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The bushmeat trade in African savannas: Impacts, drivers, and possible solutions

The bushmeat trade, or the illegal acquisition and exchange of wild meat, has long been recognised as a severe problem in forest biomes, but receives little attention in savannas, perhaps due to a misconception that bushmeat hunting is a low-impact subsistence activity. Though data on impacts are scarce, indications are that bushmeat hunting is a [...]

Enzymatic transformation of nonfood biomass (wood-cellulose) to edible starch

The global demand for food could double in another 40 y owing to growth in the population and food consumption per capita. To meet the world’s future food and sustainability needs for biofuels and renewable materials, the production of starch-rich cereals and cellulose-rich bioenergy plants must grow substantially while minimizing agriculture’s environmental footprint and conserving [...]

Epoxy metabolites of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) inhibit angiogenesis, tumor growth, and metastasis

Epidemiological and preclinical evidence supports that omega-3 dietary fatty acids (fish oil) reduce the risks of macular degeneration and cancers, but the mechanisms by which these omega-3 lipids inhibit angiogenesis and tumorigenesis are poorly understood. Here we show that epoxydocosapentaenoic acids (EDPs), which are lipid mediators produced by cytochrome P450 epoxygenases from omega-3 fatty acid [...]

Genetically modified crops: Detection strategies and biosafety issues

Genetically modified (GM) crops are increasingly gaining acceptance but concurrently consumers’ concerns are also increasing. The introduction of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) genes into the plants has raised issues related to its risk assessment and biosafety. The International Regulations and the Codex guidelines regulate the biosafety requirements of the GM crops. In addition, these bodies synergize [...]

More rapid and severe disease outbreaks for aquaculture at the tropics: implications for food security

# Aquaculture is replacing capture fisheries in supplying the world with dietary protein. Although disease is a major threat to aquaculture production, the underlying global epidemiological patterns are unknown.# We analysed disease outbreak severity across different latitudes in a diverse range of aquaculture systems.# Disease at lower latitudes progresses more rapidly and results in higher [...]

Consider the Ascidean

It is the cellulose, the protein, and the Omega-3 fatty acids in the ascidiacea that is the cause for its many uses. – Its mantle consists of cellulose, which is a collection of sugars. When cellulose is cleaved, one can obtain ethanol. And ethanol can be used for biofuel in cars. The animal’s body consists [...]

Induction of pathogenic TH17 cells by inducible salt-sensing kinase SGK1

We show here that a modest increase in salt concentration induces SGK1 expression, promotes IL-23R expression and enhances TH17 cell differentiation in vitro and in vivo, accelerating the development of autoimmunity. Loss of SGK1 abrogated Na+-mediated TH17 differentiation in an IL-23-dependent manner. These data demonstrate that SGK1 has a critical role in the induction of [...]

Sodium chloride drives autoimmune disease by the induction of pathogenic TH17 cells

The TH17 cells generated under high-salt conditions display a highly pathogenic and stable phenotype characterized by the upregulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines GM-CSF, TNF-α and IL-2. Moreover, mice fed with a high-salt diet develop a more severe form of EAE, in line with augmented central nervous system infiltrating and peripherally induced antigen-specific TH17 cells. Thus, [...]

Urinary Cadmium in the 1999–2008 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)

Geometric mean urinary Cd (ng/mL) declined 20–25% in these subpopulations, and the regressions showed statistically significant declines in later years for teens and adults. While certain covariates were significantly associated with Cd by subpopulation (creatinine; age; BMI; race/ethnicity/origin; education; smokers in the home; serum cotinine; 24-h fat, Mg, Fe intakes; use of dietary supplements), they [...]

88 Proposed Dams on the Mekong River: Lost fish protein and the implications for land and water resources

The planned construction of hydropowered dams on the Mekong River in South-East Asia could jeopardise livelihoods, water access and food security for 60 million people, across Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, according to a study.The study reports that dams will block fish migration routes and decimate fish supplies in the lower Mekong region.As fish dwindle, [...]