Genetically modified crops succumb to bug infectionOctober 27th, 2009 NEW YORK - As the debate over the safety of genetically modified food continues to rage, biologists have found that GM squash plants - resistant to three major viral diseases - became more vulnerable to a fatal bacterial infection. "Cultivated squash is susceptible to a variety of viral diseases and that is a major problem for farmers," said Andrew Stephenson, Penn State University (PSU) biology professor, who led the study.
Rural women exposed to DDT likely to have boys with urogenital birth defectsOctober 24th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Rural women exposed to DDT - sprayed to reduce malaria - are likely to give birth to boys with urogenital birth defects (UGBD), say researchers. The research led by the University of Pretoria in South Africa showed that women who stayed at home in sprayed villages, rather than being a student or working, had 41 per cent more baby boys with UGBDs, such as missing testicles or problems with their urethra or penis.
Climate change affecting ayurveda, says President PatilOctober 7th, 2009 NEW DELHI - President Pratibha Patil Wednesday said climate change poses a huge challenge for ayurveda and expressed concern that it is the reason for many medicinal plants vanishing from the country. Due to climate change, natural habitat is moving towards an imbalance.
Climate change affecting ayurveda, livelihood of 600,000 doctorsOctober 7th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Climate change poses a huge challenge for ayurveda and it is the reason behind many medicinal plants vanishing from India, President Pratibha Patil said here Wednesday. The All India Ayurveda Congress also agreed with her concern, saying it is gradually affecting the livelihood of 600,000 ayurveda practitioners.
Air pollution could trigger appendicitisOctober 6th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Air pollution may trigger appendicitis in adults, says a new study published in Canadian Medical Association Journal. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Calgary, University of Toronto and Health Canada, looked at 5191 adults admitted to hospital in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
New Patsari stove improves women's lung healthSeptember 23rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Using a vented stove instead of the traditional indoor open fires might improve respiratory health of women, according to a new study. An estimated two billion people around the world rely on biomass fuel for cooking, typically over unvented indoor fires.
Doctors diagnose coughing problem, pull fragment of Wendy's plastic utensil from NC man's lungSeptember 17th, 2009 NC doctor removes plastic fragment lodged in lungRALEIGH, N.C. — Doctors say a North Carolina man who was plagued with coughing fits should be OK now that they have removed a 1-inch piece of plastic from his lung, where it had rested since he apparently inhaled it nearly two years ago while sucking down a soft drink at a Wendy's restaurant.
Changes in humidity, temperature may trigger asthma among kidsSeptember 15th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Changes in humidity and temperature may trigger asthma among kids, suggests a report. Published in the journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the report says that such weather changes have been found to result in a rise in Emergency Department (ED) visits for paediatric asthma exacerbations.
How plants prevent their genes from going haywireSeptember 11th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new study, by researchers at the Universite de Montreal in Canada, has found a key mechanism that enables plants to keep dangerous gene alterations in check to ensure their continued existence. "We've discovered a new pathway that plants use to protect their genes against dangerous alterations that could also allow some useful mutations to occur," said Normand Brisson, a Universite de Montreal biochemistry professor who made his discovery with graduate students Alexandre Marechal and Jean-Sebastien Parent.
Indoor plants can reduce toxic ozone levels in offices, homesSeptember 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Potted plants in the house can make indoor air healthier by cutting down ozone levels, according to a new study. Ozone, the main component of air pollution, also known as smog, is a highly reactive, colorless gas formed when oxygen reacts with other chemicals.
Cotton may be promising source of proteinSeptember 8th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Cotton is emerging as a promising source of protein for millions of the world's malnourished, according to the latest research. Researchers engineered the cotton to reduce the toxic gossypol to tolerable levels in the high-protein seed, without affecting higher levels in the rest of the plant, to ward off pests and disease.
Outdoor activities improve kids' school performanceSeptember 5th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The more time kids spend outside, the more they are likely to perform well at school, according to a new study. National Wildlife Federation's (NWF) new report suggests that the increasingly indoor lifestyle causes several factors that work against high performance in the classroom.
Indoor plants could be injurious to healthSeptember 4th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Potted plants might add a certain aesthetic value to your house, but they are likely to have adverse health effects, suggests a new study. The research team headed by Stanley J.
Reduce tension, keep plants in offices, classroomsSeptember 3rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - House plants can help reduce tension and stress among office workers, who spend more than 80 percent of the day indoors. Researchers found the presence of plants in homes and workplaces exerted a positive effect on headaches and fatigue and hoarseness.
2 viruses threaten Michigan blueberry industry; scientists forced to destroy research plantsAugust 31st, 2009 Blueberry virus strikes Michigan research centerDETROIT — The bloom could be off Michigan's $124 million per year blueberry industry after two destructive viruses infected bushes in three locations. Particularly upsetting to scientists is where one of the outbreaks occurred — Michigan State University's agricultural research station in southwestern Michigan.
