Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has released a report concluding that water fluoridation, as used in several countries, is safe and beneficial against tooth decay. The findings largely replicate a previous NHMRC study, but represent the most comprehensive survey of work on the topic ever released. The report concludes: “Water fluoridation reduces tooth decay by 26-44% in children, teenagers, and adults.” On the other hand, the only negative health effect associated with fluoridation is fluorosis, a discoloring of the teeth that some consider unattractive, but is usually too faint to be seen outside a dental exam. Specifically, no association was found with cancers or reduced cognitive functions. The report was conducted in response to concerns in the community about fluoridation, including rumors widespread enough to have caused some rural Australian councils with very high rates of tooth decay to reject the process. Spend much time on social media, particularly if you live in a country that fluoridates its water supply, and you'll probably encounter these allegations. Fluoride, posts claim, is a neurotoxin and adding it to the water supply is slowly killing us all. The gentler ones argue fluoridation is all a terrible mistake, but others see the hand of a global conspiracy to suppress the population or destroy our intelligence. The latter groups are ridiculous, but the "mistake" claim was sufficiently plausible to prompt the NHMRC to investigate. After all, fluoride is toxic in sufficient doses. So is almost everything else, but it is true that you need a lot less fluoride before it gets unhealthy than most other substances we consume. In many parts of the world, fluoride levels in the water supply are naturally high enough that the World Health Organisation recommends taking some out. Consequently, in 2007 the NHMRC, the main funding agency for Australian medical research, released a reportinto fluoridation of water supplies. The report concluded that there were no negative health effects from fluoride at concentrations of 0.6-1.0 parts per million, other than some discoloring of teeth, and that many tooth cavities were prevented as a result. Science is always evolving, however, and the NHMRC is seeking to keep up to date on the evidence. In this case, all that has happened is that more studies have added considerable extra weight to the previous conclusions. More than 3,000 studies and reports were considered and assessed for quality. The report has been released as a draft, with interested parties invited to discuss. Whether it could be made clearer and more readable, as well as point to any additional evidence that has not been considered, are valid points. However, it is unlikely that scaremongering misrepresentations of studies on websites with names like "fluoridesux" will alter the conclusion: fluoridation of water is safe. However, it is unlikely that scaremongering misrepresentations of studies on websites with names like "fluoridesux" will alter the conclusion: fluoridation of water is safe. A researcher in Israel is preparing to study the potential beneficial effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on children and adults with autism. An Israeli doctor has plans to study whether cannabis is therapeutically beneficial for treating children and adults with autism, Haaretz reports. Dr. Adi Eran, head of the pediatric neurology department at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, has already obtained approval “in principle” from Israel’s Minister of Health. Dr. Eran’s study will involve 120 low-to-medium functioning autistic individuals between the ages of 4 and 30. The subjects will be given cannabis oil rich in cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive, natural compound found in cannabis that has been shown in a patent by the US National Institutes of Health to have significant antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. Autism is a complex neurodevelopment disorder that develops in infancy or childhood and is characterized by social interaction difficulties, verbal and physical communication impairments, and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 1 out of every 88 children at age 8 will have an autism spectrum disorder. Males are four times more likely to have the disorder than females. Dr. Eran’s study will primarily focus on CBD’s effects on the behavioral symptoms associated with autism, which include physical aggression and acute anxiety-related attacks. He is currently in the process of finding research subjects. This past June, Israel’s government approved a plan that made medical marijuana more readily available to its over 23,000 patients. Patients now only need a medical prescription, rather than requiring a permit from the Health Ministry, to acquire legal access. While Israel has yet to recognize cannabis as a treatment agent for autism, patients suffering from severe symptoms have already had it prescribed by physicians. One nurse, according to Cannabis Now, claims that treating autism patients with CBD oil three times daily made them significantly more calm and less prone to violence.
Findings in previous studies indicate that cannabis’ interaction with the CB1 and CB2 endocannabinoid receptors is effective at repairing the brain’s ability to send clear signals, thereby improving behavior and communication abilities. Cannabis has shown to cause significant improvements in hyperactivity, lethargy, irritability, stereotypy, and inappropriate speech. In the United States, of the 25 states with comprehensive medical marijuana laws, only Pennsylvania has approved medical marijuana for autism. However, several other states — California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington — allow any condition provided it’s recommended by a physician or will consider approval. In Israel, a Health Ministry subcommittee is currently reviewing the rules that would be used to regulate the use of medical cannabis for the treatment of autism. As of late, Israel has made efforts that indicate it plans to expand its cannabis market. In order to cultivate more cannabis so that it is available for research, so much has become available that the country’s agricultural minister has suggested that Israel may export the cannabis to other countries. According to Breakingisraelnews.com, Minister Uri Ariel recently told Israel Radio that cannabis farmers will be able to legally export the plant “eventually,” predicting it will happen within the next two years. You may know them as “shrooms”, “Magic mushrooms”, psilocybic mushrooms, or you may not know them at all. They are a natural plant that, like marijuana, is banned by the U.S. Government. But like marijuana, these mushrooms may not be without medical properties.Like marijuana, they could deserve a place on natural medicine shelves for their ability to treat depression, eradicate mental illness, and improve cognition – not in police evidence rooms.
According to research from the University of South Florida, psilocybin, the active component within psychedelic mushrooms, is able to grow new brain cells—potentially offering treatment for mental illness and improving cognition. The study, published in Experimental Brain Research, says psilocybin is able to bind to special receptors in the brain that stimulate healing and growth. In the case of these mushrooms, brain cell growth occurs. In mice, the researchers found psilocybin to actually help repair damaged brain cells and cure or relieve PTSD and depression. Lead researcher, Dr. Juan R. Sanchez-Ramos, tested the effects of psilocybin by training mice to fear an electric shock when they heard a noise associated with the shock. Then, by giving them psilocybin, the mice were able to stop reacting to the noise-trigger much faster than those mice not treated with the mushroom compound. “The proposition that psilocybin impacts cognition and stimulates hippocampal neurogenesis is based on extensive evidence that serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT) acting on specific 5-HT receptor sub-types (most likely the 5-HT2A receptor) is involved in the regulation of neurogenesis in hippocampus,” says Dr. Sanchez-Ramos according to NaturalNews. “The in vitro and in vivo animal data is compelling enough to explore whether psilocybin will enhance neurogenesis and result in measurable improvements in learning.” Other research also shows that this same compound could greatly help with depression, helping the majority of participants in one study achieve great well-being. Psilocybin is referred to as a “nootropic” agent, or one that has numerous functions in the brain that can improve hippocampus health. The hippocampus is part of the brain responsible for learning as well as converting short-term memory to long-term memory. New brain cells in the hippocampus from the psilocybin translates into a healthier and sharper brain overall. The research on psychedelic mushrooms is limited—far more limited than the research on marijuana. Because these mushrooms are known for causing hallucinations, unguarded self-treatment isn’t recommended. However, this plant, like marijuana, does not deserve a place in the Schedule I classification of illegal substances. Like marijuana, the U.S. government has determined ‘shrooms as having no medicinal value’—an obviously-flawed determination. Original: http://naturalsociety.com/research-suggests-psychedelic-mushrooms-offer-valuable-brain-treatments/ This is a vampire bat, named for its meals of blood. Scientists are discovering new links between vampire bats and rabies. Rabies will likely reach the Pacific Coast of Peru -- where the virus currently does not occur -- within four years. Researchers reported that the vector-borne virus, which is moving at a rate of 10 miles per year, is likely being carried by infected male vampire bats, and could arrive at the Peruvian coast by June 2020. Additional analyses showed that male bats, which leave their colonies upon reaching maturity, are using Andes Mountain corridors to carry the virus westward.
A set of new photos taken by NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover reveals signs of past geologic activity.This view from Curiosity’s Mast Camera shows a sloping hillside within the ‘Murray Buttes’ region on lower Mount Sharp. The rim of Gale Crater, where the rover has been active since landing in 2012, is visible in the distance, through the dusty haze. The image was taken on September 8, 2016, during the 1454th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity’s work on Mars. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS. Curiosity is currently exploring the ‘Murray Buttes’ region of lower Mount Sharp. The name of this region honors Caltech planetary scientist Bruce Murray (1931-2013), a former director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The rover used its Mast Camera (Mastcam) to capture these images on September 8, 2016. The mission team plans to assemble several large, color mosaics from the images taken at this location in the near future. “Curiosity’s science team has been just thrilled to go on this road trip through a bit of the American desert Southwest on Mars,” said Curiosity project scientist Dr. Ashwin Vasavada, from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The Martian buttes and mesas rising above the surface are eroded remnants of ancient sandstone. The layering within the sandstone is called ‘cross-bedding’ and indicates that the sandstone was deposited by wind as migrating sand dunes. “Studying these buttes up close has given us a better understanding of ancient sand dunes that formed and were buried, chemically changed by groundwater, exhumed and eroded to form the landscape that we see today,” Dr. Vasavada said. The new images represent Curiosity’s last stop in the Murray Buttes. As of last week, the rover has exited these buttes toward the south, driving up to the base of the final butte on its way out.
On September 9, the rover began its latest drilling campaign. After this drilling is completed, Curiosity will continue farther south and higher up Mount Sharp, leaving behind these spectacular formations. Reconstruction is based on studies of a spectacular fossil from China, preserved with skin and pigments intact Forty researchers elbow their way to the front of the room. They whip out their cameras and mobile phones like palaeontological-paparazzi, and start snapping. Others hang back, hands on chins, to take in the animal standing on the table-top from different angles. They dispense approving nods, and converge to discuss their conclusions in hushed tones. It’s not like anything seen alive on Earth today: it’s the size of large turkey, but with a face like a Jim Henson puppet. The head is a shoe-box with eyes, the Frankensteinian flatness on top accentuated by horns sticking out horizontally from each cheek. A parrot-like beak juts out at the front. One researcher reaches out and dares to touch the broom-like bristles that erupt from its tail. Another leans over and studiously peers up at the animal’s bottom. This was the scene at the unveiling of paleoartist Bob Nicholls’ new reconstruction of Psittacosaurus. Hailed as the most accurate dinosaur reconstruction ever, it is based on studies of a spectacular fossil from China, carried out by a team led by Dr Jakob Vinther of the UK’s University of Bristol. For those who don’t know their dinosaurs (or don’t have a small child to haughtily inform them), Psittacosaurus fossils are commonly found across most of Asia. Thebipedal adults used their distinctive beaks to nibble through the vegetation of the Cretaceous, more than 100m years ago. The relatively large brain of Psittacosaurusleads scientists to suspect it may have been a relatively smart dinosaur, with complex behaviours. The large eyes hint that it had good vision. The Psittacosaurus specimen Vinther’s team studied is held at the Senkenberg Museum in Frankfurt. It is a complete skeleton from one of the world’s best preserved fossil deposits in China. Named the Jehol Biota, these deposits are a Lagerstätte, from the German for storage place: they are literally a rocky safehouse for the world’s most well-preserved fossils. There are a handful of Lagerstätte around the world, famed for yielding remains that retain their fossilised soft tissues, feathers, fur, skin and stomach contents. The SenckenburgPsittacosaurus is an exceptional example, even having its cloaca preserved – the multi-purpose opening for excretion, reproduction and urination. Vinther is no stranger to Lagerstätte. After extensive work on fossils from localities such as Sirius Passet in Greenland, his name has more recently becomesynonymous with the study of fossil pigments: in ink sacs from ancient squid, and perhaps more famously in the feathers of avian dinosaurs and fossil birds from Brazil, Germany and China.
While the exquisite patterns preserved in this specimen have been recognised before, Vinther’s team is the first to approach it quantitatively. To get a clear picture of the pigments in the dinosaurs’ skin, Vinther’s team fired a laser at the specimen – think less death-ray and more glow-stick – to highlight fluorescent materials (calcium phosphate) remaining preserved from the animal’s scales.Under an electron microscope, they confirmed the presence of melanosomes: the structures that store pigments in cells and tissues. From there it was a case of photographing the whole fossil and mapping the pigment patterns from the squished Cretaceous dinosaur on to a three-dimensional model. This is where paleoartist Robert Nicholls came in. Based in Bristol, Nicholls is well known for his vivid paleontological artwork. He has worked with the BBC, National Geographic, various authors, and museums to breathe life into prehistory. His sketchbooks reveal a dark sense of humour, from sauropod necks acting as lightning rods, to dinosaurs suffering from dysentery. “Some of my earliest memories are of drawing dinosaurs as a child, and that passion for illustrating extinct animals and environments has never left me,” he tells me enthusiastically. “Jakob called me one morning in 2014 and asked if I was interested in reconstructing a fossil dinosaur with accurate colour patterns. I said, yes!” MORE HERE In a breakthrough that will appeal to both spies and those who work with priceless but frail historical documents, researchers at MIT have developed a camera that uses terahertz radiation to peer at the text on pages of a book, without it having to be open. Terahertz radiation falls somewhere between the microwave and infrared spectrums, and the research team, including Barmak Heshmat, Ramesh Raskar, and Albert Redo Sanchez from MIT, and Justin Romberg and Alireza Aghasi from Georgia Tech, chose that particular flavor of radiation because of how it reacts with different chemicals. Different chemicals produce a distinct frequency as they react with different terahertz frequencies, which can be measured and distinguished. In this instance, it allows the researchers to tell the different between ink and blank paper. Complex algorithms and software is required to translate the frequencies being bounced back to the camera, allowing it to distinguish letters on a page. But it also relies on how far the short bursts of terahertz radiation are traveling, by precisely timing how long it takes to reach the 20-micrometer-thick air gaps between pages of a book, it’s able to calculate when it moves from page to page. In its current form the terahertz camera can accurately calculate distance to a depth of about 20 pages, but it can only distinguish characters on a page to a depth of about nine pages. The device also requires the paper used to have some degree of transparency. However, as the detectors and emitters used are further refined, the researchers feel their system could be a fantastic tool for museums or other facilities who want to explore and catalog historical documents, without actually having to touch or open them, and risk damage.
It’s getting hot out there. Every one of the past 14 months has broken the global temperature record. Ice cover in the Arctic sea just hit a new low, at 525,000 square miles less than normal. And apparently we’re not doing much to stop it: according to Professor Kevin Anderson, one of Britain’s leading climate scientists, we’ve already blown our chances of keeping global warming below the “safe” threshold of 1.5 degrees. If we want to stay below the upper ceiling of 2 degrees, though, we still have a shot. But it’s going to take a monumental effort. Anderson and his colleagues estimate that in order to keep within this threshold, we need to start reducing emissions by a sobering 8%–10% per year, from now until we reach “net zero” in 2050. If that doesn’t sound difficult enough, here’s the clincher: efficiency improvements and clean energy technologies will only win us reductions of about 4% per year at most. As our soils degrade, they are losing their ability to hold carbon. How to make up the difference is one of the biggest questions of the 21st century. There are a number of proposals out there. One is to capture the CO2 that pours out of our power stations, liquefy it, and store it in chambers deep under the ground. Another is to seed the oceans with iron to trigger huge algae blooms that will absorb CO2. Others take a different approach, such as putting giant mirrors in space to deflect some of the sun’s rays, or pumping aerosols into the stratosphere to create man-made clouds. Unfortunately, in all of these cases either the risks are too dangerous, or we don’t have the technology yet. This leaves us in a bit of a bind. But while engineers are scrambling to come up with grand geo-engineering schemes, they may be overlooking a simpler, less glamorous solution. It has to do with soil. Soil is the second biggest reservoir of carbon on the planet, next to the oceans. It holds four times more carbon than all the plants and trees in the world. But human activity like deforestation and industrial farming – with its intensive ploughing, monoculture and heavy use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides – is ruining our soils at breakneck speed, killing the organic materials that they contain. Now 40% of agricultural soil is classed as “degraded” or “seriously degraded”. In fact, industrial farming has so damaged our soils that a third of the world’s farmland has been destroyed in the past four decades. As our soils degrade, they are losing their ability to hold carbon, releasing enormous plumes of CO2 [pdf] into the atmosphere. There is, however, a solution. Scientists and farmers around the world are pointing out that we can regenerate degraded soils by switching from intensive industrial farming to more ecological methods – not just organic fertiliser, but also no-tillage, composting, and crop rotation. Here’s the brilliant part: as the soils recover, they not only regain their capacity to hold CO2, they begin to actively pull additional CO2 out of the atmosphere. The battle here is not just between two different methods. It is between two different ways of relating to the land The science on this is quite exciting. A study published recently by the US National Academy of Sciences claims that regenerative farming can sequester 3%of our global carbon emissions. An article in Science suggests it could be up to 15%. And new research from the Rodale Institute in Pennsylvania, although not yet peer-reviewed, says sequestration rates could be as high as 40%. The same report argues that if we apply regenerative techniques to the world’s pastureland as well, we could capture more than 100% of global emissions. In other words, regenerative farming may be our best shot at actually cooling the planet. Yet despite having the evidence on their side, proponents of regenerative farming – like the international farmers’ association La Via Campesina – are fighting an uphill battle. The multinational corporations that run the industrial food system seem to be dead set against it because it threatens their monopoly power – power that relies on seeds linked to patented chemical fertilisers and pesticides. They are well aware that their methods are causing climate change, but they insist that it’s a necessary evil: if we want to feed the world’s growing population, we don’t have a choice – it’s the only way to secure high yields. Scientists are calling their bluff. First of all, feeding the world isn’t about higher yields; it’s about fairer distribution. We already grow enough food for 10 billion people. In any case, it can be argued that regenerative farming actually increases crop yields over the long term by enhancing soil fertility and improving resilience against drought and flooding. So as climate change makes farming more difficult, this may be our best bet for food security, too. The battle here is not just between two different methods. It is between two different ways of relating to the land: one that sees the soil as an object from which profit must be extracted at all costs, and one that recognizes the interdependence of living systems and honours the principles of balance and harmony. Ultimately, this is about more than just soil. It is about something much larger. As Pope Francis put it in his much-celebrated encyclical last year, our present ecological crisis is the sign of a cultural pathology. “We have come to see ourselves as the lords and masters of the Earth, entitled to plunder her at will. The sickness evident in the soil, in the water, in the air and in all forms of life are symptoms that reflect the violence present in our hearts. We have forgotten that we ourselves are dust of the Earth; that we breathe her air and receive life from her waters.”
Maybe our engineers are missing the point. The problem with geo-engineering is that it proceeds from the very same logic that got us into this mess in the first place: one that treats the land as something to be subdued, dominated and consumed. But the solution to climate change won’t be found in the latest schemes to bend our living planet to the will of man. Perhaps instead it lies in something much more down to earth – an ethic of care and healing, starting with the soils on which our existence depends. Of course, regenerative farming doesn’t offer a permanent solution to the climate crisis; soils can only hold a finite amount of carbon. We still need to get off fossil fuels, and – most importantly – we have to kick our obsession with endless exponential growth and downsize our material economy to bring it back in tune with ecological cycles. But it might buy us some time to get our act together. |
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