sexta-feira, 20 de maio de 2016
Famílias agricultoras de 337 municípios brasileiros sofrerão impactos diretos do Projeto Matopiba
Por Elka Macedo, ASA Brasil – Articulação no Semiárido Brasileiro
Povos indígenas, comunidades tradicionais e famílias agricultoras que moram nos territórios de abrangência do Matopiba são os mais afetados | Foto: Tiago Miotto
Quatro estados brasileiros; 337 municípios; 73 milhões de hectares; 250.238 estabelecimentos da agricultura familiar. Estes números são parte do cálculo da abrangência do Plano de Desenvolvimento Agropecuário do Matopiba, instituído por meio do decreto n° 8447, publicado no dia 06 de maio de 2015. A ação abrangerá territórios dos estados do Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí e Bahia, e segundo o Governo Federal tem o objetivo de “promover e coordenar políticas públicas voltadas ao desenvolvimento econômico sustentável fundado nas atividades agrícolas e pecuárias que resultem na melhoria da qualidade de vida da população”.
De acordo com o decreto, o Matopiba se baseia em três grandes diretrizes: desenvolvimento e aumento da eficiência da infraestrutura logística relativa às atividades agrícolas e pecuárias; apoio à inovação e ao desenvolvimento tecnológico voltados às atividades agrícolas e pecuárias; e ampliação e fortalecimento da classe média no setor rural. No entanto, a perspectiva da expansão do agronegócio que ocupará 38% do território do estado do Tocantins, 33% do Maranhão, 11% do Piauí e 18% da Bahia para cultivo de soja, milho e eucalipto vai ocasionar problemas ambientais, sociais e culturais. Neste sentido, movimentos sociais ligados ao campo, organizações e famílias agricultoras das regiões afetadas estão se articulando para denunciar os impactos negativos do Matopiba.
O coordenador regional da Comissão Pastoral da Terra (CPT) do Piauí, Altamiran Ribeiro, que tem acompanhado a luta das famílias no estado, revela alguns dos abalos sofridos. “O impacto da obra já está acontecendo. O pequeno se quiser produzir tem que se igualar aos grandes projetos, porque se o grande usa veneno, o pequeno tem seus cultivos e a água contaminados. O Matopiba atinge não só o Cerrado, mas também o Semiárido e afeta economicamente a vida das famílias. Com a expansão dos latifúndios o custo de vida dos municípios têm subido cerca de 300%. Isso também mexe com a cultura, pois mesmo sem perceberem eles estão perdendo as suas tradições para se adequar a um novo modelo de cultura. Tudo isso, ocasiona o esvaziamento do campo”, salienta.
Em Carta aberta à Sociedade Brasileira, à Presidência da República e ao Congresso Nacional sobre a destruição do Cerrado pelo MATOPIBA, elaborada no Primeiro Encontro Regional dos Povos e Comunidades do Cerrado, construída e publicada em novembro do ano passado, os cerca de 170 participantes do evento que representavam diversos povos que habitam a região ressaltaram que “O PDA Matopiba não representa desenvolvimento, pois atinge os modos de vida das comunidades do Cerrado e não é um projeto de desenvolvimento sustentável, pois “mata” a água, a terra, o bem viver dos povos indígenas, quilombolas, camponeses e demais comunidades”.
Foto: Assessoria de comunicação do Cimi
A delimitação territorial do MATOPIBA impactará, agressivamente, as nascentes das três maiores bacias hidrográficas da América do Sul (Amazônica/Araguaia-Tocantins, São Francisco e Prata), e a mais rica biodiversidade brasileira. A obra comprometerá a vazão dessas fontes de água, como afirma Altamiran.
“A área do projeto Matopiba é onde ficam nascentes de rios como o Parnaíba e Tocantis. Com o desmatamento vai baixar a água, além disso, será construída uma ferrovia que vai passar em áreas de cerrado que são habitadas por comunidades. Além disso, está havendo investimento internacional na obra, compra de terras griladas. Para se ter ideia um hectare de terra está sendo vendido a 60 mil reais”, assegura.
Embora o primeiro grande critério de delimitação territorial do Projeto tenha tido como base as áreas de cerrados existentes nos quatro estados, a ação também implicará na ocupação de áreas de caatinga e amazônia. No Semiárido piauiense, o Matopiba prevê inicialmente a extração de calcário e de minério de ferro.
Violência e expulsão de camponesas/es
Segundo dados do Caderno de Conflitos no Campo – Brasil (CPT, 2015), nos últimos cinco anos, nos estados do Maranhão, Tocantins, Bahia e Piauí ocorreram um total de 3.076 conflitos por terra e por água com ações de violência contra os camponeses e os povos tradicionais. Deste total de conflitos por terra e água, 1.643 ocorreram dentro da área delimitada pelo MATOPIBA, ou seja, 53,4% dos conflitos, envolvendo diversos sujeitos.
“O projeto com seu montante de ações de cunho exploratório vai excluir ribeirinhos, quilombolas e comunidades tradicionais de seus territórios. Já tem estudo sobre os impactos, mas há muito para ser feito para coibir a violência e negação de direitos dessas populações”, salienta o coordenador da Articulação Semiárido Brasileiro (ASA) pelo estado do Maranhão, Juvenal de Sousa.
Em entrevista concedida à Articulação Nacional de Agroecologia (ANA) Paulo Rogério Gonçalves, membro da Alternativas para Pequena Agricultura no Tocantins (APA-TO) enfatiza que o Matopiba fortalece processos históricos de violência no campo. “No fundo o MATOPIBA fortalece o processo de violência agrária, querem aportar mais capital para que isso continue. Por outro lado, essa grande região é a mais preservada de áreas remanescentes de Cerrado que temos no Brasil. Será a destruição do Cerrado para a expansão das monoculturas, afirma um processo de desmatamento na região”.
Um outro aspecto que Paulo Rogério elucida está ligado ao trabalho escravo. “Esses quatro Estados são os que têm um índice altíssimo de trabalho escravo. Todo esse processo de violência agrária e ambiental vem junto com um processo de escravização dos trabalhadores para o preparo de solo, limpeza de terreno e plantação do agronegócio”, destacou.
in EcoDebate, 20/05/2016
Fritjof Capra e os transgênicos, parte 3/6, artigo de Roberto Naime
Fritjof Capra (Viena, Áustria, 1 de fevereiro de 1939) é um físico teórico e escritor que desenvolve trabalho na promoção da educação ecológica. Foto e informações da Wikipedia
[EcoDebate] O conceito de desenvolvimento como é aplicado hoje tem dois significados. Para os biólogos desenvolvimento é uma característica fundamental para toda a vida. Sistemas vivos, os organismos, ecossistemas ou sistemas sociais se desenvolvem.
Crescem, amadurecem e criam novas formas e novos padrões de comportamento. As ciências da vida também nos ensinam que o desenvolvimento de um sistema vivo, tipicamente inclui um período de rápido crescimento físico.
Este é um período pertinente a um organismo jovem. Nos ecossistemas esta é a fase inicial que é caracterizada pela expansão rápida e pela colonização do território.
Este rápido crescimento é sempre seguido por um crescimento mais lento, pela maturação, e finalmente pelo declínio e decadência ou, nos ecossistemas, chamado de sucessão.
Quando nós estudamos a natureza podemos ver muito claramente que crescimento indefinido e irrestrito é insustentável. Por exemplo, há rápido crescimento com células cancerosas, mas não se sustenta porque as células morrem quando o organismo hospedeiro morre.
Vemos que, embora crescimento seja uma característica fundamental da vida, crescimento indefinido não é sustentável. Mas é importante notar que mesmo sem expansão física, pode haver desenvolvimento porque pode haver aprendizado e maturação ocorrendo sem crescimento físico.
O segundo significado do desenvolvimento é aquele usado por economistas e políticos, sendo muito diferente. A primeira coisa que percebemos é o diferente uso gramatical do verbo “desenvolver”.
Nas ciências da vida é usado como um verbo intransitivo todos os sistemas vivos desenvolvem-se; organismos vivos desenvolvem-se; pessoas desenvolvem-se. Há um senso de desdobramento, de percepção do nosso potencial.
Economistas usam o verbo “desenvolver” como verbo transitivo, “pessoas desenvolvem as coisas”. Há uma categoria completa de pessoas de negócios que se proclamam desenvolvimentistas e saem por aí desenvolvendo coisas. Desenvolvem propriedades, como sítios, terras, edifícios e outros.
O outro fenômeno extraordinário é a categorização do mundo inteiro numa única dimensão. Países e pessoas são “desenvolvidos” ou eles estão “se desenvolvendo” ou eles são “subdesenvolvidos”.
É exatamente como a tabela de um campeonato de futebol, com os países ricos figurando em primeiro e antes de todos os Estados Unidos e os países pobres no final.
Não é de espantar que 25% das crianças americanas agora vivem abaixo da linha de pobreza; que os EUA gastam mais em prisão do que em educação superior, e que é o único país industrial que tem a pena de morte.
A gigantesca diversidade da existência humana agora está concentrada numa simples dimensão chamada “desenvolvimento” a qual é freqüentemente medida simplesmente em receita “per capita”.
É um conceito absolutamente assustador que pessoas inteligentes vivendo neste mundo espantosamente diverso, tenham permitido que tal construto intelectual se tornasse tão poderoso.
Quando nós olhamos detalhadamente para o conceito de desenvolvimento econômico podemos observar três características básicas:
1. Desenvolvimento é um conceito do hemisfério norte. A tabela de classificação entre “desenvolvido/em desenvolvimento/subdesenvolvido”, está arquitetada conforme um critério do hemisfério norte. Os países que são desenvolvidos são aqueles que adotaram o estilo de vida industrial do hemisfério norte. Assim, desenvolvimento é um conceito profundamente monocultural. Ser um país em desenvolvimento significa obter sucesso nas suas aspirações de se tornar como os do hemisfério norte.
2. Desenvolvimento significa desenvolvimento econômico. Não há outras aspirações sociais ou valores culturais permitidos a entrar no caminho deste desenvolvimento. Se puderem co-existir com o desenvolvimento melhor, se não puderem serão exterminados.
3. O desenvolvimento econômico é um processo de cima para baixo, descendente. Decisão e controle encontram-se firmemente na mão de especialistas, administradores do capital internacional, burocratas de governos, do banco mundial, do Fundo Monetário Internacional (FMI), e outros.
Em resumo existem três características do desenvolvimento na forma como é correntemente representada no palco mundial, é nortista, puramente econômico e descendente.
Referências:
Dr. Roberto Naime, Colunista do Portal EcoDebate, é Doutor em Geologia Ambiental. Integrante do corpo Docente do Mestrado e Doutorado em Qualidade Ambiental da Universidade Feevale.
Sugestão de leitura: Celebração da vida [EBook Kindle], por Roberto Naime, na Amazon.
Nota da redação: Sugerimos que leiam, também, os artigos anteriores desta série:
in EcoDebate, 19/05/2016
"Fritjof Capra e os transgênicos, parte 3/6, artigo de Roberto Naime," in Portal EcoDebate, ISSN 2446-9394, 19/05/2016, https://www.ecodebate.com.br/2016/05/19/fritjof-capra-e-os-transgenicos-parte-36-artigo-de-roberto-naime/.
quinta-feira, 19 de maio de 2016
Nudging health in food pantries
Use product placement, packaging to increase healthful food selection in food pantries
Date: May 17, 2016
Source: Cornell Food & Brand Lab
Summary:
Grocery stores and cafeterias successfully nudge selection of target foods, but can this same strategy be used to encourage food pantry clients to select target healthful foods? In a new study, researchers found that product placement and packaging had a significant impact on what clients selected in a New York State food pantry.
See more at:
Cancer-fighting properties of horseradish revealed
Date: May 17, 2016
Source: University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES)
Summary:
Horseradish contains cancer-fighting compounds known as glucosinolates. Glucosinolate type and quantity vary depending on size and quality of the horseradish root. For the first time, the activation of cancer-fighting enzymes by glucosinolate products in horseradish has been documented.
Horseradish contains cancer-fighting compounds known as glucosinolates. Glucosinolate type and quantity vary depending on size and quality of the horseradish root. For the first time, the activation of cancer-fighting enzymes by glucosinolate products in horseradish has been documented.
The humble horseradish may not be much to look at, but a recent University of Illinois study shows that it contains compounds that could help detoxify and eliminate cancer-causing free-radicals in the body.
"We knew horseradish had health benefits, but in this study, we were able to link it to the activation of certain detoxifying enzymes for the first time," says U of I crop scientist Mosbah Kushad.
Kushad's research team had previously identified and quantified the compounds responsible for the cancer-fighting compounds, known as glucosinolates, in horseradish, noting that horseradish contains approximately 10 times more glucosinolates than its superfood cousin, broccoli.
"No one is going to eat a pound of horseradish," Kushad points out. Luckily, a teaspoon of the pungent condiment is sufficient to get the benefit.
In the new study, Kushad and his team looked for the products of glucosinolate hydrolysis, which activate enzymes involved in detoxification of cancer-causing molecules. They compared the quantity and activity of these products in 11 horseradish strains rated U.S. Fancy, U.S. No. 1, or U.S. No. 2. The USDA puts fresh-market horseradish in these categories based on diameter and length of the root.
"There was no information on whether the USDA grade of the horseradish root is associated with cancer preventive activity, so we wanted to test that," Kushad explains.
The group found that the higher-grade U.S. Fancy accessions had significantly more glucosinolates than U.S. No. 1. Concentrations of various glucosinolate hydrolysis products differed according to USDA grade, with U.S. Fancy having greater allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) and U.S. No. 1 having greater 1-cyano 2,3-epithiopropane (CETP).
The two compounds differ, with CETP being a comparatively weaker cancer-fighter than AITC. Still, the detection of CETP in horseradish is noteworthy, according to Kushad. "To our knowledge, this is the first detection and measurement of CETP from horseradish," he says.
The team suggests that AITC is a good dietary anti-carcinogen, not only because it activates the enzyme responsible for detoxifying cancer-causing molecules, but also because a large proportion of it, 90 percent, is absorbed when ingested.
Bottom line? Next time horseradish is on the menu, pick up a spoon.
Story Source:
The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES). The original item was written by Lauren Quinn. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:
Kang-Mo Ku, Elizabeth H. Jeffery, John A. Juvik, Mosbah M. Kushad.Correlation of Quinone Reductase Activity and Allyl Isothiocyanate Formation Among Different Genotypes and Grades of Horseradish Roots. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2015; 63 (11): 2947 DOI: 10.1021/jf505591z
Cite This Page:
University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES). "Cancer-fighting properties of horseradish revealed." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 17 May 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160517122054.htm>.
Higher potato consumption associated with increased risk of high blood pressure
But studying dietary patterns may be more useful than individual foods or nutrients
Date: May 17, 2016
Source:
BMJSummary:Higher intakes of boiled, baked, or mashed potatoes, and French fries is associated with an increased risk of developing high blood pressure (hypertension) in adult women and men.
Mashed potatoes. Four or more servings a week of baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes was associated with an increased risk of hypertension compared with less than one serving a month in women, but not in men.
Credit: © fahrwasser / Fotolia
Higher intakes of boiled, baked, or mashed potatoes, and French fries is associated with an increased risk of developing high blood pressure (hypertension) in adult women and men, according to a study published by The BMJtoday.
The US-based researchers suggest that replacing one serving a day of boiled, baked, or mashed potatoes with one serving of a non-starchy vegetable is associated with a lower risk of developing hypertension.
But a linked editorial argues that studying overall dietary patterns and risk of disease is more useful than a focus on individual foods or nutrients.
Potatoes are one of the world's most commonly consumed foods -- and have recently been included as vegetables in US government healthy meals programs, due to their high potassium content. But the association of potato intake with hypertension has not been studied.
So researchers based at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School set out to determine whether higher long term intake of baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes, French fries, and potato chips (crisps) was associated with incident hypertension.
They followed over 187,000 men and women from three large US studies for more than 20 years. Dietary intake, including frequency of potato consumption, was assessed using a questionnaire. Hypertension was reported by participants based on diagnosis by a health professional.
After taking account of several other risk factors for hypertension, the researchers found that four or more servings a week of baked, boiled, or mashed potatoes was associated with an increased risk of hypertension compared with less than one serving a month in women, but not in men.
Higher consumption of French fries was also associated with an increased risk of hypertension in both women and men. However, consumption of potato chips (crisps) was associated with no increased risk.
After further analyses, the researchers suggest that replacing one serving a day of boiled, baked, or mashed potatoes with one serving of a non-starchy vegetable is associated with a decreased risk of hypertension.
The authors point out that potatoes have a high glycaemic index compared with other vegetables, so can trigger a sharp rise in blood sugar levels, and this could be one explanation for the findings.
They also acknowledge some study limitations and say that, as with any observational study, no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect.
Nevertheless, they say their findings "have potentially important public health ramifications, as they do not support a potential benefit from the inclusion of potatoes as vegetables in government food programs but instead support a harmful effect that is consistent with adverse effects of high carbohydrate intakes seen in controlled feeding studies."
In a linked editorial, researchers at the University of New South Wales argue that, although diet has an important part to play in prevention and early management of hypertension, dietary behaviour and patterns of consumption are complex and difficult to measure.
"We will continue to rely on prospective cohort studies, but those that examine associations between various dietary patterns and risk of disease provide more useful insights for both policy makers and practitioners than does a focus on individual foods or nutrients," they conclude.
Story Source:
The above post is reprinted from materials provided by BMJ. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:
Lea Borgi, Eric B Rimm, Walter C Willett, John P Forman. Potato intake and incidence of hypertension: results from three prospective US cohort studies. BMJ, 2016; i2351 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.i2351
Cite This Page:
BMJ. "Higher potato consumption associated with increased risk of high blood pressure: But studying dietary patterns may be more useful than individual foods or nutrients." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 17 May 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160517191803.htm>.
Fruit discovery could provide new treatments for obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease
Two compounds found in red grapes and oranges combined could treat diseases
Date: May 11, 2016
Source:
University of WarwickSummary:A combination of two compounds found in red grapes and oranges could be used to improve the health of people with diabetes, and reduce cases of obesity and heart disease. The find has been made by researchers who now hope that their discovery will be developed to provide a treatment for patients.
A combination of two compounds found in red grapes and oranges could be used to improve the health of people with diabetes, and reduce cases of obesity and heart disease.
The find has been made by University of Warwick researchers who now hope that their discovery will be developed to provide a treatment for patients.
Professor Thornalley who led research said: "This is an incredibly exciting development and could have a massive impact on our ability to treat these diseases. As well as helping to treat diabetes and heart disease it could defuse the obesity time bomb."
The research 'Improved glycemic control and vascular function in overweight and obese subjects by glyoxalase 1 inducer formulation' has been published in the journal Diabetes, and received funding from the UK's innovation agency, Innovate UK. The project was a collaboration between the University of Warwick and University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust.
A team led by Paul Thornalley, Professor in Systems Biology at Warwick Medical School, studied two compounds found in fruits but not usually found together. The compounds are trans-resveratrol (tRES) -- found in red grapes, and hesperetin (HESP) -- found in oranges. When given jointly at pharmaceutical doses the compounds acted in tandem to decrease blood glucose, improve the action of insulin and improve the health of arteries.
The compounds act by increasing a protein called glyoxalase 1 (Glo1) in the body which neutralises a damaging sugar-derived compound called methylglyoxal (MG). MG is a major contributor to the damaging effects of sugar. Increased MG accumulation with a high energy diet intake is a driver of insulin resistance leading to type 2 diabetes, and also damages blood vessels and impairs handling of cholesterol associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Blocking MG improved health in overweight and obese people and will likely help patients with diabetes and high risk of cardiovascular disease too. It has already been proven experimentally that blocking MG improves health impairment in obesity and type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Although the same compounds are found naturally in some fruits, the amounts and type required for health improvement cannot be obtained from increased fruit consumption. The compounds that increase Glo1 and are called a 'Glo1 inducer'. Pharmaceutical doses for patients with obesity, diabetes and high risk of heart disease could be given to patients in capsule form.
Professor Thornalley increased Glo1 expression in cell culture. He then tested the formulation in a randomised, placebo-controlled crossover clinical trial.
Thirty-two overweight and obese people within the 18-80 age range who had a BMI between 25-40 took part in the trial. They were given the supplement in capsule form once a day for eight weeks. They were asked to maintain their usual diet and their food intake was monitored via a dietary questionnaire and they were also asked not to alter their daily physical activity. Changes to their sugar levels were assessed by blood samples, artery health measured by artery wall flexibility and other assessments by analysis of blood markers.
The team found that the highly overweight subjects who had BMIs of over 27.5 with treatment displayed increased Glo1 activity, decreased glucose levels, improved working of insulin, improved artery function and decreased blood vessel inflammation. There was no effect of placebo.
Professor Thornalley said: "Obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are at epidemic levels in Westernised countries. Glo1 deficiency has been identified as a driver of health problems in obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease."
"Diabetic kidney disease will be the initial target to prove effective treatment for which we are currently seeking commercial investors and partners. Our new pharmaceutical is safe and expected to be an effective add-on treatment taken with current therapy.
"The key steps to discovery were to focus on increasing Glo1 and then to combine tRES and HESP together in the formulation for effective treatment.
"As exciting as our breakthrough is it is important to stress that physical activity, diet, other lifestyle factors and current treatments should be adhered to."
Professor Martin O Weickert, Consultant in Diabetes and Endocrinology at UHCW NHS Trust, and co-applicant for the grant, said: "We were really excited to participate in this study with Warwick Medical School, as taking part in world-leading research makes a real difference to our patients both now and in the future.
"As well as the positive effects for the UHCW patients who took part in the trial, we hope this study will lead to new treatments to help patients with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases all over the world."
Prof. Thornalley and his team are now hoping manufacturers will want to explore the use of the compound as pharmaceutical products.
Story Source:
The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University of Warwick. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:
Mingzhan Xue, Martin O Weickert, Sheharyar Qureshi, Ngianga-Bakwin Kandala, Attia Anwar, Molly Waldron, Alaa Shafie, David Messenger, Mark Fowler, Gail Jenkins, Naila Rabbani, Paul J. Thornalley. Improved glycemic control and vascular function in overweight and obese subjects by glyoxalase 1 inducer formulation. Diabetes, 2016; db160153 DOI: 10.2337/db16-0153
Cite This Page:
University of Warwick. "Fruit discovery could provide new treatments for obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease: Two compounds found in red grapes and oranges combined could treat diseases." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 11 May 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160511210619.htm>.
Use of complementary, alternative medicine affects initiation of chemotherapy
Date: May 12, 2016
Source: Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health
Summary:
Women with early-stage breast cancer for whom chemotherapy was indicated and who used dietary supplements and multiple types of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) were less likely to start chemotherapy than nonusers of alternative therapies, according to new research. This is one of the first studies to evaluate how complementary and alternative medicine use affects decisions regarding chemotherapy.
Women with early-stage breast cancer who used dietary supplements and multiple types of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) were less likely to start chemotherapy than nonusers of alternative therapies, a new study shows.
Credit: © dream79 / Fotolia
Women with early-stage breast cancer for whom chemotherapy was indicated and who used dietary supplements and multiple types of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) were less likely to start chemotherapy than nonusers of alternative therapies, according to latest research led by Heather Greenlee, ND, PhD, associate professor of Epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. This is one of the first studies to evaluate how complementary and alternative medicine use affects decisions regarding chemotherapy. Findings are available in JAMA Oncology.
Dr. Greenlee and colleagues studied a group of 685 women with early-stage breast cancer who were recruited from Columbia University Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, and Henry Ford Health System and enrolled 2006-2010. The women were younger than 70 with non-metastatic invasive breast cancer.
The study included five types of complementary therapies: the dietary supplement use of vitamins/minerals, herbs/botanicals, and other natural products, as well as mind-body self-practice, and mind-body practitioner-based.
Use of alternative therapies was reported by the large majority of the women studied--87 percent. By 12 months, chemotherapy was initiated by 89 percent of women for whom chemotherapy was indicated. The remaining group of women for whom chemotherapy was discretionary had a much lower rate of initiation--at 36 percent. Nearly half (45 percent) were clinically indicated to receive chemotherapy per National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines.
Not all women initiate adjuvant treatment for breast cancer despite the survival benefits associated with it. The decision to start chemotherapy involves psychosocial factors, belief systems, and clinical, demographic and provider characteristics.
Complementary and alternative therapy use among patients with breast cancer has increased in the past two decades. The most commonly used complementary and alternative therapies were dietary supplements and mind-body practices. On average, the women used two such therapies, although nearly 40 percent of the women reported using three or more complementary and alternative therapies.
The use of mind-body practices was not related to chemotherapy initiation. However, dietary supplements usage and a higher simultaneous use of multiple complementary and alternative therapies among women for whom chemotherapy was indicated were associated with a lower likelihood to initiate chemotherapy than nonusers, according to the results. There was no association between starting chemotherapy and using alternative medicine among women for whom chemotherapy was discretionary.
Greenlee suggests that it is important to consider possible alternative explanations for their findings. For example, it is unclear whether the association between complementary and alternative medicine use and chemotherapy non-initiation reflects long-standing decision-making patterns among study participants. It is possible that women who did not initiate treatment and who were alternative therapy users were long-time users of CAM and chose complementary medicine as an alternative to conventional chemotherapy. However, the study did not assess prior complementary and alternative medicine use and therefore cannot rule out this possibility.
"Though the majority of women with clinically indicated chemotherapy initiated treatment, 11 percent did not. A cautious interpretation of results may suggest to oncologists that it is beneficial to ascertain use of complementary and alternative medicine therapy among their patients, especially dietary supplement use, and to consider use of alternative treatment as a potential marker of patients at risk of not initiating clinically indicated chemotherapy," Greenlee said.
Story Source:
The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:
Heather Greenlee, Alfred I. Neugut, Laura Falci, Grace Clarke Hillyer, Donna Buono, Jeanne S. Mandelblatt, Janise M. Roh, Isaac J. Ergas, Marilyn L. Kwan, Marion Lee, Wei Yann Tsai, Zaixing Shi, Lois Lamerato, Lawrence H. Kushi, Dawn L. Hershman. Association Between Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use and Breast Cancer Chemotherapy Initiation. JAMA Oncology, 2016; DOI:10.1001/jamaoncol.2016.0685
Cite This Page:
Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. "Use of complementary, alternative medicine affects initiation of chemotherapy." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 12 May 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160512125428.htm>.
The gluten-free diet in children: Do the risks outweigh the benefits?
Date: May 13, 2016
Source: Elsevier Health Sciences
Summary:
The prevalence of celiac disease (CD), an autoimmune disease, is increasing. The only treatment for CD is a gluten-free diet. However, the increasing prevalence of CD does not account for the disproportionate increase in growth of the gluten-free food industry (136 percent from 2013 to 2015). Experts discuss several of the most common inaccuracies regarding the gluten-free diet.
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Another reason for wine lovers to toast resveratrol
Resveratrol found in red wine could help counteract the negative impact of high fat/high sugar diets
Date: May 13, 2016
Source: Frontiers
Summary:
Red wine lovers have a new reason to celebrate. Researchers have found a new health benefit of resveratrol, which occurs naturally in blueberries, raspberries, mulberries, grape skins and consequently in red wine.
Red wine lovers have a new reason to celebrate. Researchers have found a new health benefit of resveratrol, which occurs naturally in blueberries, raspberries, mulberries, grape skins and consequently in red wine.
While studying the effects of resveratrol in the diet of rhesus monkeys, Dr. J.P. Hyatt, an associate professor at Georgetown University, and his team of researchers hypothesized that a resveratrol supplement would counteract the negative impact of a high fat/high sugar diet on the hind leg muscles. In previous animal studies, resveratrol has already shown to increase the life span of mice and slow the onset of diabetes. In one study, it mirrored the positive effects of aerobic exercise in mice, which were fed a high fat/high sugar diet.
For Dr. Hyatt's current study, which was published in the open access journalFrontiers in Physiology, a control group of rhesus monkeys was fed a healthy diet and another group was fed a high fat/high sugar diet, half of which also received a resveratrol supplement and half of which did not. The researchers wanted to know how different parts of the body responded to the benefits of resveratrol -- specifically the muscles in the back of the leg.
Three types of muscles were examined: a "slow" muscle, a "fast" muscle and a "mixed" muscle. The study showed that each muscle responded differently to the diet and to the addition of resveratrol.
The soleus muscle, a large muscle spanning from the knee to the heel, is considered a "slow" muscle used extensively in standing and walking. Of the three lower hind leg muscles analyzed for this study, the soleus was the most effected by the high fat/high sugar diet and also most effected by the resveratrol supplements; this may be partially due to the fact that, on a daily basis, it is used much more than the other two muscles.
In the soleus muscle, myosin, a protein which helps muscles contract, and determines its slow or fast properties, shifted from more slow to more fast with a high fat/ high sugar diet. The addition of resveratrol to the diet counteracted this shift.
The plantaris muscle, a 5-10 cm long muscle along the back of the calf, did not have a negative response to the high fat/high sugar diet, but it did have a positive response to the addition of resveratrol, with a fast to slow myosin shift. The third muscle was not affected by the diet or addition of resveratrol.
Hyatt said it would be reasonable to expect other slow muscles to respond similarly to the soleus muscle when exposed to a high fat/high sugar diet and resveratrol.
"The maintenance or addition of slow characteristics in soleus and plantaris muscles, respectively, implies that these muscles are far more fatigue resistant than those without resveratrol. Skeletal muscles that are phenotypically slower can sustain longer periods of activity and could contribute to improved physical activity, mobility, or stability, especially in elderly individuals," he said, when asked if this study could be applied to humans.
While these results are encouraging, and there might be a temptation to continue eating a high fat/high sugar diet and simply add a glass of red wine or a cup of fruit to one's daily consumption, the researchers stress the importance of a healthy diet cannot be overemphasized. But for now there's one more reason to have a glass of red wine.
Story Source:
The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Frontiers. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:
Jon-Philippe K. Hyatt, Lisa Nguyen, Allison E. Hall, Ashley M. Huber, Jessica C. Kocan, Julie A. Mattison, Rafael de Cabo, Jeannine R. LaRocque, Robert J. Talmadge. Muscle-Specific Myosin Heavy Chain Shifts in Response to a Long-Term High Fat/High Sugar Diet and Resveratrol Treatment in Nonhuman Primates. Frontiers in Physiology, 2016; 7 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2016.00077
Cite This Page:
Frontiers. "Another reason for wine lovers to toast resveratrol: Resveratrol found in red wine could help counteract the negative impact of high fat/high sugar diets." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 13 May 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160513150355.htm>.
Omega-3 lowers childhood aggression in short term
Date: May 13, 2016
Source: University of Pennsylvania
Summary:
Consuming omega-3 initially improves a child's aggressive behavior, according to researchers but the effects eventually vanish.
Incorporating omega-3, vitamins and mineral supplements into the diets of children with extreme aggression can reduce this problem behavior in the short term, especially its more impulsive, emotional form, according to University of Pennsylvania researchers who published their findings in theJournal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
Adrian Raine, the Richard Perry University Professor of Criminology, Psychology and Psychiatry, has spent his career looking at how the brain's biological functioning affects antisocial behavior. He focuses specifically on understanding these actions and learning how to modify them, whether with something benign like a child acting out or with something extreme, in the case of a homicidal killer.
"How do you change the brain to make people better?" he asked. "How can we improve brain functioning to improve behavior?"
These questions formed the foundation for work Raine had previously done with adolescents on the African island of Mauritius. In a randomized control trial, one group received omega-3 supplements for six months, the other didn't. Those taking the fish oil saw a reduction in aggressive and antisocial behavior.
"That was my starting point," he said. "I was really excited about the results we published there."
Mauritius, however, is a tropical climate and a different culture from the United States, so Raine, a Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor, decided to test a new version of the study in Philadelphia, to aim for more broadly applicable outcomes. He partnered with Therese Richmond, the Andrea B. Laporte Professor of Nursing and associate dean for research and innovation, and several other Penn faculty, including Rose Cheney of the Perelman School of Medicine and Jill Portnoy of the Criminology Department in the School of Arts & Sciences.
The Philadelphia randomized control study placed 290 11- and 12-year-olds with a history of violence into four groups: The first received omega-3 in the form of juice, as well as multivitamins and calcium for three months. For that same duration, a second group participated in cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, which included meeting weekly for an hour, with time split between the child, the parent and with both together.
"Sessions focused on the links between thoughts, feelings and behaviors and also practicing alternative actions the children could take to deal with difficult situations rather than to emotionally react to something," said Richmond, who supervised the clinical trial. "It's helping the child build a toolbox of ways to interact with others. For example, if I'm angry, how might I cope with anger other than physically striking out?"All participants got homework, too.
A third group in the study took the supplements and participated in CBT, and a fourth received resources and information targeted at reducing aggressive behavior. Blood samples at the experiment's start and conclusion measured omega-3 levels in each child.
"Immediately after three months of the nutritional intervention rich in omega-3s, we found a decrease in the children's reporting of their aggressive behavior," Richmond said. The team also followed up three and six months later.
At the first check-in, participants getting the combination of CBT and omega-3s reported less aggression than the control group and the therapy-only group. By the final check-in, however, any positive effects had dissipated. What remains unknown is whether continued use of omega-3s would lead to a long-term reduction in antisocial behavior.
There were other minor limitations to the research. For one, self-reporting completed by parents and children didn't line up. The 11- and 12-year-olds in the omega-3 and CBT-supplement groups noted fewer aggressive behaviors; their parents said such tendencies hadn't changed. Also, some participants dropped out before the study had finished.
Despite these challenges, Raine, Richmond and their colleagues said the findings provide some important insight.
"No matter what program you use, could adding omega-3s to your treatment help?" Raine asked. "This suggests it could."
And though the work answers some questions, it also creates new ones, which returns to a larger point regarding the mind-action connection: It's complicated.
"We can't oversimplify the complexity of antisocial behavior. There are many causes," Raine said. "It's not just the brain. Is it a piece of the jigsaw puzzle? I think it is."
Funding for the research came from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the Clinical & Translational Research Center at the Perelman School of Medicine and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Story Source:
The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University of Pennsylvania. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:
Adrian Raine, Rose A. Cheney, Ringo Ho, Jill Portnoy, Jianghong Liu, Liana Soyfer, Joseph Hibbeln, Therese S. Richmond. Nutritional supplementation to reduce child aggression: a randomized, stratified, single-blind, factorial trial. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2016; DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12565
Cite This Page:
University of Pennsylvania. "Omega-3 lowers childhood aggression in short term." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 13 May 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160513215327.htm>.
Improving natural killer cancer therapy
Date: May 16, 2016
Source: Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Summary:
Researchers have discovered a potential way to 'tune up' the immune system's ability to kill cancer cells. In a new paper, they describe their discovery in mice of a tolerance mechanism that restrains the activity of natural killer (NK) cells, and a potential way to overcome it.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have discovered a potential way to "tune up" the immune system's ability to kill cancer cells.
In a paper published recently, Eric Sebzda, Ph.D., assistant professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, graduate student and first author Whitney Rabacal and colleagues describe their discovery in mice of a tolerance mechanism that restrains the activity of natural killer (NK) cells, and a potential way to overcome it.
NK cells are a type of white blood cell that specifically recognize and destroy tumor cells. NK cell-mediated tumor therapy -- essentially, injections of NK cells -- is a cutting-edge technique currently used clinically. It can sweep the blood clean of cancer cells in leukemia patients; however, the remission is often short-lived.
In the paper, published in the May 10, 2016 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, they report that a transcription factor, Kruppel-like factor 2 (KFL2) is critical for NK cell expansion and survival.
KLF2 both limits immature NK cell proliferation and instructs mature NK cells to home to niches rich in interleukin 15 (IL-15), which is necessary for their continued survival.
"This is the same process likely used by cancer cells to avoid destruction by NK cells," Sebzda said. In particular, tumors may avoid immune clearance by promoting KLF2 destruction within the NK cell population, thereby starving these cells of IL-15.
Increased expression of IL-15 can improve immune responses against tumors. Unfortunately, it's not easy to introduce the cytokine only within a tumor microenvironment, and high, systemic levels of IL-15 can be toxic.
Recruitment of cells to the tumor microenvironment that "transpresent" IL-15 may overcome this barrier and thus may improve NK cell-mediated cancer therapy, although the methodology hasn't been worked out yet. "Our paper should encourage this line of inquiry," Sebzda said.
Story Source:
The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The original item was written by Sanjay Mishra. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:
Whitney Rabacal, Sudheer K. Pabbisetty, Kristen L. Hoek, Delphine Cendron, Yin Guo, Damian Maseda, Eric Sebzda. Transcription factor KLF2 regulates homeostatic NK cell proliferation and survival.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2016; 113 (19): 5370 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1521491113
Cite This Page:
Vanderbilt University Medical Center. "Improving natural killer cancer therapy." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 16 May 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160516125948.htm>.
Magic mushroom compound psilocybin could provide new avenue for antidepressant research
Date: May 17, 2016
Source: The Lancet
Summary:
Psilocybin -- a hallucinogenic compound derived from magic mushrooms -- may offer a possible new avenue for antidepressant research, according to a new study.
Psilocybin -- a hallucinogenic compound derived from magic mushrooms -- may offer a possible new avenue for antidepressant research, according to a new study published in The Lancet Psychiatry today.
The small feasibility trial, which involved 12 people with treatment-resistant depression, found that psilocybin was safe and well-tolerated and that, when given alongside supportive therapy, helped reduce symptoms of depression in about half of the participants at 3 months post-treatment. The authors warn that strong conclusions cannot be made about the therapeutic benefits of psilocybin but the findings show that more research in this field is now needed.
"This is the first time that psilocybin has been investigated as a potential treatment for major depression," says lead author Dr Robin Carhart-Harris, Imperial College London, London, UK. "Treatment-resistant depression is common, disabling and extremely difficult to treat. New treatments are urgently needed, and our study shows that psilocybin is a promising area of future research. The results are encouraging and we now need larger trials to understand whether the effects we saw in this study translate into long-term benefits, and to study how psilocybin compares to other current treatments."
Depression is a major public health burden, affecting millions of people worldwide and costing the US alone over $200 billion per year. The most common treatments for depression are cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and antidepressants. However, 1 in 5 patients with depression do not respond to any intervention, and many relapse.
"Previous animal and human brain imaging studies have suggested that psilocybin may have effects similar to other antidepressant treatments," says Professor David Nutt, senior author from Imperial College London "Psilocybin targets the serotonin receptors in the brain, just as most antidepressants do, but it has a very different chemical structure to currently available antidepressants and acts faster than traditional antidepressants."
The trial involved 12 patients (6 women, 6 men) with moderate to severe depression (average length of illness was 17.8 years). The patients were classified as having treatment-resistant depression, having previously had two unsuccessful courses of antidepressants (lasting at least 6 weeks). Most (11) had also received some form of psychotherapy. Patients were not included if they had a current or previous psychotic disorder, an immediate family member with a psychotic disorder, history of suicide or mania or current drug or alcohol dependence.
Patients attended two treatment days -- a low (test) dose of psilocybin 10mg oral capsules, and a higher (therapeutic) dose of 25mg a week later. Patients took the capsules while lying down on a ward bed, in a special room with low lighting and music, and two psychiatrists sat either side of the bed. The psychiatrists were present to provide support and check in on patients throughout the process by asking how they were feeling. Patients had an MRI scan the day after the therapeutic dose. They were followed up one day after the first dose, and then at 1, 2, 3, and 5 weeks and 3 months after the second dose.
The psychedelic effects of psilocybin were detectable 30 to 60 minutes after taking the capsules. The psychedelic effect peaked at 2-3 hours, and patients were discharged 6 hours later. No serious side effects were reported, and expected side effects included transient anxiety before or as the psilocybin effects began (all patients), some experienced confusion (9), transient nausea (4) and transient headache (4). Two patients reported mild and transient paranoia.
At 1 week post-treatment, all patients showed some improvement in their symptoms of depression. 8 of the 12 patients (67%) achieved temporary remission. By 3 months, 7 patients (58%) continued to show an improvement in symptoms and 5 of these were still in remission. Five patients showed some degree of relapse.
The patients knew they were receiving psilocybin (an 'open-label' trial) and the effect of psilocybin was not compared with a placebo. The authors also stress that most of the study participants were self-referred meaning they actively sought treatment, and may have expected some effect (5 had previously tried psilocybin before). All patients had agreement from their GP to take part in the trial. They add that patients were carefully screened and given psychological support before, during and after the intervention, and that the study took place in a positive environment. Further research is now needed to tease out the relative influence of these factors on symptoms of depression, and look at how psilocybin compares to placebo and other current treatments.
Writing in a linked Comment, Professor Philip Cowen, MRC Clinical Scientist, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, says: "The key observation that might eventually justify the use of a drug like psilocybin in treatment-resistant depression is demonstration of sustained benefit in patients who previously have experienced years of symptoms despite conventional treatments, which makes longer-term outcomes particularly important. The data at 3 month follow-up (a comparatively short time in patients with extensive illness duration) are promising but not completely compelling, with about half the group showing significant depressive symptoms. Further follow-ups using detailed qualitative interviews with patients and family could be very helpful in enriching the assessment."
Story Source:
The above post is reprinted from materials provided by The Lancet. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:
Michael C Mithoefer, Charles S Grob, Timothy D Brewerton. Novel psychopharmacological therapies for psychiatric disorders: psilocybin and MDMA. The Lancet Psychiatry, 2016; 3 (5): 481 DOI:10.1016/S2215-0366(15)00576-3
Cite This Page:
The Lancet. "Magic mushroom compound psilocybin could provide new avenue for antidepressant research." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 17 May 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160517083044.htm>.
What foods can help fight the risk of chronic inflammation?
Date: May 16, 2016
Source: University of Liverpool
Summary:
A new study has identified food stuffs that can help prevent chronic inflammation that contributes to many leading causes of death.
Onions. Sian Richardson, said: "The results of our study suggest that (poly)phenols derived from onions, turmeric, red grapes, green tea and açai berries may help reduce the release of pro-inflammatory mediators in people at risk of chronic inflammation.
Credit: © rysp / Fotolia
A new study by the University of Liverpool's Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease has identified food stuffs that can help prevent chronic inflammation that contributes to many leading causes of death.
Inflammation occurs naturally in the body but when it goes wrong or goes on too long, it can trigger disease processes. Uncontrolled inflammation plays a role in many major diseases, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer's disease.
Diets rich in fruits and vegetables, which contain polyphenols, protect against age-related inflammation and chronic diseases.
Cell-to-cell communication
Polyphenols are abundant micronutrients in our diet, and evidence for their role in the prevention of degenerative diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases is already emerging. The health effects of polyphenols depend on the amount consumed and on their bioavailability.
T-cells, or T-lymphocytes, are a type of white blood cell that circulate around our bodies, scanning for cellular abnormalities and infections. They contribute to cell signalling molecules (cytokines) that aid cell-to-cell communication in immune responses and stimulate the movement of cells towards sites of inflammation, infection and trauma. Cytokines are modulated by fruit and vegetable intake.
Little is known about the relative potency of different (poly)phenols in modulating cytokine release by lymphocytes.
Pro-inflammatory mediators
The study, conducted by Sian Richardson and Dr Chris Ford from the University's Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, examined the different potencies of the polyphenols.
Sian Richardson, said: "The results of our study suggest that (poly)phenols derived from onions, turmeric, red grapes, green tea and açai berries may help reduce the release of pro-inflammatory mediators in people at risk of chronic inflammation.
"Older people are more susceptible to chronic inflammation and as such they may benefit from supplementing their diets with isorhamnetin, resveratrol, curcumin and vanillic acid or with food sources that yield these bioactive molecules."
Story Source:
The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University of Liverpool. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:
Christopher T. Ford, Siân Richardson, Francis McArdle, Silvina B. Lotito, Alan Crozier, Anne McArdle, Malcolm J. Jackson. Identification of (poly)phenol treatments that modulate the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines by human lymphocytes. British Journal of Nutrition, 2016; 115 (10): 1699 DOI: 10.1017/S0007114516000805
Cite This Page:
University of Liverpool. "What foods can help fight the risk of chronic inflammation?." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 16 May 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160516091547.htm>.
Pesquisa indica que preservação e regeneração de florestas secundárias pode mitigar os efeitos do aquecimento global
“Science” publica pesquisa de docente da UFSB que mostra que preservação e regeneração de florestas secundárias pode mitigar os efeitos do aquecimento global
O estudo internacional é assinado por 60 cientistas, e um deles é o professor Daniel Piotto, pesquisador e docente na Universidade Federal do Sul da Bahia (UFSB)
Um artigo publicado na revista Science Advances nesta sexta-feira, 13, traz dados sobre o potencial de sequestro de carbono em florestas secundárias em 43 regiões da América Latina. O estudo internacional é assinado por 60 cientistas, e um deles é o professor Daniel Piotto, pesquisador e docente na Universidade Federal do Sul da Bahia (UFSB).
O trabalho estimou as áreas com menos de mil metros de altitude cobertas por florestas secundárias (entre 0 e 60 anos de idade) em 43 regiões da América Latina. Com isso, a equipe calculou o potencial de estoque de carbono nessas florestas jovens, criando uma projeção assumindo que essas matas sejam mantidas intactas nos próximos 40 anos. “Estoque de carbono”, neste caso, indica o acúmulo desse elemento em raízes, tronco, galhos e folhas das árvores ao longo da vida. Isso ocorre por meio do processo de fotossíntese, durante o qual os vegetais “consomem” dióxido de carbono, o gás carbônico, e liberam oxigênio.
Dentre os países estudados, o Brasil lidera em termos de potencial de sequestro de carbono em florestas secundárias, detendo 71% do total estimado, seguido pelo México, Colômbia, Venezuela, Bolívia e Peru. Os dados se referem a áreas florestais e campos agrícolas abandonados, conforme medição em 2008.
A projeção apresentada no estudo considera que, se essas florestas secundárias forem totalmente preservadas, o total de dióxido de carbono, ou gás carbônico, retirado da atmosfera em 2048 por essas matas equivaleria a todas as emissões desse gás, da queima de combustíveis fósseis aos processos industriais, em todos os países da América Latina e do Caribe de 1993 a 2014 – um total de 22 anos de lançamento massivo de carbono em mais de 30 países.
A regeneração de florestas ajuda a reduzir a quantidade de gás carbônico na atmosfera, mas não o bastante para retirar a necessidade de redução das emissões de gases de efeito estufa. Além disso, áreas de floresta contribuem para a regulação do ciclo hidrológico. Isso implica, entre outros benefícios, a regulação de regimes de chuvas, o que interessa a todos, no meio rural e nas cidades.
O artigo pode ser acessado neste link: http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/2/5/e1501639
Fonte: Universidade Federal do Sul da Bahia / Jornal da Ciência
in EcoDebate, 17/05/2016
Regulamentação da Lei da Biodiversidade é um retrocesso e abre margem para judicialização, avalia especialista
Por Viviane Monteiro, Jornal da Ciência / SBPC
Antes da publicação do decreto, a SBPC encaminhou, em 02 de maio, uma carta ao Ministério do Meio Ambiente, com cópia à Casa Civil e ao MCTI, em que alertava que o texto estabelecia procedimentos “excessivamente” burocráticos, que poderiam atrasar a pesquisa e o desenvolvimento científicos e tecnológicos do País
Apesar de esforços da comunidade científica, o decreto que regulamenta a chamada Lei da Biodiversidade (Lei 13.123/2015) representa um retrocesso e conseguiu agravar até mesmo pontos que já eram considerados negativos na legislação, diante da pressa para preencher “o vácuo” na legislação. A bióloga Nurit Bensusan, assessora do Instituto Socioambiental (ISA), diz que a lei continua burocrática, gera insegurança jurídica e nem sequer assegura os direitos dos detentores dos conhecimentos tradicionais sobre as riquezas naturais que devem ser exploradas pelo setor industrial.
Bensusan, especialista em biodiversidade do Instituto Socioambiental, disse que a regulamentação da lei representa uma “afronta” aos direitos dos povos detentores dos conhecimentos tradicionais em relação às normas estabelecidas na Convenção da Biodiversidade, que preveem repartição de benefícios de forma justa e equitativa. Dessa forma, ela entende que a nova legislação abre espaço para judicialização em sua execução.
O decreto (nº 8772/2016) gerou divergências no próprio governo. O Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (MCTI), antes da unificação com a pasta das Comunicações, não assinou o decreto. Já o Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (MAPA) e o Ministério do Desenvolvimento, Indústria e Comércio Exterior (MDIC) assinaram apenas em última hora o documento. O decreto regulamenta a lei que permite o acesso ao patrimônio genético e a distribuição de riquezas aos detentores de conhecimentos tradicionais que podem ser utilizados pela indústria para agregar valor a conhecimentos. Tais como chás, remédios caseiros e plantas que podem ser utilizadas para fabricação de cosméticos.
Grande parte das recomendações da Sociedade Brasileira para o Progresso da Ciência (SBPC) foi ignorada na elaboração do decreto. Antes da publicação do decreto, a instituição científica encaminhou em 02 de maio carta ao Ministério do Meio Ambiente, com cópia à Casa Civil e ao MCTI, em que alertava que o texto estabelecia procedimentos “excessivamente” burocráticos, que poderiam atrasar a pesquisa e o desenvolvimento científicos e tecnológicos do País, levando à perda da competitividade econômica.
“De que serve sermos um país megadiverso, se de forma justa e sustentável não pudermos beneficiar a sociedade brasileira com o uso adequado desse patrimônio”, questiona a carta, disponível aqui.
Ausência de rastreabilidade
Na opinião da bióloga do ISA, o decreto “está cheio de problemas”. Segundo disse, um deles é a ausência de rastreabilidade do produto final derivado de conhecimentos tradicionais. Ela aponta falhas no processo de conhecimento prévio informado sobre a exploração comercial do uso do conhecimento tradicional, por faltar instrumentos de controle e de fiscalização. Disse que haverá apenas uma declaração do uso dos conhecimentos tradicionais.
“Isso é ruim para todas as partes envolvidas, principalmente para os detentores de conhecimento tradicional que não terão garantia de que o conhecimento está sendo essencial para agregação de valor do produto colocado no mercado”. Segundo ela, da forma como está regulamentada, a repartição de benefícios dos conhecimentos tradicionais será uma exceção e não uma regra.
“Esse ponto já estava ruim na lei e o decreto conseguiu piorar ainda mais, e isso vai estimular a judicialização, porque a repartição de benefícios que acontece somente de vez em quando não é justa e nem equitativa”, disse. Ela prosseguiu: “A indústria poderá colocar um produto no mercado, apenas pelo preenchimento de uma mera declaração e o processo de verificação vai se dar depois, se, eventualmente, alguém achar algo errado e que precisa correr atrás do prejuízo”.
Composição do CGEN
A composição do plenário do Conselho de Gestão do Patrimônio Genético (CGEN), vinculado ao Ministério do Meio Ambiente também é alvo de várias críticas. O decreto desconsiderou a recomendação da SBPC de incluir instituições mais abrangentes para representar a comunidade acadêmica nos assentos, como o Conselho Nacional das Fundações Estaduais de Amparo à Pesquisa (Confap), por estar relacionado diretamente com o financiamento das pesquisas nos estados. Manteve apenas a Academia Brasileira de Ciências (ABC) e a própria SBPC.
Nurit Bensusan criticou o fato de o decreto ter derrubado a cláusula que impedia que instituições, como Fiocruz e Embrapa, usuários do patrimônio genético, fizessem parte do CGEN, para evitar conflito de interesse. Para ele, esse cenário é desfavorável aos detentores dos conhecimentos tradicionais.
“Isso é um absurdo porque são usuários. O governo deveria atuar de forma mais neutra, mas isso não vai acontecer, infelizmente”.
Ela disse ainda que a questão do Ministério do Desenvolvimento Agrário (MDA), que tinha assento no CGEN, terá de ser revista, já que o ministério foi extinto pelo presidente interino, Michel Temer. O MDA defenderia os interesses dos pequenos agricultores, um dos detentores dos conhecimentos tradicionais.
in EcoDebate, 17/05/2016
Estudo mostra como aquecimento global pode afetar os recifes de Abrolhos
Os recifes de Abrolhos são os maiores do Atlântico Sul. Pesquisadores da Rede Abrolhos, que monitoram esses recifes, acompanharam o desenvolvimento de organismos sobre placas artificiais mantidas no ambiente, fazendo medidas contínuas da temperatura da água entre 2012 e 2014. Os resultados, publicados nesta quarta-feira, 27 de abril, na revista PLoS One, indicam que os recifes de Abrolhos ainda estão em crescimento, porém sofrem com o aumento da temperatura.
O artigo “Carbonate production by benthic communities on shallow coralgal reefs of Abrolhos Bank, Brazil” identificou que o segundo grupo mais abundante encontrado nas placas de colonização, principalmente no final do verão 2013-2014, coincidindo com anomalias térmicas intensas, se constitui de tufos de algas e bactérias, que crescem sobre as algas calcárias e corais e acabam por matá-los. Esses tufos passaram de 1 a 4 % da ocupação do espaço das placas em 2012-13 para 25%, após as intensas ondas de calor do verão 2013-14.
A pesquisa demonstrou também que o principal grupo construtor dos recifes de Abrolhos são as algas calcárias, e não os corais. Em Abrolhos, esses recifes crescem produzindo anualmente cerca de 580 gramas por m2 de carbonato de cálcio (o cimento do recife). “Trata-se de um valor intermediário quando comparado com áreas coralíneas com algum nível de degradação”, afirma Gilberto Amado Filho, pesquisador do Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro e coordenador do estudo. Outros dois pesquisadores do JBRJ, Leonardo Tavares Salgado e Fernando Moraes, são coautores.
Segundo Rodrigo Moura, pesquisador da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro e coautor do estudo, “os recifes de Abrolhos já mostram sinais claros de degradação, mas vale lembrar que o controle da poluição e da sobrepesca pode atenuar o efeito das anomalias globais”. Os resultados do estudo proporcionam agora um referencial para acompanhar a resposta dos recifes de Abrolhos às mudanças climáticas, que tendem a se intensificar ao longo do Século XXI.
O projeto de monitorando da região pela Rede Abrolhos continua. Estão sendo feitas amostragens nos recifes, instalação de novas placas de colonização e de sensores de temperatura e avaliação da qualidade da água. A iniciativa é apoiada pelo MCTI/CNPq/ANA através do Projeto Monitoramento das Mudanças Cliimáticas no Banco dos Abrolhos e do Programa de Pesquisas Ecológicas de Longa Duração-PELD/CNPq, contando também com recursos de contrapartida de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento da ANP/Brasoil.
Participam do projeto o Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, o Instituto Oceanográfico da USP, o Laboratório de Oceanografia Geológica da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, o Departamento de Biologia Marinha da UFRJ, o Departamento de Engenharia e Meio Ambiente da Universidade Federal da Paraíba, o Instituto do Mar da UNIFESP e o Departamento de Oceanografia da UFES.
Imagens das placas de colonização instaladas nos recifes rasos de Abrolhos. A.Placas e sensores de temperatura logo após serem instalados no verão de 2013. B-D. Imagens das placas após um ano de colonização no verão de 2014, nos recifes de Pedra de Leste, Arquipélago dos Abrolhos e Parcel dos Abrolhos, respectivamente. Fotos: Fernando Moraes/JBRJ.
Fonte: Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro
in EcoDebate, 16/05/2016
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