RALEIGH, NC—Conservation tillage encompasses a range of techniques for establishing crops in the previous crop's residues, which are purposely left on the soil surface. The principal benefits of conservation tillage are improved water conservation and the reduction of soil erosion; additional benefits can include reduced fuel consumption, planting and harvesting flexibility, and reduced labor requirements. A new study published in HortScience finds promise in a common legume used as an effective crop cover for organically produced onions.
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COLLEGE STATION, TX—Landscape trees are increasingly being produced using container nursery systems rather than traditional field production practices. In contrast to field production techniques, successful container production requires a series of transplanting events in which trees are sequentially transferred to larger containers, a practice known as "potting-up" or "up-canning".
COLLEGE STATION, TX—Orchids are the fastest-growing group of potted flowering plants in the United States, outranked only by poinsettias in sales. The wholesale value of potted orchids in the U.S. has risen 80% in the last decade (to $126 million in 2007), but information concerning consumer preferences for orchids is still very limited.
ITHACA, N.Y. – Like the canary in the coal mine, the timber rattlesnake may be telling us something about the environment we share.
Cornell University researchers – using cutting-edge tools including fine-scale molecular genetics and microsatellite markers – tracked the rattlesnakes to understand how wildlife habitats are affected by even modest human encroachment.
TAIPEI, TAIWAN—Shade trees are the superstars of urban landscapes. In addition to their intrinsic aesthetic qualities, these low-tech workhorses reduce air and noise pollution, provide habitat for wildlife, increase property values, and offer cool respite for harried urbanites. Strategically planted shade trees decrease energy usage in urban buildings, absorb carbon dioxide, and supply fresh oxygen. It's no coincidence that researchers around the world are working to find the best shade trees for all types of urban environments.
Washington, DC -- For women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancers, treatment after initial surgery is straightforward: a daily dose of an anti-hormone drug will block the tumor from fuel needed for growth, and keep the breast cancer at bay. The treatments work like gangbusters at first, but after time, many tumors become resistant to therapy. With no other treatment options, the cancer grows again and eventually spreads.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Researchers have detected a link between alcohol consumption, cancer and aging that starts at the cellular level with telomere shortening.
Results of this cross-sectional study were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 101st Annual Meeting 2010, held here, April 17-21, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
Telomeres are found at the region of DNA sequences at the end of a chromosome, and are important for the genetic stability of cells. As people age, telomere length shortens progressively.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 21, 2010)––Past randomized clinical trials have shown that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including naproxen, can reduce the risk of colon cancer and precancerous polyps in humans. Now, researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center have found that an investigational form of naproxen, called nitric oxide-donating naproxen (NO-naproxen), can block one of the earliest molecular changes that lead to colorectal cancer development while also reducing gastrointestinal toxicity, a relatively common side effect associated with NSAIDs.
Washington, DC --An increase in breast density appears to be the culprit behind an increase of breast cancer found in women participating in the estrogen and progestin therapy study, a part of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI). That is the finding of a new WHI analysis led by Celia Byrne, PhD, assistant professor at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, and presented during the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010 in Washington, DC.
Natural compounds in cranberries are linked to the prevention of urinary tract infections (UTIs) but inconsistencies in methods currently used commercially to measure levels can result in the over- or under-estimation of potency levels, leaving product manufacturers and consumers without good data. A study published today in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture outlines a new, commercially viable method of measuring these compounds.
New research showing that that mercury levels are higher in some species of tuna could help consumers minimize their consumption of the silvery metal in their sushi and provide a powerful new tool for regulatory organizations. The new research combining DNA barcoding at that American Museum of Natural History with analysis of mercury content at Rutgers University is published in Biology Letters and shows surprisingly that tuna sushi purchased in supermarkets might be healthier than that from restaurants. The sushi made for supermarkets tends to be yellowfin tuna.
Cold, dry weather has been linked to an increased incidence of prostate cancer. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access International Journal of Health Geographics suggest that meteorological effects on persistent organic pollutants, such as some pesticides and industrial by-products, may be to blame.
A computerised diagnostic model outperforms clinical judgement for the diagnosis of fever in young children, and may improve early treatment, finds a study published on bmj.com today.
Fever (or febrile illness) is a common symptom in children, especially in those under five years of age, but it can be difficult to diagnose the correct cause. Yet physicians need to be able to distinguish minor viral illnesses from serious bacterial infections such as pneumonia, urinary tract infection and meningitis.
A study by Sue J. Goldie and colleagues from the Harvard School of Public Health published this week in PLoS Medicine finds that better family planning, provision of safe abortion, and improved intrapartum and emergency obstetrical care could reduce maternal mortality in India by 75% in less than a decade.
This release is available in http://chinese..org/zh/emb_releases/2010-04/jaaj-hco041610.php">Chinese.
Consuming a higher amount of added sugars in processed or prepared foods is associated with lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, the "good cholesterol") and higher levels of triglycerides, which are important risk factors for cardiovascular disease, according to a study in the April 21 issue of JAMA.