Home Blog Page 3

High carbs diet triggers insomnia, study found

By
Edmon Agron
-
0
Hich Carbs diet

Thirty percent (30%) of adults experience insomnia. High carbs diet are to be blame, study found

Insomnia is often treated with cognitive behavioral therapy or related medications, but these can be expensive and sometimes carry side effects. With this in mind, researchers of Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons seek to identify other factors that may lead to insomnia. To possibly identify a straight-forward solution, low cost intervention with no side effects. Researcher studied the link between high carbs diet and insomnia.

Previous studies have explored a possible link between High carbs diet and insomnia, but results have not been consistent. This is because they didn’t follow individuals over time. It was not clear therefore if ones’ diet that is high in refined carbohydrates triggered the onset of insomnia, or if insomnia caused individuals to eat more sweets.

One way to determine if high carbs diet is causing sleep problems is to look for the emergence of insomnia in people with different diets.

In this current study, the researchers gathered data from more than 50,000 participants in the Women’s Health Initiative who had completed food diaries. The researchers looked at whether women with higher dietary glycemic index were more likely to develop insomnia.

The result is straight forward. Study found that postmenopausal women who consumed a diet high in refined carbohydrates—particularly added sugars—were more likely to develop insomnia.

However, women whose diet included higher amounts of vegetables, fiber, and whole fruit (not juice) were less likely to develop problems with insomnia.

All carbohydrates aren’t created equal

Different kinds and amounts of carbohydrates increase blood sugar levels to varying degrees. Highly refined carbohydrates—such as added sugars, white bread, white rice, and soda—have a higher glycemic index, and cause a more rapid increase in blood sugar.

“When blood sugar is raised quickly, your body reacts by releasing insulin, and the resulting drop in blood sugar can lead to the release of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which can interfere with sleep,” says researcher James Gangwisch, assistant professor at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

With that, the researchers assumed that the rapid spikes and troughs in blood sugar after eating refined carbohydrates may trigger insomnia.

High carbs diet triggers insomnia

They found that the higher the dietary glycemic index—particularly when fueled by the consumption of added sugars and processed grains—the greater the risk of developing insomnia. The study also discovered that women who consumed more vegetables and whole fruits (not juices) were less likely to develop insomnia.

Also read: Calabash fruit could be a cure for diabetic patients?

“Whole fruits contain sugar, but the fiber in them slow the rate of absorption to help prevent spikes in blood sugar,” says Gangwisch. “This suggests that the dietary culprit triggering the women’s insomnia was the highly processed foods that contain larger amounts of refined sugars that aren’t found naturally in food.”

Since most people, not just postmenopausal women, experience a rapid rise in blood sugar after eating refined carbohydrates, the authors suspect that these findings may also hold true in a broader population.

“Based on our findings, we would need randomized clinical trials to determine if a dietary intervention, focused on increasing the consumption of whole foods and complex carbohydrates, could be used to prevent and treat insomnia,” says Gangwisch.

This study “High glycemic index and glycemic load diets as risk factors for insomnia: Analyses from the Women’s Health Initiative,” is conducted by Lauren Hale (Stony Brook University, NY), Marie-Pierre St-Onge (Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY), Lydia Choi (Wayne State University, Detroit, MI), Erin S. LeBlanc (Kaiser Permanente NW, Portland, OR), Dolores Malaspina (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY), Mark G. Opler (NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY), Aladdin H. Shadyab (University of California San Diego), James M. Shikany (University of Alabama at Birmingham), Linda Snetselaar (University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA), Oleg Zaslavsky (University of Washington, Seattle, WA), and Dorothy Lane (Stony Brook). The result of the study is published at The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Repair damaged hearts with the flick of a switch?

By
Edmon Agron
-
0

Every 40 seconds, a person dies from heart disease in the United States, making it the single leading cause of death in that country, as well as worldwide. But what if all those damaged hearts could be repaired with the flick of a switch? A $1 million international study led by the University of South Australia is hoping to do just that.

The project, announced this week by the National Health and Medical Research Council, will involve UniSA Professor Janna Morrison harnessing knowledge that zebrafish, newborn mice and fetal sheep can repair their heart by activating critical molecules.

Human adults don’t have the ability to do this, resulting in extensive scarring after a heart attack and poor long-term health, relying on lifelong medication or pace makers to regulate their heart.

Professor Morrison lead a team involving researchers from Flinders University, Aarhus University in Denmark and SickKids Research Institute in Toronto, exploring whether changing the expression of a specific molecule can repair cardiac damage.

The project will examine how microRNA are involved in heart regeneration. It is already known that zebrafish can completely repair damaged hearts throughout life by “spontaneous healing”, switching from a mature to an immature state. Rats and mice can also regenerate injured hearts in the first few days of birth.

“It appears that humans don’t have this capacity and we need to target the molecules involved in promoting this regenerative capacity,” Prof Morrison says.

“Our aim is to develop a new therapeutic treatment for people who have suffered heart attacks with extensive cardiac damage.

“If we can flick the switch to repair human hearts it will have an enormous impact on improving heart health for all. Rather than seeking treatments to reduce the symptoms of heart failure, it would be possible to prevent heart damage in the first place.”

According to the Heart Foundation, around 620,000 people are living with heart disease in Australia and 28 million in the United States.

Although deaths from heart disease have declined by 38 percent in Australia, hospital admissions from heart attacks have risen sharply in recent decades, with more than 220,000 people hospitalised in 2015.

46 provinces receive inbred rice seeds under RCEF

By
Rita dela Cruz
-
0
inbred Rice

Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed Distribution Program Update

Forty-six out of the 57 target provinces have already received 341,203 bags (20kg/bag) of inbred rice seeds under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed Program as of latest data release dated by the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) dated December 1, 2019.

The 46 provinces, which make up 81 percent of the accomplishment, include 282 municipalities and cities with high-potential for competitiveness in rice production.

“The provinces have been identified based on the size of area harvested, yield level, cost of production, and share of irrigated area. These municipalities and cities have an annual area planted of more than 500 hectares for dry season 2019-2020,” said Agriculture Secretary William Dar.

Read Also: DA gives more farm loans to farmers

Seed distribution is ongoing to cover the remaining 11 provinces including 703 municipalities/cities. The remaining 1,766,805 bags of seeds are scheduled for distribution this 2019-2020 dry season. DA-PhilRice has already contracted out 97 percent of the seed requirement for this cropping period.

“The two-million bags of certified seeds will translate to planting around one million hectares of rice land which can contribute to increasing the yield up to six tons per hectare in high-yielding provinces by 2024,” Dar said.

Among the inbred rice seed varieties distributed include NSIC Rc 160, Rc 216, Rc 222, and two location-specific inbred varieties. 

What is Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF)

Created through RA 11203, RCEF is a new government program, aims to help farmers through the P10B-fund covering seed, machine, credit, and extension support.

Under this program Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) will develop, propagate, and promote high-quality inbred rice seeds to about 2 million farmers in 57 provinces. The program also aimed to help enhance the farmers skills and knowledge on rice production.

For more information read RCEP Frequently Asked Questions.

Light alcohol consumption linked to higher cancer risk

By
Edmon Agron
-
0
alcohol consumption

In a study conducted in Japan, even light to moderate alcohol consumption was associated with elevated cancer risks. In the study published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the overall cancer risk appeared to be the lowest at zero alcohol consumption.

Although some studies have linked limited alcohol consumption to lower risks of certain types of cancer, even light to moderate consumption has been associated with a higher risk of cancer overall.

To study the issue in Japan, Masayoshi Zaitsu, MD, PhD, of The University of Tokyo and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and his colleagues examined 2005-2016 information from 33 general hospitals throughout Japan.

The team examined clinical data on 63,232 patients with cancer and 63,232 controls matched for sex, age, hospital admission date, and admitting hospital. All participants reported their average daily amount of standardized alcohol units and the duration of drinking. (One standardized drink containing 23 grams of ethanol was equivalent to one 180-milliliter cup (6 ounces) of Japanese sake, one 500-milliliter bottle (17 ounces) of beer, one 180-milliliter glass (6 ounces) of wine, or one 60-milliliter cup (2 ounces) of whiskey.

Overall cancer risk appeared to be the lowest at zero alcohol consumption, and there was an almost linear association between cancer risk and alcohol consumption. The association suggested that a light level of drinking at a 10-drink-year point (for example, one drink per day for 10 years or two drinks per day for five years) would increase overall cancer risk by five percent.

Those who drank two or fewer drinks per day had an elevated cancer risk regardless of how long they had consumed alcohol. Also, analyses classified by sex, drinking/smoking behaviors, and occupational class mostly showed the same patterns.

The elevated risk appeared to be explained by alcohol-related cancer risk across relatively common sites, including the colorectum, stomach, breast, prostate, and esophagus.

“In Japan, the primary cause of death is cancer,” said Dr. Zaitsu. “Given the current burden of overall cancer incidence, we should further encourage promoting public education about alcohol-related cancer risk.”

For more information:

“Light to moderate amount of lifetime alcohol consumption and risk of cancer in Japan.” Masayoshi Zaitsu, Takumi Takeuchi, Yasuki Kobayashi, and Ichiro Kawachi. CANCER; Published Online: December 9, 2019 (DOI: 10.1002/cncr.32590). http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/cncr.32590

Mutant Enzyme potential for Green Chemistry discovered

By
Edmon Agron
-
0
Green Chemistry

A new function in plant enzyme that could inspire a new form of green chemistry is discovered.

Researchers at the Brookhaven National Laboratory of the United States’ Department of Energy announced the discovery of a new function in a plant enzyme that could have implications for the design of new chemical catalysts.

According to John Shanklin, lead researcher of Brookhaven Lab Biochemist, “This enzyme could inspire a new form of green chemistry. A potential strategy that can be used in designing new bio-inspired catalysts to replace the more expensive, toxic catalysts currently available in the market today.

The discovery is through their ongoing research into enzymes that desaturate plant oils. These desaturase enzymes strip hydrogen atoms off specific adjacent carbon atoms in a hydrocarbon chain and insert a double bond between those carbon atoms. According to the study, they had previously created a triple mutant version of a desaturase enzyme with interesting properties, and they were studying the three mutations separately to see how each one functions.

Two of the single mutant enzymes turned out to remove the double bond between adjacent carbon atoms and added an “OH” (hydroxyl group) to each carbon to produce a fatty acid with two adjacent hydroxyl groups.

Fatty acids containing such adjacent OH groups, known as diols, are important chemical components for making lubricants, like those that keep hot engines running smoothly. They can also be converted to building blocks for making plastics or other commodity products — Where hazardous chemicals are being used. Hence the discovery of an organic enzyme would pave the way to green chemistry.

“Diols are really important industrial chemicals but making them artificially in the lab is quite problematic,” Shanklin said.

The best industrial catalysts for this reaction are expensive, highly volatile, and toxic, the researchers noted.

Likewise, there are distinct forms of diols, and it is hard for chemists to make a single pure form.

Meanwhile, The enzyme mutants discovered naturally make a single form, so it’s ready to use without further processing or waste.

Tracing the origins of the oxygen atoms in the two OH groups revealed that both came from the same oxygen molecule (O2). The ability to transfer both oxygen atoms from a single O2 molecule during a reaction, known as “dioxygenase” chemistry, was something of a surprise for a “diiron” enzyme (one with two iron atoms in its active site).

“Dioxygenase chemistry has not previously been reported for diiron enzymes,” Shanklin said. “We had to perform some technically challenging experiments to provide incontrovertible proof that this was indeed happening, and without Ed Whittle’s creativity and tenacity, we wouldn’t have completed this study.”

Whittle, the lead author on the paper (now retired from Brookhaven Lab), has diligently worked on this project over a period of years in Shanklin’s lab to nail down this important new discovery.

The team’s next goal is to obtain a crystal structure of this enzyme using x-rays at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II)—a DOE Office of Science user facility at Brookhaven Lab.

“We’ll share that structural information with our computational chemistry colleagues to figure out the details of how this unprecedented chemistry can occur with this class of catalyst.”

That work could help the team learn how to control the configuration of lab-made catalysts to mimic the plant-derived version.

“If we can incorporate what we’ve learned into the design of industrial catalysts, those reactions could produce purer products with less waste and avoid using toxic chemicals,” Shanklin said.

The enzyme catalyzes, are the cornerstone chemical reactions needed to synthesize a wide array of organic molecules, including those found in lubricants, cosmetics, and those used as raw materials for making plastics.

Meanwhile, green chemistry is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances. Green chemistry applies across the life cycle of a chemical product, including its design, manufacture, use, and ultimate disposal. Green chemistry is also known as sustainable chemistry.

DA gives more farm loans to farmers

By
Edmon Agron
-
0
Farm loans

More farm loans available, as govt banks cut management fee on DA financing programs

More loans will be lent to farmers, amounting to at least P34 million, as two government financial institutions (GFIs) reduced the fee on managing loan funds of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

“The said policy complies with the call of President Rodrigo Duterte to make credit affordable to small farmers and fishers,” said Agriculture Secretary William Dar.

On October 23, 2019, Dar wrote Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III, requesting the LandBank of the Philippines (LBP) and Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) to reduce the fee that they charge to DA on processing and disbursing farm loans under three financing programs.

The respective board of directors of the two GFIs approved the request of Secretary Dar on November 5 (DBP) and 6 (LBP), reducing the previous rate of 4.5 percent by one percentage point to 3.5 percent on the three DA financing programs.

These are the: P1-billion (B) credit component of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF); P1-B credit program under the Sugarcane Industry Development Act (SIDA); and the P1.4-B Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF).

“On behalf of millions of farmers, fishers, and agri-entrepreneurs, we cannot thank enough Secretary Dominguez for favorably endorsing our request to LBP and DBP — a concrete manifestation of his continued support to our efforts in modernizing and industrializing the country’s agriculture and fishery sector,” said Secretary Dar.

“Likewise, we thank LBP and DBP president and CEO Cecilia Borromeo and Emmanuel Herbosa, respectively, for their strong and renewed partnership, as we are closer to each other than ever, in providing affordable and accessible credit (farm loans) particularly to small farmers, fishers, other rural folk, countryside entrepreneurs, and local government units,” Dar added.

Under the RCEF, the P1-B credit fund is equally shared by the LBP and DBP, at P500 million each.

The SIDA and ACEF financing programs are both managed by the LBP on DA’s behalf.

According to Dar, the (farm loans) or the three financing programs aim to make rice, sugarcane, and other farmers and fishers more productive, profitable and prosperous, and globally competitive.

“Now on our fifth month of service, we will continue to count on the support of all sectors to realize our new thinking for agriculture that envisions a food-secure Philippines with prosperous farmers and fisherfolk,” said Dar.

“The recent policy of LBP and DBP would further provide accessible and affordable credit and pave the way to our farmers and fishers attain masaganang ani at mataas na kita,” the DA chief concluded. (Press Release)

For more information:

Noel Ocampo Reyes
DA Spokesperson and
A/Sec for Communications & Media Affairs
CP: 09204889686
Landline: 89298183

World breadbaskets at risk due to Climate change

By
Edmon Agron
-
0
World breadbaskets are at risk due to Climate change

The world breadbaskets or the geographical areas responsible for growing much of the world’s food, are at risk due to extreme temperatures. Climate change has direct impacts to the worlds food supply such as wheat, maize, rice, soybean, and other staple foods.

Climate change is not just resulting in a steady increase in temperatures, but also in an increased frequency and severity of extreme climatic events, like droughts, heat waves, and floods. These extreme conditions are particularly damaging to agriculture.

Breadbaskets are directly affected by climate change

According to International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), climate variability is responsible for at least 30% of the annual fluctuations in worldwide agricultural yield. Under “normal” climatic conditions, the global food system can compensate for local crop losses through grain storage and trade. However, it is doubtful whether the current system is resilient to more extreme climatic conditions.

In a study published in the journal Nature Climate Change, IIASA researcher Franziska Gaupp and colleagues looked at the risk of simultaneous breadbasket failures due to climatic extremes, and how the risk has changed over time. “Climatic connections between global phenomena such as the El Niño Southern Oscilliation (ENSO) and regional climate extremes such as Indian heatwaves, or flood risks around the globe pose a risk to the global food system,” notes lead author Gaupp. “Climatic shocks to agricultural production contribute to food price spikes and famine, with the potential to trigger other systemic risks, including political unrest and migration. This analysis can provide the basis for a more efficient allocation of resources to contingency plans and strategic crop reserves that would enhance the resilience of the global food system.”

The study looks at climatic and crop yield data for the main agricultural regions within the highest crop producing countries by mass from 1967 to 2012. The analysis shows that there has been a significant increase in the probability of multiple global breadbasket failures for particularly wheat, maize, and soybeans. For soybeans, for example, the implications of crop failure in all major breadbaskets associated with climate risk would be at least 12.55 million tons of crop losses. This exceeds the 7.2 million tons of losses in 1988–1989, one of the largest historical soybean production shocks.

On a global scale, there are both negative and positive correlations between the world’s breadbaskets and climatic dependence. Precipitation-based risks for soybean breadbaskets in India and Argentina are negatively correlated. This means that heavy rainfall in India will negatively affect the local soybean harvest, but this can be mitigated by imports from Argentina – in this way, crop losses can be balanced out.

On the other hand, there is a positive correlation between the maximum temperature in the EU and Australia, for example. The risk of increasing temperatures in Australia due to climate change could affect the amount of wheat they are able to export to the EU. This could then place additional pressure on the EU in case of drought during the wheat season.

This is the first study of this type and scale. While the possibility of a climatic extreme hitting more than one global breadbasket has been a growing cause for concern, only a few studies have investigated the probability of simultaneous production shocks. “Our approach is able to estimate simultaneous large-scale extreme climatic events in a risk-based manner, and therefore enables the development of new risk response strategies”, says study coauthor Stefan Hochrainer-Stigler, researcher with the Risk and Resilience Program at IIASA (Press Release)

Reference:

Gaupp F, Hall J, Hochrainer-Stigler S, & Dadson S (2019). Changing risks of simultaneous global breadbasket failure. Nature Climate Change DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-019-0600-z

Peanut allergy no more, vaccine underway

By
Edmon Agron
-
0
Peanut Allergy

Peanut allergy could become a thing of the past as breakthrough research from the University of South Australia develops a radically novel vaccination that’s poised to cure the potentially life threatening condition.

Peanut allergy occurs when the immune system mistakenly identifies peanuts as an allergen signalling immune cells to release chemicals resulting in adverse reactions that can range from mild hives, cramps, nausea and vomiting to life threatening anaphylactic reactions that require immediate medical attention. Severe allergic reactions can include impaired breathing, swelling in the throat, a sudden drop in blood pressure, dizziness, and even death.

According to the World Allergy Organization, 220-550 million people are affected with food allergies and related life-threatening anaphylaxis worldwide.

Peanuts are one of the most common food allergies and the most likely food to cause anaphylaxis or death.

In Australia, there is particularly high prevalence of peanut allergies with one in 200 adults, and almost three in every 100 children affected.

New peanut allergy vaccine has great potential to change lives, especially those affected individuals. “The impact of peanut allergy on family is all-consuming, given the very real risks to a child’s heath,” said Dr Preethi Eldi, the novel research project leader.

“Parents are constantly protecting their child from being exposed to peanuts in all forms – from popular breakfast cereals and school snacks, to biscuits, cakes and even health foods – whether at home, school, or in social situations. And, it means being vigilant and imposing very stringent dietary restrictions, not only for the child, but often, also for family members.”

“If we can deliver an effective peanut allergy vaccine, we’ll remove this stress, concern, and constant monitoring, freeing the child and their family from the constraints and dangers of peanut allergy.”

The new peanut allergy vaccine is formulated by packaging bits of peanut proteins into the Sementis Copenhagen-vectored (SCV) virus platform. SCV is a ground-breaking technology developed by Dr Paul Howley, Chief Scientific Officer, Sementis and UniSA’s Professor John Hayball, Head of UniSA’s Experimental Therapeutics Laboratory.

The peanut allergy vaccine tricks the immune system into seeing peanut allergens in a new light, so that the body responds normally instead of generating an allergic reaction.

“We’re effectively reprogramming the body to see peanuts as an entity that can be cured by a vaccine, rather than an allergen that elicits an allergic reaction,” Prof Hayball says

“Already, the vaccine is showing signs of success, shifting peanut-specific immune responses in mouse models of peanut allergy, and in preliminary in vitro vaccination-like studies using human blood samples from clinically-confirmed peanut allergic people.

“The next steps are to gain further human samples and confirm the efficacy of the vaccine. This will demonstrate human translational capacity and will significantly increase the chances of success in future clinical trials.”

Dr William Smith, Head of the Clinical Immunology and Allergy unit at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and lead clinician involved in the study, says that despite global efforts and several other ongoing clinical trials, the development of immunomodulatory therapeutics is proving extremely challenging.

“There are varying degrees of ‘clinical’ desensitization of peanut allergy, but to date, none have succeeded in safely and completely eradicating peanut allergy,” Dr Smith says.

“An effective vaccine for use in peanut allergy must be safe to administer with minimal adverse events, have a short immunization schedule to improve compliance specifically with peanut allergic children and, most importantly, induce life-long protection.

“The preliminary data is encouraging and favours that the vaccine can meet all these criteria. It’s very exciting research and we are very positive to take the next step into what we hope will be a cure for peanut allergy.”

For more information:

Annabel Mansfield
email: Annabel.Mansfield@unisa.edu.au

Dr Preethi Eldi
email: Preethi.Eldi@unisa.edu.au

Warmer temperature increases rice arsenic content, study

By
Edmon Agron
-
0
Arsenic in Rice

Rice is a Filipino staple. The center plate of every Filipino tables. We consumed rice more than three times in daily basis. But, what if, in addition to its nutrients, rice can contain small amounts of arsenic, that could cause multiple health conditions and dietary-related cancers?

A new study conducted by the University of Washington (UW) found that warmer temperatures, can lead to higher concentrations of arsenic in rice grains.

Climate Change could turn our rice toxic?

Arsenic is released from soil at higher temperatures. “This arsenic contents release from soil has significant increase the arsenic content of rice grains,” said senior author Rebecca Neumann, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Washington. “We were working with soil that had relatively low arsenic levels, but the warmer temperatures still led to increased arsenic concentrations in the grains at ranges where we begin to have health concerns. If these results are representative of what we might expect for field-grown rice, then climate change could exacerbate the problem of arsenic-contaminated rice.”

Arsenic occurs naturally in the soil, though its concentration is higher in areas that have historically used arsenic-based herbicides or where irrigation water contains arsenic. When farmers grow crops like rice under flooded conditions, arsenic is drawn out of the soil and into the water.

“In general, the plant is like a big tube or a straw as it draws water up from its roots to its leaves. And rice naturally takes up arsenic because the arsenic mimics other molecules that these plants preferentially draw out of the soil,” said lead author Yasmine Farhat.

To determine whether rice would draw up more arsenic under warmer conditions, the team collected soil from a paddy field in Davis, California. Back in Seattle, the researchers grew rice in this soil in temperature-controlled growth chambers.

They compared arsenic uptake under four different temperature conditions. Some plants were grown under normal conditions for that part of California: 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 C) on average during the day. Others were grown at incrementally warmer temperatures reflecting different potential levels of warming for that region by the end of this century: 82 F (28 C), 87 F (30.5 C), and 91 F (33 C). Night time temperatures were 3.6 F (2 C) cooler than daytime for all plants.

As the temperature increased, the team saw increased uptake of arsenic to every part of the plant the researchers looked at — including the rice grains.

“For the stem and the leaves, it’s a clear step up in arsenic concentration as we increase the temperature,” Farhat said. “For the grains, the highest temperature made the plants so stressed out that they didn’t produce any grains. But these other two forecasts of increasing temperature show a similar increase of arsenic in the rice grains. Arsenic concentrations in the grain more than tripled between the low- and high-temperature treatments.”

Arsenic is toxic to plant itself

Arsenic is a toxin for rice plants too, and they have mechanisms to protect themselves against higher levels of it. One method includes turning on a protein that sequesters arsenic in specific cells and tissues of plant. But when the researchers measured expression levels of this protein in plants at higher temperatures, they saw no difference compared to the plants grown at today’s relatively low temperatures.

“It is speculated that the arsenic concentration was so low in our soil that the plant wasn’t ‘aware’ it needed to turn on its defense mechanism,” Farhat said. “We haven’t been as concerned about these low-arsenic systems, but our data suggest that as temperatures start to warm, even rice grown in soil with low arsenic could be at risk for having higher levels of arsenic in the grains.”

Some forms of arsenic are more toxic than others. The team is now collaborating with researchers at UW Tacoma to develop a method that would allow them to see what forms of arsenic are in the different parts of the plant. That way, they can get a better picture of any potential health risks to people.

ALSO READ: Rice being fortified for healthier Filipinos

“Arsenic in all forms is bad for us, and it’s bad for the plants as well,” Farhat said. “Increasing arsenic can decrease crop yield. That can be economically bad for rice farmers. The study warn that even if one is not eating a lot of rice, many people are heavily relying on this crop. When planning for the future, we need to remember that rice touches a lot of people and we should work together on that.

Other co-authors are Soo-Hyung Kim, a UW professor of environmental and forest sciences; Stuart Strand, a UW research professor of civil and environmental engineering; and Long Zhang, a UW research scientist in civil and environmental engineering.

For more information contact:

SARAH MCQUATE
University of Washington
206-543-2580
smcquate@uw.edu

December is a safe toys and gift awareness month

By
Edmon Agron
-
0
December is safe toys and gift awareness month

December is a gift month – a safe gift month. We love to give gifts but gift giving during Christmas season is exceptional.

However, we are warned to make sure the intention of gift-giving will not be obliterated by the danger our gift will bring to (the receiver receiver) specially children.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), roughly 1 out of 10 eye injuries among children is because of toys.

A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics showed a steep increase in the number of eye injuries from BB, pellet, airsoft, and paintball toy guns.

Common eye injuries include corneal abrasion, hyphema, or blood in the front of eye, foreign bodies, and open globe injuries.

With that, Prevent Blindness America has declared December as Safe Toys and Gifts Awareness Month.

The group encourages everyone to consider if the toys they wish to give suits the age and individual skills and abilities of the individual child who will receive it, especially for infants and children under age of three.

This holiday season (and beyond), please consider the following guidelines for choosing safe gift for all ages:

  • Inspect all toys before purchasing. Avoid those that shoot or include parts that fly off. The toy should have no sharp edges or points and should be sturdy enough to withstand impact without breaking, being crushed, or being pulled apart easily. Always consider safe toys.
  • When purchasing toys for children with special needs try to: Choose safe toys that may appeal to different senses such as sound, movement, and texture; consider interactive toys to allow the child to play with others; and think about the size of the toy and the position a child would need to be in to play with it.
  • Be diligent about inspecting toys your child has received. Check them for age, skill level, and developmental appropriateness before allowing them to be played with.
  • Look for labels that assure the toys have passed a safety inspection – “ATSM” means the toy has met the American Society for Testing and Materials standards.
  • Gifts of sports equipment should always be accompanied by protective gear (give a helmet with the skateboard)
  • Keep kids safe from lead in toys by: Educating yourself about lead exposure from toys, symptoms of lead poisoning, and what kinds of toys have been recalled; being aware that old toys may be more likely to contain lead in the paint; having your children wash their hands frequently and calling your doctor if you suspect your child has been exposed to lead. Consult the last two websites listed below for more information.
  • Do NOT give toys with small parts (including magnets and “button” batteries which can cause serious injury or death if ingested) to young children as they tend to put things in their mouths, increasing the risk of choking. If the piece can fit inside a toilet paper roll, it is not appropriate for kids under age three.
  • Do NOT give toys with ropes and cords or heating elements.
  • Do NOT give crayons and markers unless they are labeled “nontoxic”.
1234...100Page 3 of 100
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
© 2023 WorldNgayon. All Rights Reserved