.D., assistant provost for community research at Rush University Medical Center and leader of the research team. "Since declining cognitive ability is central to Alzheimer's disease and dementias, increasing consumption of green leafy vegetables could offer a very simple, affordable and non-invasive way of potentially protecting your brain from Alzheimer's disease and dementia."

The researchers tracked the diets and cognitive abilities of more than 950 older adults for an average of five years and saw a significant decrease in the rate of cognitive decline for study participants who consumed greater amounts of green leafy vegetables. People who ate one to two servings per day had the cognitive ability of a person 11 years younger than those who consumed none.

When the researchers examined individual nutrients linked with slowing cognitive decline, they found that vitamin K, lutein, folate and beta-carotene were most likely helping to keep the brain healthy.

"Our study identified some very novel associations," said Morris, who will present the research at the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) Annual Meeting during Experimental Biology 2015. "No other studies have looked at vitamin K in relation to change in cognitive abilities over time, and only a limited number of studies have found some association with lutein." Other studies have linked folate and beta-carotene intake with slower cognitive decline.

To conduct the study, Morris' research team gathered data from 954 participants from the Memory and Aging Project, which aims to identify factors associated with the maintenance of cognitive health. The participants, whose age averaged 81, reported their daily food and beverage intake by answering a detailed 144-item questionnaire at the beginning of the study. The researchers computed the total daily nutrients by combining the nutrient content for each food consumed with the number of servings eaten each day. They followed participants for 2 to 10 years, assessing cognition annually with a comprehensive battery of 19 tests and adjusted for age, sex, education, smoking, genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease and participation in physical activities when estimating the effects of diet on cognitive decline.

"With baby boomers approaching old age, there is huge public demand for lifestyle behaviors that can ward off loss of memory and other cognitive abilities with age," said Morris. "Our study provides evidence that eating green leafy vegetables and other foods rich in vitamin K, lutein and beta-carotene can help to keep the brain healthy to preserve functioning."

In addition to green leafy vegetables, other good sources of vitamin K, lutein, folate and beta-carotene include brightly colored fruits and vegetables.

The researchers would like to expand their research to explore the mechanisms of how nutrients in leafy green vegetables are acting on the brain.

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Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). "Eating green leafy vegetables keeps mental abilities sharp." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 30 March 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150330112227.htm>.

Percentage of children eating fast food on a given day drops

Date: March 30, 2015

Source: The JAMA Network Journals

Summary:
A lower percentage of children are eating fast food on any given day and calories consumed by children from burger, pizza and chicken fast food restaurants also has dropped, according to a new article.

A lower percentage of children are eating fast food on any given day and calories consumed by children from burger, pizza and chicken fast food restaurants also has dropped, according to an article published online by JAMA Pediatrics.

Colin D. Rehm, Ph.D., M.P.H., formerly of the University of Washington, Seattle, now of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, Boston, and Adam Drewnowski, Ph.D., of the University of Washington, Seattle, analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2003 to 2010 to examine trends in children's calorie consumption by fast food restaurant type, according to background information in the research letter.

The percentage of children consuming fast food on a given day dropped from 38.8 percent in 2003-2004 to 32.6 percent in 2009-2010, according to study results.

The authors also found calorie intake from burger, pizza and chicken fast food restaurant decreased, while calories consumed from Mexican and sandwich fast food restaurants remained constant. While the proportion of children eating at burger restaurants remained stable, there was a modest drop seen for chicken restaurants. A decrease in calories consumed at pizza restaurants may have been driven in part by a decrease in the number of consumers because a decline in pizza sales from 2003 to 2010 has been noted by industry sources, according to the study. While 12.2 percent of children obtained food and beverages from pizza restaurants in 2003-2004, that number dropped to 6.4 percent in 2009-2010.

"No fast food market segment experienced a significant increase in energy [calories] during the 8-year study," the study concludes.

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The above story is based on materials provided by The JAMA Network Journals.Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:
Colin D. Rehm, Adam Drewnowski. Trends in Energy Intakes by Type of Fast Food Restaurant Among US Children From 2003 to 2010. JAMA Pediatrics, 2015; DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.38

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The JAMA Network Journals. "Percentage of children eating fast food on a given day drops." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 30 March 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150330122400.htm>.

An apple a day won't keep the doctor away but maybe the pharmacist

Date: March 31, 2015

Source: The JAMA Network Journals

Summary:
Turns out, an apple a day won't keep the doctor away but it may mean you will use fewer prescription medications, according to a real article published on April 1.
Will an apple a day really keep the doctor away?
Credit: © Mariusz Blach / Fotolia

Turns out, an apple a day won't keep the doctor away but it may mean you will use fewer prescription medications, according to an article published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.

The apple has come to symbolize health and healthy habits. But can apple consumption be associated with reduced health care use because patients who eat them might visit doctors less?

Matthew A. Davis, D.C., M.P.H., Ph.D., of the University of Michigan School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, and coauthors analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2008 and 2009-2010) to find out.

The authors compared daily apple eaters (those who consumed at least 1 small apple per day or 149 grams of raw apple) with non-apple eaters. Of the 8,399 survey participants who completed a dietary recall questionnaire, 753 (9 percent) were apple eaters and 7,646 (91 percent) were non-apple eaters. Apple eaters had higher educational attainment, were more likely to be from a racial or ethnic minority, and were less likely to smoke. The authors measured "keeping the doctor away" as no more than one self-reported visit to a physician during the past year.

There was no statistically significant difference between apple eaters and non-apple eaters when it came to keeping the doctor away when sociodemographic and health-related characteristics were taken into account. However, apple eaters had marginally higher odds of avoiding prescription medications, according to the results. The authors found no difference between apple eaters and non-apple eaters when measuring the likelihood of avoiding an overnight hospital stay or a visit to a mental health professional.

"Our findings suggest that the promotion of apple consumption may have limited benefit in reducing national health care spending. In the age of evidence-based assertions, however, there may be merit to saying 'An apple a day keeps the pharmacist away,'" the study concludes.

This study was one of several lighthearted but real papers in the April Fool Days issue of JAMA Internal Medicine.

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The above story is based on materials provided by The JAMA Network Journals.Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal Reference:
Matthew A. Davis, Julie P. W. Bynum, Brenda E. Sirovich. Association Between Apple Consumption and Physician Visits. JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015; DOI:10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.5466

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The JAMA Network Journals. "An apple a day won't keep the doctor away but maybe the pharmacist." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 31 March 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150330122404.htm>.

Blueberries show promise as treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder

Date: March 30, 2015

Source: American Physiological Society (APS)

Summary:
Roughly 8 percent of people in the US suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). SSRIs, such as Zoloft and Paxil, are the only currently-approved therapy, but their effectiveness is marginal. Researchers have found that blueberries could be an effective treatment.
Blueberries.
Credit: © Brian Jackson / Fotolia

Up to 8 percent of people in the U.S. suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as the result of witnessing or being the victim of a traumatic event. People with PTSD have been in a situation in which they were at risk of death, serious injury or sexual violence or have seen first-hand loved ones faces such threats. They may experience flashbacks, emotional detachment and jumpiness, among other symptoms that affect their ability to function in everyday life.

Currently, the only approved therapy for PTSD is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Zoloft and Paxil, but their effectiveness is marginal. Now researchers at Louisiana State University have found that a readily available superfood -- the blueberry -- could be an effective treatment.

Ebenezer et al. have previously demonstrated that SSRIs increase levels of serotonin (5-HT) and the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE) and that the increased NE may reduce the effectiveness of SSRI therapy. In the new study, the research team looked at the ability of blueberries to modulate neurotransmitter levels in a rat model of PTSD. Researchers supplemented some of the rats with a blueberry-enriched (2 percent) diet and others with a control diet. A third control group did not have PTSD and received a standard diet (without blueberries).

They found that PTSD rats who did not receive blueberries demonstrated a predictable increase in NE and 5-HT when compared with the control group. However, the PTSD rats that received blueberries showed a beneficial increase in 5-HT with no effect on NE levels, suggesting that blueberries can effectively modulate neurotransmitters in PTSD.

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American Physiological Society (APS). "Blueberries show promise as treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 30 March 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150330134405.htm>.

Component of red grapes, wine could help ease depression

Date: March 30, 2015

Source: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB)

Summary:
A link between inflammation and depression, which affects approximately 148 million people in the United States, has been identified by researchers. A new study finds that resveratrol -- a natural anti-inflammatory agent found in the skin of red grapes -- can prevent inflammation as well as depression-related behaviors in rodents exposed to a social stress.

Scientists have recently discovered a link between inflammation and depression, which affects approximately 148 million people in the United States. A new study finds that resveratrol -- a natural anti-inflammatory agent found in the skin of red grapes -- can prevent inflammation as well as depression-related behaviors in rodents exposed to a social stress.

"Our research is very relevant to today's society because it investigates potential treatments for people with an increased susceptibility to depression and related disorders that arise due to social stress," said Susan K. Wood, Ph.D., assistant professor at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine and leader of the research team. "We hope our findings will encourage scientists who are running clinical trials to test the effectiveness of natural anti-inflammatory agents on depression, which is currently an understudied area."

Some psychiatric disorders are known to arise from a social stress, such as bullying or the loss of a loved one. In previous research, Wood's team developed an animal model for this type of social stress in which a larger, more aggressive rat takes on the role of a bully. Some rats exposed to the bullies developed both depressive-like behaviors and inflammation while the rats that did not develop depressive-like behaviors showed no inflammation.

In the new work, the researchers repeated their experiment with one key difference: the bullied rats were given a daily dose of resveratrol roughly equivalent to the amount found in six glasses of wine. They found that resveratrol blocked the increased inflammation in the brain and also prevented the depressive-like behaviors in animals that would have normally developed those behaviors.

"Resveratrol appears to knock down inflammation throughout the body," said Julie Finnell, a doctoral student in the research team who will present the findings at the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) Annual Meeting during Experimental Biology 2015. "We found that administering resveratrol blocks the inflammation we would normally see in animals undergoing the bullying stress and brings it to control levels. We saw that consistently with IL-1ß [a pro-inflammatory protein] and many of the other inflammatory markers that we analyzed."

In addition to being naturally present in the skin of red grapes and in red wine, resveratrol is also sold as supplement. Studies have shown that the natural agent might be responsible for red wine's ability to prevent blood vessel damage and reduce LDL cholesterol, and experiments using high doses of resveratrol in animals have suggested it might help protect from obesity and diabetes.

Wood said the group's findings are exciting because they show that resveratrol has anti-inflammatory potential in the brain, not just on levels of inflammation circulating in the body. "Certainly, there is a strong case being built now between clinical and preclinical work that inflammation is linked to depressive symptoms, and there is a great need for these findings to be validated in human studies," she said.

The researchers are now expanding upon their rodent experiments to test whether resveratrol can reverse the effects of social stress after they develop.

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Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). "Component of red grapes, wine could help ease depression." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 30 March 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150330134415.htm>.

Vitamin D can affect pain, movement in obese osteoarthritis patients

Date: March 30, 2015

Source: University of Florida

Summary:
If you are overweight and have osteoarthritis, you may want to bone up on vitamin D. According to a new study, higher levels of vitamin D may decrease pain and improve function in obese individuals with osteoarthritis.

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Pesticides in fruit and vegetables linked to semen qualitya

Date: March 30, 2015

Source: Oxford University Press (OUP)

Summary:
The first study to investigate the relationship between eating fruit and vegetables containing pesticide residues and the quality of men's semen has shown a link with lower sperm counts and percentages of normally-formed sperm.
Men who ate fruits and vegetables with higher levels of pesticide residues -- such as strawberries, spinach, and peppers -- had lower sperm count and a lower percentage of normal sperm than those who ate produce with lower residue levels, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Credit: © Serghei Velusceac / Fotolia

The first study to investigate the relationship between eating fruit and vegetables containing pesticide residues and the quality of men's semen has shown a link with lower sperm counts and percentages of normally-formed sperm.

The study, which is published online today (Tuesday) inHuman Reproduction shows that men who ate the highest amount of fruit and vegetables with high levels of pesticide residue had a 49% lower sperm count and a 32% lower percentage of normally-formed sperm than men who consumed the least amount. An accompanying editorial says the findings have important implications for human health.

However, the study of 155 men showed that, overall, the total amount of fruit and vegetables consumed was unrelated to changes in any measurements of semen quality in the group as a whole.

Assistant Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston (USA), Jorge Chavarro, said: "These findings should not discourage the consumption of fruit and vegetables in general. In fact, we found that total intake of fruit and vegetables was completely unrelated to semen quality. This suggests that implementing strategies specifically targeted at avoiding pesticide residues, such as consuming organically-grown produce or avoiding produce known to have large amounts of residues, may be the way to go."

Previous studies have shown that occupational exposure to pesticides might have an effect on semen quality, but so far there has been little investigation of the effects of pesticides in diet.

Prof Chavarro, his student Dr Yu-Han Chiu and colleagues analysed 338 semen samples from 155 men attending a fertility centre between 2007-2012 as part of the ongoing, prospective "Environment and Reproductive Health" (EARTH) Study. The men were eligible for the study if they were aged 18-55, had not had a vasectomy, and were part of a couple planning to use their own eggs and sperm for fertility treatment.

The men's diet was assessed by means of a food frequency questionnaire, and they were asked how often, on average, they had consumed how many portions of fruit and vegetables, using standard portion sizes such as one apple, or half an avocado.

The fruit and vegetables were categorised as being high, moderate or low in pesticide residues based on data from the annual United States Department of Agriculture Pesticide Data Program. Fruit or vegetables that were low in pesticide residues included peas, beans, grapefruit and onions. Those that had high residues included peppers, spinach, strawberries, apples and pears. These data took account of usual practice in food preparation, such as whether the fruit and vegetables had been peeled and washed. [1]

The researchers divided the men into four groups, ranging from those who ate the greatest amount of fruit and vegetables high in pesticides residues (1.5 servings or more a day) to those who ate the least amount (less than half a serving a day). They also looked at men who ate fruit and vegetables with low-to-moderate pesticide residues.

The group of men with the highest intake of pesticide-heavy fruit and vegetables had an average total sperm count of 86 million sperm per ejaculate compared to men eating the least who had an average of 171 million sperm per ejaculate -- a 49% reduction. The percentage of normally formed sperm was an average of 7.5% in men in the group with the lowest intake and 5.1% in the men with the highest intake -- a relative decrease of 32%.

There were no differences seen between men in the four groups who consumed fruit and vegetables with low-to-moderate pesticide residues. In fact, there was a significant trend towards having a higher percentage of normally shaped sperm among men who consumed the most fruit and vegetables with low pesticide residues -- a relative increase of 37% from 5.7% to 7.8%. [2]

The authors write in their paper: "To our knowledge, this is the first report on the consumption of fruits and vegetables with high levels of pesticide residue in relation to semen quality." They continue: "These findings suggest that exposure to pesticides used in agricultural production through diet may be sufficient to affect spermatogenesis in humans."

However, they point out that there are a number of limitations to the study and further research is needed. "Studies of men presenting to fertility clinics like this one do over-represent men with semen quality problems. In our study almost half of the men had one or more semen parameters below the World Health Organization reference limits. Because of this, it is not possible to know whether our findings can be generalised to men in the general population. In particular, it is difficult to get an accurate picture of how large the effect in the general population might be," said Prof Chavarro.

In addition, diet was only assessed once and could have changed over time. The researchers did not have information on whether or not the food was grown conventionally or organically, and the exposure to pesticides could have been misclassified as it was not measured precisely for every individual man.

In an accompanying editorial, Dr Hagai Levine, Visiting Scientist, from Hebrew University-Hadassah, Israel, and Professor Shanna Swan, Professor of Preventive Medicine, who are both at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York (USA), write: "Despite the relatively small sample size and exposure assessment limitations, the paper makes a convincing case that dietary exposure to pesticides can adversely impact semen quality. While this finding will need to be replicated in other settings and populations, it carries important health implications."

They point out that poor semen quality "is the leading cause of unsuccessful attempts to achieve pregnancy and one of the most common medical problems among young men…it has been suggested as an important marker of male health, predicting both morbidity and mortality… it is sensitive to environmental exposures, including endocrine disrupting chemicals, heat and life-style factors, such as diet…Therefore, it can provide a sensitive marker of the impacts of modern environment on human health."

[1] Pesticide use varies from country to country, but in the USA those used on fruit and vegetables include Atrazine, Malathion, Chlorpyrifos and Carbendazim.

[2] Percentages of normally formed sperm are generally low, with the WHO giving less than 4% as the lower reference limit.

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Oxford University Press (OUP).Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Journal References:
Y.H. Chiu et al. Fruit and vegetable intake and their pesticide residues in relation to semen quality among men from a fertility clinic. Human Reproduction, 2015 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dev064
Hagai Levine and Shanna H. Swan. Is dietary pesticide exposure related to semen quality? Positive evidence from men attending a fertility clinic.Human Reproduction, DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dev065

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Oxford University Press (OUP). "Pesticides in fruit and vegetables linked to semen quality." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 30 March 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150330213951.htm>.