Natural regeneration on seismic lines influences movement behaviour of wolves and grizzly bears

Finnegan L1, Pigeon KE1, Cranston J2, Hebblewhite M3, Musiani M4, Neufeld L5, Schmiegelow F6, Duval J7, Stenhouse GB8. Author information 1 Caribou Program, fRI Research, Hinton, Alberta, Canada. 2 Arctos Ecological Consultants, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. 3 Wildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Science, W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, United States of America. 4 Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. 5 Parks Canada, Jasper National Park, Jasper, Alberta, Canada. 6 Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. 7 GIS Program, fRI Research, Hinton, Alberta, Canada. 8 Grizzly Bear Program, fRI Research, Hinton, Alberta, Canada. Abstract Across the boreal forest of Canada, habitat disturbance is the ultimate cause of caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) declines. Habitat restoration is a focus of caribou recovery efforts, with a goal to finding ways to reduce predator use of disturbances, and caribou-predator encounters. One of the most pervasive disturbances within caribou ranges in Alberta, Canada are seismic lines cleared for energy exploration. Seismic lines facilitate predator movement, and although vegetation on some seismic lines is regenerating, it remains unknown whether vegetation regrowth is sufficient to alter predator response. We used Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data, and GPS locations, to understand how vegetation and other attributes of seismic lines influence movements of two predators, wolves (Canis lupus) and grizzly bears (Ursus arctos). During winter, wolves moved towards seismic lines regardless of vegetation height, while during spring wolves moved towards seismic lines with higher vegetation. During summer, wolves moved towards seismic lines with lower vegetation and also moved faster near seismic lines with vegetation <0.7 m. Seismic lines with lower vegetation height were preferred by grizzly bears during spring and summer, but there was no relationship between vegetation height and grizzly bear movement rates. These results suggest that wolves use seismic lines for travel during summer, but during winter wolf movements relative to seismic lines could be influenced by factors additional to movement efficiency; potentially enhanced access to areas frequented by ungulate prey. Grizzly bears may be using seismic lines for movement, but could also be using seismic lines as a source of vegetative food or ungulate prey. To reduce wolf movement rate, restoration could focus on seismic lines with vegetation <1 m in height. However our results revealed that seismic lines continue to influence wolf movement behaviour decades after they were built, and even at later stages of regeneration. Therefore it remains unknown at what stage of natural regeneration, if any, wolves cease to respond to seismic lines. To reduce wolf response to seismic lines, active restoration tactics like blocking seismic lines and tree planting, along with management of alternate prey, could be evaluated. PMID: 29659615 PMCID: PMC5901995 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0195480 [Indexed for MEDLINE] Free PMC Article

A Review: Herbal Medicine as an Effective Therapeutic Approach for Treating Digestive Disorders in Small Ruminants

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322923855_A_Review_Herbal_Medicine_as_an_Effective_Therapeutic_Approach_for_Treating_Digestive_Disorders_in_Small_Ruminants

Evaluation of Aristolochia indica L. and Piper nigrum L. methanol extract against centipede Scolopendra moristans L. using Wistar albino rats and screening of bioactive compounds by high pressure liquid chromatography: a polyherbal formulation

Sivaraj D1, Shanmugam S2, Rajan M1, Sasidharan SP1, Sathyanarayanan S1, Muniyandi K1, Thangaraj P3, de Souza Araújo AA2. Author information 1 Bioprospecting Laboratory, Department of Botany, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-46, Tamil Nadu, India. 2 Department of Pharmacy, Federal University of Sergipe, Cristovao, Sergipe, CEP, 49100-000, Sao Cristovao, Brazil. 3 Bioprospecting Laboratory, Department of Botany, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-46, Tamil Nadu, India. Electronic address: drparimel@gmail.com. Abstract and figures The present study was aimed to explore the anti-venom activity of Aristolochia indica and Piper nigrum plants against the centipede (Scolopendra moristans) envenomation in animal model. In vtiro phytochemical, antioxidant and blocking of proteolysis were carried out by using standard spectrophotometric methods. In vivo anti-venom activity of methanol extracts was determined using Wistar albino rats after fixing lethal and effective doses. The electrolytes, lipid, liver, kidney, hematological parameters were analyzed and histopathology of skin and liver were also examined. Anti-skin cancer by MTT method and HPLC analysis were also carried out. The CAIPN extract showed higher total phenolics (150.65 ± 0.08 mg GAE/g extract) and flavonoids (158.97 ± 0.93 mg RE/g extract) content. Further, the same extract revealed the higher molybdenum reducing, inhibition of lipid peroxidation (80.08 ± 0.22%), DPPH radical scavenging (3.05 μg/mL), and blocking of proteolysis activities (96.45 ± 0.04%). The parameters like hypersensitivity, electrolytes, lipids, blood components, liver and kidney marker of the CAIPN methanol extract (200 mg/kg) treated envenomated rats was remarkable and same as in the normal animals. Such status was also achieved by RBAI and SPN at 600 mg/kg. The histopathological scoring of skin and liver confirmed the venom neutralizing activity of CAIPN. Also, the CAIPN methanol extract was notable in anti-skin cancer activity (208 μg/mL). The presence of the ferulic acid (04 ± 0.09 μg/mg) and quercetin (35.30 ± 0.30 μg/mg) like compounds was confirmed by HPLC analysis. Hence, the present investigation results conclude that the CAIPN was significant in their action and this polyherbal formulation could be considered as a new source for the pharmaceutical industries to develop a new effective, ecofriendly anti-venom drug.

Needles and Coffee May Not Mix; Even a Low Dose of Caffeine Blocks Acupuncture’s Pain Relief in Mice

https://nccih.nih.gov/ Recent research in mice suggests that ingesting even a low dose of caffeine may interfere with the analgesic effects of acupuncture in acute and chronic pain models. Previous animal research showed that the analgesic effect of acupuncture is mediated by a steep increase in extracellular adenosine levels at the acupuncture point and subsequent local activation of the adenosine A1 receptor. Furthermore, adenosine receptor activation during acupuncture is potentially impacted by caffeine, which is a potent adenosine receptor antagonist. Since a detectable amount of caffeine stays in the body for more than 12 hours after drinking one cup of coffee, a residual amount of caffeine could be present at the time of acupuncture treatment in people who ingest caffeine daily. The researchers used male and female mice that were 8–12 weeks old. In some experiments, animals were given drinking water supplemented with caffeine while other mice were given water without caffeine. The scientists induced acute inflammatory pain via injection directly into the animals’ left hind-limb ankle joints; they induced chronic inflammatory pain via injection into the left hind-limb knee joints. In other experiments, mice were injected with caffeine or saline at a specific acupuncture point. Mice also received sham acupuncture treatment, in which a needle was inserted into the same acupuncture point but not rotated (as it was during active treatment). For the acute pain model, mice that did not ingest caffeine showed a 35 percent reduction in sensitivity following acupuncture treatment; mice that drank caffeine-laced water showed no such reduction with acupuncture. In the chronic pain model, a low dose of caffeine—0.1 mg/mL—blocked the analgesic effects of acupuncture, and at higher doses (0.2 and 0.3 mg/mL), acupuncture appeared to worsen the pain. A follow-up series of experiments suggested that the pain-relieving effects of acupuncture were restored after eliminating caffeine exposure. The scientists speculate that even a small amount of caffeine in the body, even hours after consuming one cup of coffee, could potentially reduce the efficacy of acupuncture. They suggest that, for some people, eliminating regular consumption of caffeine may enhance the efficacy of acupuncture for pain relief. However, clinical studies are needed to confirm this, and to see how long people would need to stop ingesting caffeine to improve acupuncture’s effects. Reference Fujita T, Feng C, Takano T. Presence of caffeine reversibly interferes with efficacy of acupuncture-induced analgesia. Sc

Call for Papers: Masculinities in a global perspective

The Oxford Feminist e-press is inviting papers and contributions for its e-publication on Masculinities in a Global Perspective. This series relates to contemporary debates and issues within masculinities research and practice from a global perspective. We invite articles and commentaries from young scholars and practitioners as well as established academics working on aspects of masculinities who are looking for prompt publication. Unlike conventional journals, our attempt is to reach a wider audience and to make knowledge sharing around masculinities accessible and fast. This Masculinities in a Global Perspective series began as part of a set of lectures under the title ‘Masculinities and Class in a Global Perspective' given by various academics in the spring of 2014 at the International Gender Studies Centre, Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford. There were two motivations for beginning this online series. The first was to provide a platform for academic debates amongst scholars to easily engage with various scholarly debates around masculinities but at the same time to allow those debates to move beyond the academy and be more readily accessible in an online format. A second and more profound motivation came as a question: why do activists and scholars talk about men as men so infrequently? This question has been crucial in trying to situate ‘men’ within various discussion on ‘gender’ which the articles in this series aim to engage with. The first paper of this series is Selin Akyuz’s essay Turkish Political Masculinities which examines the varying masculinities displayed by political parties in Turkey today, and provides a brilliant beginning for our understanding of how formal politics – connected, of course, to class relations – is both effected by and effects how men are men today If you would like to contribute to this online series on masculinities, please contact the series editor Dr Shannon Philip (shannon...@lmh.ox.ac.uk) to discuss your proposal.

Food as Medicine: Mustard (Brassica juncea and B. nigra, Brassicaceae)

HerbalEGram: Volume 14, Issue 3, March 2017 Editor’s Note: Each month, HerbalEGram highlights a conventional food and briefly explores its history, traditional uses, nutritional profile, and modern medicinal research. We also feature a nutritious recipe for an easy-to-prepare dish with each article to encourage readers to experience the extensive benefits of these whole foods. With this series, we hope our readers will gain a new appreciation for the foods they see at the supermarket and frequently include in their diets. The basic materials for this series were compiled by dietetic interns from Texas State University in San Marcos and the University of Texas at Austin through the American Botanical Council’s (ABC’s) Dietetic Internship Program, led by ABC Education Coordinator Jenny Perez. We would like to acknowledge Perez, ABC Special Projects Director Gayle Engels, and ABC Chief Science Officer Stefan Gafner, PhD, for their contributions to this project. By Hannah Baumana and Zachary Brownb a HerbalGram Associate Editor b ABC Dietetics Intern (TSU, 2015) Overview Mustard plants are herbaceous perennials (though often grown as annuals or biennials) and belong to the Brassicaceae, or cabbage, family.1 The three types of mustard most commonly consumed today are brown mustard (Brassica juncea), black mustard (B. nigra), and white mustard (Sinapis alba). This paper is concerned only with the brown and black species. Native to temperate regions in Europe, mustard was one of the continent’s first domesticated crops, and thereafter became a cultivated food crop in Asia, North Africa, and North America.2 All species yield edible leaves, while their seeds are used whole, powdered, or pressed to produce oil.1 Annually, the United States produces 160,000 tons of mustard seed.3 Mustard plants have alternate leaves with ruffled margins and produce the small, yellow four-petaled flowers typical of members of the Brassicaceae family (formerly referred to as the Cruciferae family due to the cross-like pattern of the four petals). Upon pollination, each seedpod elongates into an oblong fruit capsule that contains up to 20 spherical seeds, which can be dark brown or yellow depending on the species.4 Black mustard is sparsely branched and erect. It grows up to three meters in height and produces very small, pungent seeds (1.5 grams per 1,000 seeds) that are shed by the plant as the seedpod matures.1 Black mustard is grown for its edible greens in Argentina, Chile, and the United States, but it is rarely cultivated as a seed crop due to difficulties with the harvesting process and has largely been replaced by brown mustard because of this. Brown mustard, also known as Indian or Oriental mustard, originated in the Himalayan region of central Asia. Brown mustard grows 1-2 meters tall, has larger seeds (three grams per 1,000 seeds), and produces seedpods that are easier to mechanically collect and process. Brown mustard is commercially grown in North America, specifically in parts of the United States and Canada.3 Phytochemicals and Constituents Phytochemical differences in black mustard and brown mustard are minor, since B. juncea evolved from its ancestor B. nigra. The primary components of interest in mustard are the glucosinolates such as sinigrin, which are believed to be responsible for many of mustard’s health benefits.5 Mustard seed oil contains 90% allyl isothiocyanate (AITC). The seed contains 27% non-volatile oils (fixed oils), 30% proteins, and small amounts of lecithin, inositol, albumin, gums, mucilage, and pigments. Sinapine, an alkaloid, is also present in trace amounts. The fixed oils are composed of oleic, stearic, erucic, or brassic acids. Mustard seeds also contain terpenes, which have anti-inflammatory properties and are the primary constituents of mustard essential oil. Other constituents in significant amounts include flavonoids and other phenolic compounds. The concentrations of these compounds can vary widely based on the growing conditions of the mustard plant. Pathogenic attacks on the plant also result in an altered phytochemical profile. Thus, it is possible that the health effects of mustard can vary due to the different farming practices used to grow the mustard. It would be beneficial to standardize farming practices to maximize yields of specific plant chemicals.6 Mustard greens are nutrient dense and contain high amounts of vitamins, such as vitamin A, vitamin K, and vitamin C, and minerals, such as calcium. Mustard seeds contain fewer vitamins but are a good source of iron, calcium, magnesium, and other minerals. Mustard seeds are also a good source of omega fatty acids, as they contain an almost 1:1 ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Both the seeds and greens can offer health-protective effects through their impressive nutrient profiles, although prepared mustard as a condiment should be used sparingly, since many commercial brands can contain high amounts of sodium.1 Historical and Commercial Uses The recorded use of mustard as a medicinal plant dates back to the first century CE in Greece, where the physician Dioscorides recommended the topical application of a mustard seed poultice to reduce inflammation in his herbal medicine encyclopedia De Materia Medica.7 In Unani literature (the Greco-Arabic system of traditional medicine), mustard seed is recommended for a variety of conditions, including neuralgia, epilepsy, sciatica, leprosy, gout, pleurisy, and pneumonia.5 In Ayurveda, the system of traditional medicine practiced for thousands of years in India, the therapeutic uses of mustard are well documented. The Ayurvedic practice considers mustard seed oil derived from the brown mustard plant to be pungent and warming, and documents external uses such as a massage oil and a hair tonic; for skin diseases like vitiligo; skin infections like acne; and hemorrhoids.8 Mustard seeds were processed into a paste and used as a poultice to treat internal conditions such as tumors of the thyroid gland and lymphadenitis (swelling of lymph nodes). Mustard seeds were also decocted in water and used as a poultice for cracked skin, leprosy, rheumatoid arthritis, acne, and as a rinse for mouth sores. Internally, mustard oil traditionally was used to lower blood lipid levels, reduce build-up of fat or adipose tissue, treat intestinal worms, and assist detoxification of the body. Mustard seeds were also included in traditional herbal formulas used to induce vomiting and cleanse the cranial cavity via nasal irrigation, and as a decoction in an enema therapy.8 Though mustard leaves were more commonly consumed as a vegetable, they were also used as an ingredient for steam fomentation and to cleanse the cranial cavity. Other ethnobotanical uses of the mustard plant exist in cultures around the world.1 In Africa, the roots are used as a galactagogue to stimulate milk production. Dried leaves and flowers are burned in Tanzania in spiritual rituals. The essential oil has been used to relieve constipation and as a counterirritant. In Java, the leaves are used internally to treat syphilis and stimulate blood flow to the pelvic area and topically to treat headaches. In Korea, the seeds are used for abscesses, colds, lower back pain, rheumatism, and stomach disorders. The oil of mustard has been used to treat skin eruptions and ulcers throughout Asia. In North America, black mustard has a history of use among indigenous tribes.9 It was used by the Cherokee to stimulate the appetite, treat fever and “nervous fever,” heal the kidneys, and treat various other diseases such as malaria. It was also used to treat palsy and asthma, and as a tonic for overall wellness. The Meskwaki used mustard due to its pungent nature to treat head colds. The Mohegan tribe applied mustard leaf poultices as an analgesic for body pains, headaches, and toothaches. The Shinnecock used it similarly to the Mohegan, but also mixed it with flour and water to induce vomiting. Brown mustard seed powder also has a widespread use as an emetic to treat acute and narcotic poisoning.10 Modern Research In recent studies, mustard has shown antitumor effects and other beneficial properties against chronic conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, weight gain, and neuropathic disease. It might also act as a protective agent against acute conditions such as fungal infection and influenza. Cytotoxic and Anti-Tumor Effects The anticancer effect of mustard may be due to the anti-proliferative activity of constituents such as sinigrin, the precursor to AITC. Many cytotoxicity studies have been performed in vitro to investigate how mustard and its constituents act against cancer cell proliferation. A hydrolyzed mustard seed powder that contained AITC caused cell cycle arrest and apoptosis (programmed cell death) in bladder cancer cell lines.11 This was further observed in rats, where an oral dose of the hydrolyzed mustard seed powder inhibited bladder cancer growth and blocked muscle invasion of cancerous cells. AITC specifically is thought to be selectively delivered to the bladder through urinary excretion. The mustard powder produced more significant results than pure AITC, suggesting that ingestion of the whole seed is more beneficial than ingestion of any isolated constituents. In an animal model, injections of mustard essential oil rich in AITC inhibited cell proliferation and blood vessel creation (angiogenesis, which is required for tumor growth).12 The oil also induced apoptosis, a pathway for cancer chemoprevention. Another study examined the effects of sinigrin on liver tumors in rats. This three-month study found that oral sinigrin administration significantly inhibited proliferation of tumor cells in the liver and reduced the number of tumors in the rat liver. The response was dose dependent, with the highest tumor suppression at 25 mg/kg of body weight. However, the lowest dose, 10 mg/kg, still caused a significant reduction of tumors on the liver surface compared to the positive control, reducing tumor size by half.13 An in vitro study examined the effects of several mustard extracts and found a dose-dependent protective response in human hepatocytes, colorectal cells, cervical cells, breast cancer cells, and larynx cells.5 The juice of the mustard leaf was also found to protect against induced DNA damage in human cells, again in a dose-dependent manner. These cancer chemopreventive effects were thought to be mediated not through inherent antioxidant properties of mustard extract, as is often seen with many plant materials, but by increasing expression of detoxification enzymes. Isothiocyanates may also decrease multidrug resistance in human cancer cell lines and inhibit the efflux (simply put, the removal of compounds from cells) of cancer-treating drugs, which enhances the effect of chemotherapy treatment. In an in vitro study, isolated compounds, including isothiocyanates and sulforaphane, increased the accumulation of chemotherapeutic drugs in multidrug resistant cancer cells through the inhibition of efflux of these drugs.14 Researchers also found that the isothiocyanates inhibited tumor formation in breast, colon, lung, and skin tissue. Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease, and Neuropathic Effects Mustard leaves and seeds both can induce hypoglycemic effects in animals with type 2 diabetes. One rodent study found that administration of an extract made from mustard leaves significantly reduced lipid peroxidation, reduced free radicals, and ameliorated the damage caused by oxidative stress.15 Researchers speculated that mustard enhances glycolysis and glycogenesis, and decreases glycogenosis. These data were further confirmed by a follow-up study that also showed reduced levels of superoxide and nitrite/nitrates in a dose-dependent manner after oral administration of a mustard extract.16 Mustard may also delay or prevent the onset of diabetes in addition to mitigating its effects. A study examined the effects of feeding high-fructose diets to rodents for 30 days and found that the inclusion of mustard powder over the study period significantly decreased fasting serum glucose, insulin, and cholesterol levels, although not enough to normalize them.17 Researchers concluded that mustard powder may be beneficial for pre-diabetic patients and those who are genetically prone to the disease. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is often studied in tandem with diabetes, as individuals with diabetes tend to suffer from CVD as well. One study examined the effects of two doses of mustard seed powder on serum cholesterol and triglycerides in diabetic rats.18 The lower dose did not significantly affect these markers; however, a higher dose (8 g/kg of body weight) significantly and consistently lowered both. The authors suggested that mustard might mimic or enhance the effectiveness of insulin, lowering the necessary amount and reducing insulin’s anabolic effect. There are often neurological complications associated with diabetes. In a rat model, researchers examined the effects of an ethanol mustard extract and found dose-dependent improvements in brain chemistry and cognitive function, and speculated that non-diabeties-induced neurological problems could be improved with mustard consumption or supplementation.19 The effect of mustard on the depletion of neurotransmitters norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine was further researched.20 Mustard was found to compensate for depleted levels of neurotransmitters in the brain, resulting in improvement of behavioral outcomes such as feelings of helplessness and despair, as well as impaired locomotion. Mustard’s rich polyphenol content may be the source of its therapeutic effects on cognitive issues. Antimicrobial Properties Mustard has antimicrobial and antiviral properties and shows protective effects against microbe- and virus-induced damage. One rodent study on viral hepatitis found that mustard extract protected against liver and kidney damage. The mechanism of this protective action is thought to be related to the anti-inflammatory activity of the compounds in mustard such as terpenes.21 This is of specific interest because it shows that the protective properties of mustard go beyond antibiotic properties and may protect against viruses as well. Mustard has also been shown to have antifungal properties. Mustard essential oil was able to inhibit or delay the growth of several types of fungi and prevent further growth even if mustard essential oil was in contact with the fungi through vapors.22 Furthermore, mustard was found to recognize the structural differences of microbes and targeted sphingolipids, specific regulators of pathogenicity unique to fungal pathogens.23 Consumer Considerations Mustard as a food generally is considered safe. There are no known nutrient-drug interactions with mustard, although high levels of vitamin K in the leaves could interact with certain blood-thinning medications such as warfarin due to vitamin K’s blood-coagulating properties. The vitamin K content could also be a concern to individuals with existing untreated thyroid issues or an iodine deficiency. Due to the high oxalate content of the leaves, those with a history of oxalate-containing kidney stones may wish to limit their intake of mustard leaves.24 Mustard essential oil can be highly irritable to the skin and mucous membranes. It is not recommended to use mustard oil either internally or externally. However, mustard oil must be specifically extracted and these side effects are not a concern when consuming the condiment, seeds, or leaves.25 While there is little concern about adulteration of culinary mustard, there is a history of adulterating mustard seed oil with argemone (Argemone mexicana, Papaveraceae) oil. In 1998, 2,300 people were affected and 41 people died from adulterated mustard oil in India, resulting in a complete ban of mustard seed oil.26 The ban was subsequently lifted after the adulteration was discovered and corrected. However, mustard seed oil for edible consumption is not recognized as safe in the United States, Canada, and European Union due to its high erucic acid content.27 Nutrient Profile28 Macronutrient Profile: (Per 1 cup [approx. 56 grams] chopped mustard greens, raw) 15 calories 1.6 g protein 2.6 g carbohydrate 0.2 g fat Secondary Metabolites: (Per 1 cup [approx. 56 grams] chopped mustard greens, raw) Excellent source of: Vitamin K: 144.2 mcg (180.3% DV) Vitamin C: 39.2 mg (65.3% DV) Vitamin A: 1,693 IU (33.9% DV) Very good source of: Manganese: 0.3 mg (15% DV) Good source of: Dietary Fiber: 1.8 g (7.2% DV) Calcium: 64 mg (6.4% DV) Potassium: 215 mg (6.1% DV) Vitamin E: 1.13 mg (5.6% DV) Iron: 0.92 mg (5.1% DV) Also provides: Vitamin B6: 0.1 mg (5% DV) Magnesium: 18 mg (4.5% DV) Riboflavin: 0.06 mg (3.5% DV) Thiamin: 0.05 mg (3.3% DV) Phosphorus: 32 mg (3.2% DV) Niacin: 0.45 mg (2.3% DV) Folate: 7 mcg (1.8% DV) DV = Daily Value as established by the US Food and Drug Administration, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Recipe: Saag Paneer Adapted from Anita Jaisinghani29 Ingredients: 1/4 cup ghee or neutral vegetable oil, divided 1 medium yellow onion, chopped Salt and pepper to taste 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 serrano chilies, stems and seeds removed, minced 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced/grated 1 pound of mustard greens, stems removed and leaves chopped 1 pound baby spinach leaves 2 teaspoons garam masala spice blend 3/4 cup heavy cream or plain, unsweetened yogurt 1 pound paneer or halloumi cheese, diced into 1-inch pieces Directions: In a large saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of the ghee or oil. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Add the garlic, chilies, and ginger. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garam masala and cook until fragrant. In batches, add the mustard greens and spinach, letting each batch wilt before adding more. Season with salt and pepper. In a food processor, pulse half of the greens with half of the heavy cream or yogurt until finely chopped. Return to the saucepan and repeat with the remaining greens and cream/yogurt. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to process the greens and dairy in the saucepan. Keep the saag warm over very low heat, stirring occasionally. In a medium nonstick skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon of the ghee or oil over moderate heat. Add half of the paneer and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining ghee and paneer. Fold the paneer into the saag and cook over low heat until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with steamed basmati rice. References Duke J. Handbook of Energy Crops. Unpublished; 1983. Available at: https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Brassica_juncea.html. Accessed February 15, 2017. Oplinger E, Oelke EA, Putnam DH, et al. Mustard. Alternative Field Crops Manual. Madison, WI and St. Paul, MN: University of Wisconsin Department of Agronomy and University of Minnesota Center for Alternative Plant and Animal Products; 1991. Available at: https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/mustard.html. Accessed February 15, 2017. Van Wyk B-E. Food Plants of the World. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press; 2005. Brassica juncea. Missouri Botanical Garden website. Available at: www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a669. Accessed February 15, 2017. Nauman S, Mohammad I. Role of khardal (Brassica nigra) in non-communicable diseases: an overview. Int J Drug Dev Res. 2015;7(1):137-144. Kumar V, Thakur AK, Barothia ND, Chatterjee SS. Therapeutic potentials of Brassica juncea: an overview. International Journal of Genuine Traditional Medicine. 2011;1(1):1-17. http://dx.doi.org/10.5667/tang.2011.0005. Dioscorides P. De Materia Medica [trans. Osbaldeston TA]. Johannesburg, South Africa: IBIDIS Press; 2000. Manohar R, Pushpan R, Rohini S. Mustard and its uses in Ayurveda. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. 2009;8(3):400-404. Moerman D. Native American Medicinal Plants: An Ethnobotanical Dictionary. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press; 2009. Lewis WH, Elvin-Lewis MPF. Medical Botany: Plants Affecting Human Health. 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons; 2003. Bhattacharya A, Li Y, Wade KL, Paonessa JD, Fahey JW, Zhang Y. Allyl isothiocyanate-rich mustard seed powder inhibits bladder cancer growth and muscle invasion. Carcinogenesis. Dec 2010;31(12):2105-2110. doi:10.1093/carcin/bgq202/. Kumar A, D’Souza SS, Tickoo S, Salimath BP, Singh HB. Antiangiogenic and proapoptotic activities of allyl isothiocyanate inhibit ascites tumor growth in vivo. Integr Cancer Ther. 2009;8(1):75-87. doi:10.1177/1534735408330716. Jie M, Cheung WM, Yu V, Zhou Y, Tong PH, Ho JWS. Anti-proliferative activities of sinigrin on carcinogen-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. PLoS One. 2014;9(10):e110145. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0110145. Tseng E, Kamath A, Morris M. Effect of organic isothiocyanates on the P-glycoprotein- and MRP1-mediated transport of daunomycin and vinblastine. Pharm Res. 2002;19(10):1509-1515. Kim HY, Yokozawa T, Cho EJ, Cheigh HS, Choi JS, Chung HY. In vitro and in vivo antioxidant effects of mustard leaf (Brassica juncea). Phyto Res. 2003;17(5):465-471. doi:10.1002/ptr.1174. Yokozawa T, Kim HY, Cho EJ, Yamabe N, Choi JS. Protective effects of mustard leaf (Brassica juncea) against diabetic oxidative stress. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2003;49:87-93. Yadav SP, Vats V, Ammini AC, Grover JK. Brassica juncea (rai) significantly prevented the development of insulin resistance in rats fed fructose-enriched diet. J Ethnopharmacol. 2004;93(1):113-116. John P., Aravindakshan CM. Hypolipidemic effect of Brassica juncea (mustard) in alloxan induced diabetic rats. JIVA. 2012;10(2):13-16. Thakur AK, Chatterjee SS, Kumar V. Beneficial effects of Brassica juncea on cognitive function in rats. Pharm Biol. 2013;51(10):1304-1310. doi:10.3109/13880209.2013.789917. Thakur A., Chatterjee S., Kumar V. Antidepressant-like effects of Brassica junea L. leaves in diabetic rodents. Ind J Exp Biol. 2014;52:613-622. Rajamurugan R, Suyavaran A, Selvaganabathy N, et al. Brassica nigra plays a remedy role in hepatic and renal damage. Pharm Biol. 2012;50(12):1488-1497. doi:10.3109/13880209.2012.685129. Mejía-Garibay B, Palou E, López-Malo A. Composition, diffusion, and antifungal activity of black mustard (Brassica nigra) essential oil when applied by direct addition or vapor contact. J Food Prot. 2015;78(4):843-848. Oguro Y, Yamazaki H, Takagi M, Takaku H. Antifungal activity of plant defensin AFP1 in Brassica juncea involves the recognition of the methyl residue in glucosylceramide of target pathogen Candida albicans. Current Genet. 2014;60(2):89-97. Murray M, Pizzorno J, Pizzorno L. The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods. New York, New York: Atria Books; 2014. Tisserand T, Young R. Essential Oil Safety. 2nd ed. London, UK: Churchill Livingstone; 2014. Babu CK, Khanna SK, Das M. Adulteration of mustard cooking oil with argemone oil: do Indian food regulatory policies and antioxidant therapy both need revisitation? Antioxid Redox Signal. 2007;9(4):515-525. Agriculture and Consumer Protection. SECTION 2: Codex Standards for Fats and Oils from Vegetable Sources. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 1999. Available at: www.fao.org/docrep/004/y2774e/y2774e04.htm. Accessed February 22, 2017. Basic report: 11270, mustard greens, raw. United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service Available at: https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3018. Accessed February 22, 2017. Jaisinghani A. Mustard Greens Saag Paneer. Food and Wine. January 2017. Available at: www.foodandwine.com/recipes/mustard-greens-saag-paneer. Accessed February 22, 2017.

Re: Breeding Cannabis Chemovars for Patients Requiring Distinct Chemical Profiles for Optimum Efficacy

Cannabis (Cannabis sativa, Cannabaceae) Chemovars Pharmacology Date: 09-14-2018 HC# 021842-600 Lewis MA, Russo EB, Smith KM. Pharmacological foundations of cannabis chemovars. Planta Med. March 2018;84(4):225-233. doi: 10.1055/s-0043-122240. Proper exposition requires definition, certainly the case in the longstanding debate over cannabis (Cannabis sativa, Cannabaceae) speciation. Authors briefly introduce the ongoing dispute between followers of Fuchs (1542 CE) and Linnaeus (1753) and those of Lamarck (1783) and Schultes (1974). Lamarck described the putative "C. indica" and has been followed by proposed “compromise” naming like "C. afghanica,' "C. ruderalis," etc. If one holds that a species includes all plants capable of reproduction with each other, there is no debate. Cannabis is quite variable in height, branch density, leaf width, seed size, organoleptic and chemical traits, but all cannabis plants can interbreed. Nonetheless, "Sativa" and "Indica," especially, have entered the popular lexicon, used even in medical cannabis dispensaries to denote the reputed differences in effect. A plethora of "strain" names – more properly varieties or cultivars, despite the illegality of the plant in the United States* – from old-school "Acapulco Gold" to the newer "Cinderella 99" are sought for both medical and recreational use. Division into cannabinoid profile types (Type I, predominantly containing tetrahydrocannabinol [THC]; Type II, with both major cannabinoids, and Type II, predominantly containing cannabidiol [CBD]) has become widespread but lacks specificity. Other methods of reliably distinguishing among cannabis plants have been proposed but none have found broad acceptance. The authors recommend the term "chemovars" for cannabis plants, and introduce a patent-pending method, PhytoFacts, to distinguish among them. In furtherance of this, they conducted an advanced Mendelian breeding program to maximize yields of cannabinoids and terpenoids, and thus cannabis' efficacy. Samples of about two dozen established, hybridized genotypes from this program were analyzed for appearance, content, and, by patient panels, subjective qualities including aroma, flavor, and "entourage" (synergistic) effects of cannabis terpenoids. As many as 200 terpenoids in cannabis occur in the same glandular trichomes of unfertilized female flowers that produce phytocannabinoids. Their production is based on genetic rather than environmental factors. Cannabis terpene synthases are reported to be "promiscuous" in creating substrates, but mechanisms of terpene regulation in cannabis remain to be described. About 50 terpenoids are routinely found in North American chemovars, with 17 common and eight predominant (myrcene, terpinolene, ocimene, limonene, α-pinene, humulene, linalool, and β-caryophyllene.). All of those discussed are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for human consumption and/or are approved as food additives. Many have been extensively studied for pharmacological effects. Myrcene, for example, "far and away" the most prevalent terpene in chemovars in the United States and Europe at the time of this report, produces sedating effects. α-Pinene, with energizing effects, inhibits acetylcholinesterase, possibly benefiting learning and memory. It is possible to grow Type I, II, and III plants with almost the same terpenoid content but varying effects due to different cannabinoid levels. Sequential trials could offer optimal symptom control with the least adverse effects (AEs). It is noted that many potential indicators of specific chemovars may be cited but have not been studied in randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) and require further study. For example, α-pinene's inhibition of acetylcholinesterase may be enhanced, negated, or overshadowed by THC's anticholinergic effects; in the presence of 1,8-cineole and camphor it may be enhanced synergistically. If shown in well-designed RCTs to reduce negative effects of THC on short-term memory, α-pinene could find use in cannabis treatment for dementia, where THC is already known to reduce agitation. A chemovar with linalool, limonene, and β-caryophyllene might be used in conditions as diverse as burns and epilepsy. PhytoFacts reports assign an alpha-numeric heading to each chemovar. A bar graph shows relative proportions of the top three terpenes in the sample. Below that, another graph shows proportions of total cannabinoids, total terpenoids, and moisture, alongside basic data like plant part ("Type") tested, harvest and test dates, and sample and test identifiers. The next panel shows proportions of the top two cannabinoids in a circle graph, a photo of unfertilized female flowering parts for authentication, and a list of all cannabinoids detected to ±0.05% of dry weight. The next panel shows results of patient groups in a spider graph of 10 aromas and flavors (e.g., sweet, spicy, piney) and a pie chart of five entourage effects (e.g., energy, calm, relaxation). The final panel shows percentages of all terpenoids detected to ±0.01%. Developed to help the cannabis industry analyze, sort, and recommend chemovars using laboratory results, PhytoFacts will not resolve the speciation dispute but could render it practically irrelevant. It will be interesting to see how the system develops, including access to and criteria for inclusion, and resolving identification of duplicate chemical profiles. —Mariann Garner-Wizard *Under international plant nomenclature rules, cultivars must be registered varieties, but most cannot be registered since they are illegally grown in the United States. Similarly, voucher specimens of cannabis may not be deposited in US herbaria except under stringent licensing and storage conditions.

Re: Ginkgo Extract Improves Blood Glucose Levels, HbA1c, and Other Biomarkers in Patients Taking Metformin for Type 2 Diabetes

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba, Ginkgoaceae) Diabetes Mellitus Metformin Date: 09-14-2018 HC# 081811-600 Aziz TA, Hussain SA, Mahwi TO, Ahmed ZA, Rahman HS, Rasedee A. The efficacy and safety of Ginkgo biloba extract as an adjuvant in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients ineffectively managed with metformin: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Drug Des Devel Ther. April 5, 2018;12:735-742. doi: 10.2147/DDDT.S157113. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic elevations in blood glucose, abnormal carbohydrate metabolism, and other metabolic abnormalities resulting from insulin resistance, as is the case in early stages of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), or inadequate insulin levels. Many pharmaceutical drugs lower blood glucose, but they may have significant side effects and limited effect on long-term outcomes. Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba, Ginkgoaceae) leaf extract (GKB extract) is reported to have multiple beneficial bioactivities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and cardioprotective activities, among others. GKB extract has been used to treat arteriosclerosis, abnormal blood clotting, ischemic heart disease, and hypertension, and recently as a putative preventive for T2DM. It is a relatively inexpensive intervention. This study determined the effect of GKB extract as an adjuvant to metformin (Met) for the treatment of T2DM. Met tablets for the study were obtained from a pharmacy. A powdered GKB extract was obtained from Apollo Healthcare Resources (West Coast Vista, Singapore). [Note: the publication identified this product as EGb761, but it has been determined that it was not the Schwabe product of that name, and no further information on content was given.] Placebo tablets were specially manufactured locally. The study was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, multicenter clinical trial. It took place between December 2016 and October 2017 at the Center of Diabetes and Endocrine Glands in Sulaimani City, Iraq. Patients were recruited from nearby hospitals and clinics. Eligible patients were males or females, aged between 25 and 65 years, diagnosed with T2DM at least one year prior to the study, and with blood glucose levels inadequately controlled by Met alone. Exclusion criteria included pregnancy; type 1 DM, ischemic heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, bleeding disorders, or seizures; known hypersensitivity to GKB extract, Met, or placebo; and use of supplements containing multivitamins or polyphenols. Of the 80 screened, 60 people were found eligible for the study and randomized into two groups of 30 each. The placebo group received a 120 mg starch capsule per day in addition to their usual Met dose (1.24±0.67 g/day). The GKB group received 120 mg capsule GKB extract per day in addition to Met (1.36±0.45 g/day). Treatment lasted 90 days, with monthly follow-up appointments. Twenty patients in the placebo group and 27 in the GKB group completed the study. At the beginning and end of the 90-day intervention, researchers collected the following data: body weight, waist circumference (WC), and body mass index (BMI); HbA1c level, hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, hematocrit, red blood cell count, and white blood cell count; serum levels of fasting serum glucose (FSG), insulin, triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), urea, and creatine; aspartate transaminase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase; and visceral adiposity index (VAI) and insulin resistance index (IRI). Statistical analysis found no significant differences (P>0.05) between the two groups at baseline. The GKB group fared significantly better than the placebo group on almost every measure. Mean HbA1c, which provides an estimate of long-term blood sugar level, declined significantly in the GKB group (from 8.6%±1.6% at baseline to 7.7%±1.2% at the end of the study; P<0.001), while the decrease seen in the placebo group (from 8.8%±2.3% to 8.4%±2.1%) was not significant. FSG similarly declined significantly in the GKB group (from 194.4±66.1 mg/dL at baseline to 154.7±36.1 mg/dL at study end; P<0.001), while there was no significant change in the control group. Changes in serum insulin level and IRI were, however, not significant. BMI declined significantly after the intervention for the GKB group (from 34.0±6.0 kg/m2 to 31.6±5.1 kg/m2; P<0.001). BMI remained unchanged for the placebo group. The same was true for VAI, which fell significantly (P<0.007) after 90 days of treatment for the GKB group (192.0±86.2 to 158.9±67.2) and was unchanged for the placebo group. WC followed a similar pattern. The only significant difference in liver enzyme activity (P<0.05) was a reduction in serum ALP in the GKB group. Urea and creatine levels decreased significantly in the GKB group, while creatine levels increased significantly in the placebo group. The GKB group had significant increases in Hb concentration, hematocrit, and red blood cell count, while the placebo group did not; however, these changes were modest and of uncertain clinical significance. The white blood cell count did not change in either group. The platelet count declined significantly in the placebo group after the intervention. Uncontrolled hyperglycemia leads to various long- and short-term complications, including early death, in people with T2DM. These include vascular rigidity, nephropathy and retinopathy, and peripheral neuropathy. Met improves glycemic control, but frequently causes adverse effects, including weight gain. GKB contains several constituents that suggest its usefulness as an adjunct to Met. There are several biochemical mechanisms that are likely at work. The researchers suggest that it is GKB extract's stimulatory effect on lipolysis that accounts for its effects on BMI, WC, and VAI. The results show that this GKB extract is promising for improving glycemic control in T2DM and preventing the weight gain associated with use of Met. However, since the authors did not provide information regarding the supplement, there is no way to reproduce this trial. The authors report no conflicts of interest. –Anne Louise Merrill

Constructing Scientific Communities - The Doctor (1832-7)

Posted: 26 Sep 2018 04:28 AM PDT The Doctor – later styled as The New Doctor – was a general medical weekly aimed at lay readers. Edited by Mr. George Shipman, a London surgeon and general practitioner, the journal sought to provide accessible advice on medical matters and was a vehicle for self-promotion. 20180910_151141 The cover of The New Doctor (1835). It featured a range of clinical and health-related content, with articles spanning feigned diseases, the pros and cons of drinking hot chocolate, the practice of child-rearing, and the advantages of exercise. Shipman also intervened in more politicised medical matters, commenting on nepotism in hospital appointments and corruption among the Royal Colleges. An advocate for medical reform, he celebrated the skills of the low-status general practitioner over those of the ‘pure’ surgeons and physicians who made up the medical elite. The journal also featured non-medical content with popular appeal, printing articles on foreign travel such as ‘The Great Earthquake at Lisbon’ (25 Oct 1837) and ‘The Colony of Sierra Leone’ (18 Oct 1837). At the end of each edition was a section entitled ‘Answers to Correspondents’ (later ‘Answers to Invalids and Correspondents’ and then ‘To Correspondents’), where Shipman dispensed advice to readers, both named and anonymous. He clarified that there was no fee for these responses, unless people wanted private correspondence. Nevertheless, he often used his published replies as an opportunity for self-advertisement, urging readers to take his medicines or consult him privately. The journal typically closed with advertisements for his own remedies – such as The Doctor’s Family Medicines or The Doctor’s Stomach Pills – and his practice. Shipman advised readers that they could consult the Editor on certain weekday evenings (for half-a-crown in 1835) but that the very poor could be seen gratis on Sunday mornings. The costs and timings altered slightly over the journal’s time in print. 20180910_150908 An advert for Shipman’s consultation times. 20180910_150916 Adverts for The Doctor’s remedies. Writing in the British Medical Journal in 1925, Victor J. Plarr (the Librarian of the Royal College of Surgeons) commented that Shipman was ‘emphatically what would be now regarded as an advertising quack’, keenly highlighting the medical advances and social strides made by the profession over the previous century. He characterised the domestic medicine of Shipman’s journal as ‘nearly medieval’, and presented The New Doctor as ‘An Early Victorian Medical Journal’, representing it as an archetypical publication from medicine’s pre-modern past. [1] Historians W.F. Bynum and Janice C. Wilson contend that ‘Shipman was no quack, simply a general practitioner with fairly down-market aspirations’.[2] He was a qualified practitioner, a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons, and sought to distance himself from more disreputable quacks; at one point he printed a scathing piece about public credulity in Morison’s Pills. Nevertheless, it seems Shipman’s editorial efforts were motivated by financial considerations and that he was in a vulnerable position. In 1837, his name appeared among a list of prisoners petitioning The Court for Relief of Insolvent Debtors.[3] This was not an isolated case – Alannah Tomkins’s recent book Medical Misadventure explores the prevalence of financial failure among medical practitioners at this time.[4] As Michael Harris identifies, The Doctor’s ‘emphasis on self-help diagnosis and treatment’ suggests that it was intended for ‘a mainly working-class audience’,[5] readers who might not be able to afford a doctor’s fee but who might consider themselves above the workhouse infirmary or dispensary. The way in which The Doctor was marketed as a ‘penny magazine’ suggests it sought to place itself among easily affordable and readable periodical literature. (By 1835 it was priced at three-halfpence.) Yet its subtitle also described itself as ‘Medical, Philosophical, and Literary’ in character, suggesting it wished to portray itself as more cerebral than sensational. The journal also presented itself as a useful resource for anyone who might be out of the reach of professional medical care. In 1837, The Doctor commenced an (almost) weekly series of articles entitled ‘The Village Practitioner’. The preface to this feature noted that, [i]n remote districts, far removed from medical advice, our publication is in many instances the only guide which is to be readily found, by which the true nature of disease is ascertained, and appropriate medicines are pointed out.[6] The series encompassed articles on complaints as diverse as fever, inflammation of the bowels, smallpox, and rheumatism. The preface suggests that the series was intended for lay people who were unable to access a practitioner but who felt responsible for the healthcare of others. There was a long tradition of home treatments, as epitomised by Thomas John Graham’s popular book Modern Domestic Medicine (1827). In 1835, the journal began subtitling itself as a ‘Family Journal of Health’ and from 1836 the journal specifically pitched itself as ‘Adapted for the Use of Clergymen, Heads of Families, Nurses’. The emphasis on domesticity and positions of authority was perhaps intended to convey that The Doctor was a reputable publication with a respectable readership. The New Doctor marketed itself as intended for ‘All Classes of Society’, presumably a strategy to assure working-class readers of both its accessibility and credibility. Ultimately, Shipman’s journal advocated self-help but not self-sufficiency, exposing his readers to advertisements for his own services, a practice that was becoming increasingly anathema to mainstream, professionalised medicine. All images are from The New Doctor, 9 September 1835 (photographed in the Wellcome Library). [1] Victor G. Plarr, ‘An Early Victorian Medical Journal’, BMJ, 13 June 1925, p. 1101. [2] W.F. Bynum and Janice C. Wilson, ‘Periodical Knowledge: Medical Journals and their Editors in Nineteenth-Century Britain’, in Medical Journals and Medical Knowledge, ed. by Bynum, Stephen Lock and Roy Porter (London: Routledge, 1992), pp. 29-44 (p. 42). [3] ‘The Court for Relief of Insolvent Debtors’, London Gazette, 21 March 1837, pp. 799-800 (p. 799). [4] Alannah Tomkins, Medical Misadventure in an Age of Professionalisation, 1780–1890 (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2017). [5] Michael Harris, ‘Social Diseases? Crime and Medicine in the Victorian Press’, in Medical Journals and Medical Knowledge, pp. 108-25 (p. 109). [6]‘The Village Practitioner’, The Doctor, 8 March 1837, p. 180.

Coming Home to Indigenous Place Names in Canada

Get notified of “Coming Home” second printing here! https://umaine.edu/canam/publications/coming-home-map/ About the Map To mark the 150th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada, the Canadian-American Center at the University of Maine is pleased to release a new map, Coming Home to Indigenous Place Names in Canada. The map honors Indigenous place names in Canada and the assertion of Indigenous authority through place names. Commissioned by Dr. Stephen J. Hornsby, Director of the Canadian-American Center, Coming Home to Indigenous Place Names in Canada was researched and designed by Dr. Margaret Wickens Pearce. The map depicts Indigenous place names across Canada, shared by permission of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities and people. The names express territorial rights and describe the shapes, sounds, and stories of sovereign lands. The names mark the locations of the gathering places, the communities, the places of danger and beauty, and the places where treaties were signed. The names are ancient and recent, both in and outside of time, and they express and assert the Indigenous presence across the Canadian landscape in Indigenous languages. The map does not depict all of the Indigenous place names of Canada, nor are all Indigenous Nations and communities represented. Beyond the map’s names are thousands upon thousands more, an ever growing and expanding atlas of intimate, geographical knowledge and experience. The intention of the map is to create respect for Indigenous homelands and sovereignties, and a feeling for and understanding of the place names. The Canadian-American Center does not profit from the production and sale of this map. Members of the public are invited to purchase a copy for the cost of printing and postage. Contributors of place names to the map are invited to email the Canadian-American Center for a discounted rate. To purchase a copy, please visit our online store! Coming Home map Click to order! The Cartographer Dr. Margaret Wickens Pearce is a cartographer and the author of several award-winning maps, including Ivoka Eli-Wihtamakw Kәtahkinawal/This is how we name our lands (Penobscot Cultural & Historic Preservation, 2015) in collaboration with Penobscot C&HP, and They Would Not Take Me There: People, Places and Stories from Champlain’s Travels in Canada, 1603-1616 (Canadian-American Center, 2008), in collaboration with Michael J. Hermann. She also maps as Further Reading and Journey Cake. Coming Home map upper right corner Click here to download a PDF of the map. Specifications Size: 42″ x 33″ Available rolled or folded Publisher: Canadian–American Center The University of Maine Orono, Maine, USA

Re: Breeding Cannabis Chemovars for Patients Requiring Distinct Chemical Profiles for Optimum Efficacy

Lewis MA, Russo EB, Smith KM. Pharmacological foundations of cannabis chemovars. Planta Med. March 2018;84(4):225-233. doi: 10.1055/s-0043-122240. Proper exposition requires definition, certainly the case in the longstanding debate over cannabis (Cannabis sativa, Cannabaceae) speciation. Authors briefly introduce the ongoing dispute between followers of Fuchs (1542 CE) and Linnaeus (1753) and those of Lamarck (1783) and Schultes (1974). Lamarck described the putative "C. indica" and has been followed by proposed “compromise” naming like "C. afghanica,' "C. ruderalis," etc. If one holds that a species includes all plants capable of reproduction with each other, there is no debate. Cannabis is quite variable in height, branch density, leaf width, seed size, organoleptic and chemical traits, but all cannabis plants can interbreed. Nonetheless, "Sativa" and "Indica," especially, have entered the popular lexicon, used even in medical cannabis dispensaries to denote the reputed differences in effect. A plethora of "strain" names – more properly varieties or cultivars, despite the illegality of the plant in the United States* – from old-school "Acapulco Gold" to the newer "Cinderella 99" are sought for both medical and recreational use. Division into cannabinoid profile types (Type I, predominantly containing tetrahydrocannabinol [THC]; Type II, with both major cannabinoids, and Type II, predominantly containing cannabidiol [CBD]) has become widespread but lacks specificity. Other methods of reliably distinguishing among cannabis plants have been proposed but none have found broad acceptance. The authors recommend the term "chemovars" for cannabis plants, and introduce a patent-pending method, PhytoFacts, to distinguish among them. In furtherance of this, they conducted an advanced Mendelian breeding program to maximize yields of cannabinoids and terpenoids, and thus cannabis' efficacy. Samples of about two dozen established, hybridized genotypes from this program were analyzed for appearance, content, and, by patient panels, subjective qualities including aroma, flavor, and "entourage" (synergistic) effects of cannabis terpenoids. As many as 200 terpenoids in cannabis occur in the same glandular trichomes of unfertilized female flowers that produce phytocannabinoids. Their production is based on genetic rather than environmental factors. Cannabis terpene synthases are reported to be "promiscuous" in creating substrates, but mechanisms of terpene regulation in cannabis remain to be described. About 50 terpenoids are routinely found in North American chemovars, with 17 common and eight predominant (myrcene, terpinolene, ocimene, limonene, α-pinene, humulene, linalool, and β-caryophyllene.). All of those discussed are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for human consumption and/or are approved as food additives. Many have been extensively studied for pharmacological effects. Myrcene, for example, "far and away" the most prevalent terpene in chemovars in the United States and Europe at the time of this report, produces sedating effects. α-Pinene, with energizing effects, inhibits acetylcholinesterase, possibly benefiting learning and memory. It is possible to grow Type I, II, and III plants with almost the same terpenoid content but varying effects due to different cannabinoid levels. Sequential trials could offer optimal symptom control with the least adverse effects (AEs). It is noted that many potential indicators of specific chemovars may be cited but have not been studied in randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) and require further study. For example, α-pinene's inhibition of acetylcholinesterase may be enhanced, negated, or overshadowed by THC's anticholinergic effects; in the presence of 1,8-cineole and camphor it may be enhanced synergistically. If shown in well-designed RCTs to reduce negative effects of THC on short-term memory, α-pinene could find use in cannabis treatment for dementia, where THC is already known to reduce agitation. A chemovar with linalool, limonene, and β-caryophyllene might be used in conditions as diverse as burns and epilepsy. PhytoFacts reports assign an alpha-numeric heading to each chemovar. A bar graph shows relative proportions of the top three terpenes in the sample. Below that, another graph shows proportions of total cannabinoids, total terpenoids, and moisture, alongside basic data like plant part ("Type") tested, harvest and test dates, and sample and test identifiers. The next panel shows proportions of the top two cannabinoids in a circle graph, a photo of unfertilized female flowering parts for authentication, and a list of all cannabinoids detected to ±0.05% of dry weight. The next panel shows results of patient groups in a spider graph of 10 aromas and flavors (e.g., sweet, spicy, piney) and a pie chart of five entourage effects (e.g., energy, calm, relaxation). The final panel shows percentages of all terpenoids detected to ±0.01%. Developed to help the cannabis industry analyze, sort, and recommend chemovars using laboratory results, PhytoFacts will not resolve the speciation dispute but could render it practically irrelevant. It will be interesting to see how the system develops, including access to and criteria for inclusion, and resolving identification of duplicate chemical profiles. —Mariann Garner-Wizard *Under international plant nomenclature rules, cultivars must be registered varieties, but most cannot be registered since they are illegally grown in the United States. Similarly, voucher specimens of cannabis may not be deposited in US herbaria except under stringent licensing and storage conditions.

Re: Ginkgo Extract Improves Blood Glucose Levels, HbA1c, and Other Biomarkers in Patients Taking Metformin for Type 2 Diabetes

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba, Ginkgoaceae) Diabetes Mellitus Metformin Date: 09-14-2018 HC# 081811-600 Aziz TA, Hussain SA, Mahwi TO, Ahmed ZA, Rahman HS, Rasedee A. The efficacy and safety of Ginkgo biloba extract as an adjuvant in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients ineffectively managed with metformin: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Drug Des Devel Ther. April 5, 2018;12:735-742. doi: 10.2147/DDDT.S157113. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic elevations in blood glucose, abnormal carbohydrate metabolism, and other metabolic abnormalities resulting from insulin resistance, as is the case in early stages of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), or inadequate insulin levels. Many pharmaceutical drugs lower blood glucose, but they may have significant side effects and limited effect on long-term outcomes. Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba, Ginkgoaceae) leaf extract (GKB extract) is reported to have multiple beneficial bioactivities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and cardioprotective activities, among others. GKB extract has been used to treat arteriosclerosis, abnormal blood clotting, ischemic heart disease, and hypertension, and recently as a putative preventive for T2DM. It is a relatively inexpensive intervention. This study determined the effect of GKB extract as an adjuvant to metformin (Met) for the treatment of T2DM. Met tablets for the study were obtained from a pharmacy. A powdered GKB extract was obtained from Apollo Healthcare Resources (West Coast Vista, Singapore). [Note: the publication identified this product as EGb761, but it has been determined that it was not the Schwabe product of that name, and no further information on content was given.] Placebo tablets were specially manufactured locally. The study was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, multicenter clinical trial. It took place between December 2016 and October 2017 at the Center of Diabetes and Endocrine Glands in Sulaimani City, Iraq. Patients were recruited from nearby hospitals and clinics. Eligible patients were males or females, aged between 25 and 65 years, diagnosed with T2DM at least one year prior to the study, and with blood glucose levels inadequately controlled by Met alone. Exclusion criteria included pregnancy; type 1 DM, ischemic heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, bleeding disorders, or seizures; known hypersensitivity to GKB extract, Met, or placebo; and use of supplements containing multivitamins or polyphenols. Of the 80 screened, 60 people were found eligible for the study and randomized into two groups of 30 each. The placebo group received a 120 mg starch capsule per day in addition to their usual Met dose (1.24±0.67 g/day). The GKB group received 120 mg capsule GKB extract per day in addition to Met (1.36±0.45 g/day). Treatment lasted 90 days, with monthly follow-up appointments. Twenty patients in the placebo group and 27 in the GKB group completed the study. At the beginning and end of the 90-day intervention, researchers collected the following data: body weight, waist circumference (WC), and body mass index (BMI); HbA1c level, hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, hematocrit, red blood cell count, and white blood cell count; serum levels of fasting serum glucose (FSG), insulin, triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), urea, and creatine; aspartate transaminase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase; and visceral adiposity index (VAI) and insulin resistance index (IRI). Statistical analysis found no significant differences (P>0.05) between the two groups at baseline. The GKB group fared significantly better than the placebo group on almost every measure. Mean HbA1c, which provides an estimate of long-term blood sugar level, declined significantly in the GKB group (from 8.6%±1.6% at baseline to 7.7%±1.2% at the end of the study; P<0.001), while the decrease seen in the placebo group (from 8.8%±2.3% to 8.4%±2.1%) was not significant. FSG similarly declined significantly in the GKB group (from 194.4±66.1 mg/dL at baseline to 154.7±36.1 mg/dL at study end; P<0.001), while there was no significant change in the control group. Changes in serum insulin level and IRI were, however, not significant. BMI declined significantly after the intervention for the GKB group (from 34.0±6.0 kg/m2 to 31.6±5.1 kg/m2; P<0.001). BMI remained unchanged for the placebo group. The same was true for VAI, which fell significantly (P<0.007) after 90 days of treatment for the GKB group (192.0±86.2 to 158.9±67.2) and was unchanged for the placebo group. WC followed a similar pattern. The only significant difference in liver enzyme activity (P<0.05) was a reduction in serum ALP in the GKB group. Urea and creatine levels decreased significantly in the GKB group, while creatine levels increased significantly in the placebo group. The GKB group had significant increases in Hb concentration, hematocrit, and red blood cell count, while the placebo group did not; however, these changes were modest and of uncertain clinical significance. The white blood cell count did not change in either group. The platelet count declined significantly in the placebo group after the intervention. Uncontrolled hyperglycemia leads to various long- and short-term complications, including early death, in people with T2DM. These include vascular rigidity, nephropathy and retinopathy, and peripheral neuropathy. Met improves glycemic control, but frequently causes adverse effects, including weight gain. GKB contains several constituents that suggest its usefulness as an adjunct to Met. There are several biochemical mechanisms that are likely at work. The researchers suggest that it is GKB extract's stimulatory effect on lipolysis that accounts for its effects on BMI, WC, and VAI. The results show that this GKB extract is promising for improving glycemic control in T2DM and preventing the weight gain associated with use of Met. However, since the authors did not provide information regarding the supplement, there is no way to reproduce this trial. The authors report no conflicts of interest. –Anne Louise Merrill

Ecological processes determining the distribution dynamics of vole populations during forest succession.

Oecologia. 2018 Sep 22. doi: 10.1007/s00442-018-4261-9. [Epub ahead of print] Le Borgne H1,2, Dupuch A3,4, Fortin D3. Author information 1 Chaire de Recherche Industrielle CRSNG, Université Laval en Sylviculture et Faune. Département de Biologie, Pavillon Alexandre-Vachon, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada. helene.le.borgne.1@gmail.com. 2 Institut des Sciences de la Forêt Tempérée, Université du Québec en Outaouais, 58 Rue Principale, Ripon, QC, J0V 1V0, Canada. helene.le.borgne.1@gmail.com. 3 Chaire de Recherche Industrielle CRSNG, Université Laval en Sylviculture et Faune. Département de Biologie, Pavillon Alexandre-Vachon, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada. 4 Institut des Sciences de la Forêt Tempérée, Université du Québec en Outaouais, 58 Rue Principale, Ripon, QC, J0V 1V0, Canada. Abstract The size and distribution of animal populations may vary drastically over time following a disturbance event. While both competition and predation can control the size of animal populations, changes in the relative importance of these two density-dependent processes remain poorly documented during ecological succession. Here, we combined habitat selection and optimal foraging theory to identify the processes that can explain the increase in red-backed voles (Myodes gapperi) during post-logging forest succession in boreal ecosystems. Specifically, we assessed the extent to which changes in intra- and interspecific competition and in predation risk can explain variation in abundance and distribution of voles during post-harvest forest succession. We estimated the abundances of the red-backed vole and of its main competitor, the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), in adjacent pairs of logged (5-66 years old) forest stands and uncut stands (> 120 years old). We found that voles increased their preference for uncut stands with increasing conspecific density. Foraging experiments revealed that in early-seral forest stands, voles increased their feeding effort in the presence of deer mice, particularly in safer food patches. This behaviour is expected from foraging theory when interspecific competitors increase predation risk. Apparent competition would thus limit the density of red-backed voles, and changes in the relative strength of this process during forest succession would control patterns of distribution and abundance of the species. KEYWORDS: Competition; Forest succession; Habitat selection; Logging; Predation PMID: 30244315 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4261-9

ROMAN RECIPES AND THE SENSES

ANTIQUITY, CLASSICAL, FOOD AND DRINK, INGREDIENTS, MATERIAL HISTORY, POSTS https://recipes.hypotheses.org/10472 24/04/2018 ELAINE LEONG LEAVE A COMMENT By Erica Rowan We do not have many recipes from the ancient world and certainly none presented in the user-friendly format found in today’s cookbooks with precise measurements, cooking times and images of the finished product. Some ancient recipes are found at the end of agrarian handbooks, like those produced by Cato the Elder (234-149 BC) (for more see Catherine Draycott’s post https://recipes.hypotheses.org/5005), while others are described as part of a philosophical dinner party (Athenaeus’ Deipnosophistae). The most famous recipe book, and the one which most reconstructed Roman recipes are based, is Apicius’ De re coquinaria or On the subject of cooking. Compiled sometime during the 4th century AD and named after an infamous 1st century AD cook, it contains recipes for vegetables, pulses, meat, seafood and game. Ingredients are listed in the text along with rough instructions for the preparation and cooking of the dish (think instructions for the technical challenge in The Great British Bake Off). The lack of ingredient quantities suggests that it functioned as part coffee table book and part chef’s manual, whereby the cook already had a good understanding of ingredient combinations and quantities. In other words, it was not for the beginner home cook. Despite a lack of precision and clarity in these surviving recipes, it is possible to gain a detailed understanding of the sensory experience involved in the preparation and consumption of these dishes. This is due to the survival of several pieces of Roman kitchen equipment and at times, the food remains themselves. At sites like Pompeii and Herculaneum (Italy), which were destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in AD79, we not only have cooking pots, plates and serving dishes, but also the remains of the kitchens and dining rooms where the food was prepared and eaten. So what was it like to make and eat Roman food? Let’s look at one of Apicius’ recipes in detail. Lentils with mussels: take a clean pan, (put the lentils in and cook them). Put in a mortar pepper, cumin, coriander seed, mint, rue, pennyroyal, and pound them. Pour on vinegar, add honey, liquamen, and defrutum, flavour with vinegar. Empty the mortar into the pan. Pound cooked mussels, put them in and bring to heat; when it is simmering well, thicken. Pour green oil over it in the serving dish. [Apicius, On the subject of cooking, 5.2.1, from Grocock and Grainger 2006: 209] The first thing you may notice about this dish is the vast number of flavours and seasonings involved. In addition to the various herbs, the recipe also calls for liquamen, a fermented fish sauce similar to the Thai fish sauce Nam Pla, and defrutum, concentrated grape syrup made from boiled down grape juice. Roman dishes are notorious for their seemingly strange and startling mix of flavours. However, before we get to the taste, let’s start with sensory experience of preparing this dish. Firstly, let’s assume that this dish is being prepared for a dinner party in a wealthy Roman household. If you were the one making the food you would have been a slave, working in a hot, small, smoky kitchen. Roman kitchens are readily identifiable by their large ceramic hearths. Cooking took place on the hearth; the space beneath is just for the storage of fuel, usually charcoal or wood. The lack of chimneys in Roman kitchens means that there was poor ventilation and the smell of the cooking food would have been quite strong. The small size of most kitchens, even in larger houses, meant that the room would have been hot, even in the winter. At least two pieces of cooking equipment are required to make this recipe, a pan and a mortar. The mortar would have been a mortarium (image), a large shallow ceramic bowl with stone inclusions in the bottom to provide a rough grating surface. All the seasonings would have been ground by hand using a mortarium and wooden pestle. The pan (perhaps made of bronze) would have been placed on a metal or ceramic tripod with charcoal underneath. The varying materials of the mortarium, pestle and pan would have made the tactile experience quite dynamic. Once the dish was finished, depending upon the wealth of your owners, you would have poured the finished product onto a ceramic, bronze or silver platter. You’d then promptly move on to preparing another dish as Roman dinners usually consisted of several courses. Now let’s shift gears and say you’re a guest at the dinner party and you have the opportunity to taste and smell this dish. The combination of flavours in this recipe, and particularly the mixture of the liquamen, defrutum, honey and vinegar would have given it a sweet and salty taste. In my experience, having made several Roman dishes, the flavour combination is strange but not jarring or unpleasant. Roman food tasted much more like modern Thai or Chinese cuisine than modern Italian with its frequent combination of sweet, sour, and salty. The black pepper in the dish, imported from India, would have provided a hint of wealth and exoticism as it was by far one of the most expensive and foreign seasonings you could use at this time. If you had grown up consuming a Roman diet then this dish would have smelled and tasted very normal to you. The herbs, in addition to appearing in numerous other Apician recipes, are also frequently mentioned by other ancient authors, suggesting that they formed an important part of the Roman diet. This importance is confirmed by the recovery of many of the herbs, and in particular coriander, at sites throughout the Roman Empire. The military and merchants carried and imported these herbs to all the corners of the Empire, perhaps to evoke a taste of home. Some individuals native to the northern provinces, such as Gaul and Britain, adopted these seasonings into their local cuisines. In addition to probably enjoying the taste, they used them to display their wealth or allegiance to Rome. In sum, there is much sensory information that can be gleaned from Roman recipes and the archaeological remains of food preparation and consumption. What is perhaps most striking is the vastly different interactions and experiences of those in the kitchen compared to those in the dining room! Select bibliography Grocock, C. W. and Grainger, S. 2006. Apicius: A Critical Edition with an Introduction and an English Translation of the Latin Recipe Text Apicius. Totnes: Prospect. Livarda, A. 2011. ‘Spicing up life in northwestern Europe: exotic food plant imports in the Roman and medieval world.’ Veg Hist Archaeobot, 20(2): 143-164. Livarda, A., 2018. Tastes in the Roman provinces: an archaeobotanical approach to socio-cultural change. In: K.C. Rudolph, ed. Taste and the Ancient Senses. London: Routledge. pp. 179-196. Rowan, E., 2017. Bioarchaeological preservation and non-elite diet in the Bay of Naples: An analysis of the food remains from the Cardo V sewer at the Roman site of Herculaneum. Environmental Archaeology, 22(3), pp.318-336. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Erica Rowan is a lecturer in Classical Archaeology at Royal Holloway, University of London. As a Roman archaeologist with a specialization in archaeobotany, her research focuses on Roman diet and consumption practices. She uses literary, archaeological, and archaeobotanical evidence to explore the way cultural tensions within Roman society were expressed, embedded, and resolved through the prevailing food culture.

23 DECEMBER 2015 Vodka - a panacea for all illnesses?

http://blogs.bl.uk/european/2015/12/vodka-a-panacea-for-all-illnesses.html The lack of physicians and apothecaries throughout 16th century Poland on one hand and of medical guidebooks in the Polish language on the other were Stefan Falimirz’s motives for undertaking the compilation of a book on herbal medicine O ziołach y o moczy gich. The herbal is a compilation of texts from Latin sources with the author’s added information on plants native to Poland. It is the first book to use Polish botanical and medical terminology. For this reason the book is also considered important for the development of Polish medical lexicography. Very little is known about the author. He was a friend of the publisher Florian Ungler and courtier to a Polish voivode. It is not clear whether he was a physician or botanist by training, but he obviously had a great interest in natural science. Falimirz Image 1 Title page of Stefan Falimirz’s O ziołach y o moczy gich (Kraków, 1534) British Library C.185.a.1 The herbal is regarded as a treatise on pharmacology, medicine and botany as well as a practical medical guide, which was meant to help save lives in the context of the inadequate healthcare provision of the time. The book consists of five chapters, of which the first one provides the title for the whole work: On herbs and their potency. Other subjects covered include the medicinal properties of birds, animals and fishes, blood-letting, obstetrics and infants’ ailments, surgery, etc. In the second chapter Falimirz describes some seventy brands of vodka and their health benefits. He initially gives instructions on the process of distilling vodka and then lists the different kinds alphabetically. The chapter concludes with a list of illnesses cured by them. Thus a well-supplied home apothecary was the guarantee for curing each illness. We learn that violet vodka is good for tuberculosis while the sage one is linked to curing headaches, but the honey vodka is supposed to clear the blood. On the other hand, hetmans and captains were given wormwood-infused vodka but only when they were heading for war. The author recommends grass vodka for the sufferer from jaundice as well as for alleviating wrist pain. Disorders of the head can be cured by ten different brands of vodka such as marjoram, lavender, sage and peony. Against memory loss, fennel vodka is supposed to help. Heart disease can be treated with lavender, borage or St. John Wort infusions. Falimirz image 2Frontispiece to chapter 2 of O ziołach y o moczy gich, on herb-infused vodkas Some of Falimirz’s recommendations seem universal and timeless. He has, for example, a remedy for the citizens of a modern city exposed to noxious air either in air-conditioned offices or in the polluted streets. His advice would be a shot of oak-tree vodka. With the festive season just a few days away, Falimirz would recommend a small glass of peppermint or sage vodka to treat stomach disorders as it is reputed to aid digestion. It is not surprising that it proved the most popular book of its time. 12 copies which are recorded in Poland are imperfect, but the British Library copy is faultless. The herbal is lavishly illustrated and contains over 600 woodcuts. Sage 1 WORMWOOD 3 Entries on sage (left) and wormwood (right) from O ziołach y o moczy gich Magda Szkuta, Curator East European Collections Posted by Olga Kerziouk at 10:00 AM

Organogenesis of Abelmoschus moschatus Medik. Using Aseptic Seedling Explants

European Journal of Medicinal Plants, ISSN: 2231-0894,Vol.: 25, Issue.: 1 Short Research Article Aruna Varimadugu1* and Pullaiah Thammineni2 1Department of Biotechnology, Chaitanya Bharathi Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, Telangana, India. 2Department of Botany, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, India. Article Information Editor(s): (1) Dr. Paolo Zucca, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Italy. (2) Dr. Marcello Iriti, Professor, Plant Biology and Pathology, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Milan State University, Italy. Reviewers: (1) Claudia Veronica Luna, National University of the Northeast, Argentina. (2) Mahanom Jalil, University of Malaya, Malaysia. (3) Shreeti Pradhan, Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Complete Peer review History: http://www.sciencedomain.org/review-history/26167 Abstracts Aim: Abelmoschus moschatus have been extensively used in traditional medicine as well as in perfume industries. The primary goal of the present research was to develop an efficient plant regeneration protocol of Abelmoschus moschatus from aseptic seedling explants such as cotyledon, internode, leaf and root. Methodology: The seeds of Abelmoschus moschatus were surface sterilized with 0.1% mercuric chloride and 70% ethanol were cultured on ½ MS basal media for developing aseptic seedlings Aseptic seedling explants were cultured on different concentrations of auxins for callus induction. Later callus was transferred on to different concentrations of cytokinins for shoot regeneration and for in vitro, rooting different concentrations of auxins were used. Finally, such in vitro developed plantlets were acclimatized. Results: Half strength MS medium with 1% sucrose was used for raising aseptic seedlings. Maximum of 92% response of callus induction was obtained from leaf explants on MS medium + 2 mg/L 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. An average of 2.4 shoots per callus were observed on MS + 2 mg/L benzyl-6-aminopurine from leaf explant. The regenerated shoots were best rooted on 1/2 MS + 0.5 mg/L indole-3-butyric acid. The regenerated plantlets were established with 70% survival. Conclusion: An efficient plant regeneration protocol of Abelmoschus moschatus was developed. Keywords : Abelmoschus moschatus; callus; leaf explant; shoot regeneration. Full Article - PDF Page 1-8 Article Metrics DOI : 10.9734/EJMP/2018/42720 Review History Comments

The Helping Horse: How Equine Assisted Learning Contributes to the Wellbeing of First Nations Youth in Treatment for Volatile Substance Misuse.

Send to Hum Anim Interact Bull. 2015 Jun;1(1):52-75. Adams C1, Arratoon C2, Boucher J3, Cartier G3, Chalmers D4, Dell CA5, Dell D6, Dryka D3, Duncan R7, Dunn K8, Hopkins C9, Longclaws L10, MacKinnon T3, Sauve E10, Spence S7, Wuttunee M7. Author information 1 University of Calgary, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. 2 Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse. 3 Cartier Equine Learning Centre. 4 University of Regina, Faculty of Social Work. 5 University of Saskatchewan, Department of Sociology & School of Public Health. 6 Youth Solvent Addiction Committee. 7 University of Saskatchewan, Department of Sociology. 8 University of Saskatchewan, School of Public Health. 9 National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation. 10 White Buffalo Youth Inhalant Treatment Centre. Abstract There has been recent interest in Canada exploring the benefits of equine assisted interventions in the treatment of First Nations youth who misuse volatile substances. Using the richness of an exploratory case study involving the White Buffalo Youth Inhalant Treatment Centre and the Cartier Equine Learning Center, our community-based study examined the question of how an Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) program contributes to the wellbeing of First Nations female youth who misuse volatile substances. Both programs are grounded in a holistic bio-psycho-social-spiritual framework of healing. Our study shares how the EAL horses, facilitators and program content contributed to youths' wellbeing in each area of the healing framework (bio-psycho-social-spiritual), with emphasis on the cultural significance of the horse and its helping role. The horse is a helper in the girls' journeys toward improved wellbeing-the horse helps through its very nature as a highly instinctive animal, it helps the facilitators do their jobs, and it also helps put the treatment program activities into practice. In addition, the role of First Nations culture in the girls' lives was enhanced through their encounters with the horses. The findings support the limited literature on equine assisted interventions and add important insights to the youth addictions treatment literature. Key implications to consider for EAL and volatile substance misuse policy, practice and research are identified. PMID: 26793794 PMCID: PMC4716821 Free PMC Article Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Google+ Images from this publication.See all images (1)Free text

All hype, no help: B.C. draws ire from scientists over caribou plan

The Narwhal Logo https://thenarwhal.ca/all-hype-no-help-b-c-draws-ire-scientists-caribou-plan/ Illustration: Carol Linnitt / The Narwhal IN-DEPTH B.C.’s ‘new’ recovery strategy is being sold to the public as a bold remedy for the province’s critically endangered caribou herds but scientists are coming forward with sharp criticism, saying a government discussion paper fails to highlight the principal cause of the species’ precipitous decline Sarah Cox Sep 19, 2018 9 min read Scientist Justina Ray has been studying caribou for fifteen years and still gets shivers up her spine when she spots their tracks braiding across snowy landscapes. “Every sighting that I have in a natural habitat is a sensation,” said the senior scientist and president of Wildlife Conservation Society Canada (WCSC). “It’s extraordinary. They can make themselves look more numerous just through these gorgeous tracks.” After witnessing the sharp decline of B.C. caribou herds, Ray and other caribou scientists were hopeful last November when the B.C. government was compelled — under the federal Species at Risk Act — to develop a conservation plan for woodland caribou recovery and protect their critical habitat in B.C.’s mountain forests. But now their hope has shifted to “profound” concern following the publication of a B.C. government discussion paper billed by Doug Donaldson, minister of forests, lands, natural resource operations and rural development, as a “resource document” for a caribou recovery program. New strategy ‘will amount to much wasted time’ The paper’s release followed the B.C. government’s surprising announcement that it will develop a “new,” “made in B.C.” program to save caribou, even though recovery strategies already exist to save the antlered mammal engraved on the Canadian quarter. “We fear that intentions to develop a ‘made in B.C.’ approach will amount to much wasted time, even as decisions are underway to degrade more prime caribou habitat,” Ray and scientist Chris Johnson wrote in a six-page letter to Donaldson’s ministry. The June letter said the ministry’s discussion paper ignores scientific findings, adds “little if anything” to the probability of species recovery and has an overall approach similar to those that have failed in the past. Both scientists sit on committees advising the federal government on caribou recovery and they co-chair the terrestrial mammals subcommittee of the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), which in 2014 assessed the majority of B.C.’s caribou herds as endangered. Vague set of initiatives a delaying tactic: scientists Thirty of B.C.’s 54 caribou herds are at risk of local extinction, including the Klinse-Za herd in the Peace region where First Nations are capturing pregnant caribou cows and penning them in a last-ditch effort to save the herd. Fourteen B.C. herds now have fewer than 25 animals, with only three animals remaining in the Gray Ghost herd in the southern Selkirk mountains. Johnson, an ecology professor at UNBC, said in an interview that caribou are in a “crisis situation” and there is little time left for discussion. “It just seemed to be a vanilla sort of flavoured discussion paper meant to appease people and give the impression that things are going to get better, without actually making any commitment or saying how things are going to get better for caribou,” Johnson said. “It seemed like a bit of a delaying tactic.” In the letter, the scientists said they are “profoundly concerned” about the potential example B.C.’s $27 million caribou recovery program may provide for B.C.’s promised species at risk legislation if the new law follows the direction outlined in the discussion paper — which they characterize as a “vague set of initiatives that aspire to be something ‘new,’ but in fact look similar if not identical to the status quo that ignores legally mandated and scientifically supported recovery actions.” The approach outlined in the discussion paper is not even legally consistent with B.C.’s obligation to protect critical caribou habitat under the federal Species at Risk Act, the scientists informed Donaldson’s ministry, which is responsible for issuing permits that impact caribou habitat, including for logging and road-building. “This is because it spells out a direction that is more appropriately characterized as status quo than ‘new’ and ignores key tenets of clear and consistent scientific findings regarding caribou declines that suggest strongly that a ‘made in B.C.’ approach is both unreasonable and unnecessary,” they wrote. Johnson said there is no need for a “made in B.C.” approach because scientifically supported approaches for recovering caribou already exist that focus on protecting critical habitat and limiting disturbance. “The provincial government for the most part has ignored them,” Johnson said. “They’ve ignored most of their responsibilities under the [federal] Species at Risk Act.” Plan would use triage approach The discussion paper alludes to prioritizing recovery by herd, suggesting that recovering all of B.C.’s caribou herds may not be in the cards as far as the province is concerned. But a triage approach would likely contravene current federal recovery strategies, Ray and Johnson told the ministry, calling for more transparency on the government’s objectives and strategies. “Triage may be part of that mix, but please state so clearly and with the intent of a real dialogue and with clear criteria that avoid a situation whereby extirpation of herds is inadvertently incentivized.” In a statement e-mailed to The Narwhal, the ministry said it has not given up on any herds but that “unfortunately, there may come a time when hard decisions on supporting failing herds may have to be made.” A ministry spokesperson said the purpose of the discussion paper was to solicit feedback for the final caribou recovery plan, expected by the end of the year, and that the views of Ray and Johnson — with whom ministry staff have been in touch — will be considered, along with other feedback. “The apparent omissions from the discussion paper do not mean they are not under consideration for the final provincial caribou recovery program paper,” the spokesperson noted. The scientists told the ministry that one of the main problems with the discussion paper is that it “avoids a frank acknowledgment of the scientifically demonstrated risks” to long-term caribou survival in B.C. and elsewhere. Caribou, or Rangifer tarandus, the same species as reindeer, is vulnerable to extinction throughout most of its extensive Canadian range. “It does so by undertaking the discussion of ‘challenges faced by caribou’ in a tentative manner, often relying on vague, jargon-laden language.” Well down the list is the primary driver of decline, human disturbance, they noted. While the text eventually explains some of the primary factors causing caribou decline, it first sets a tone “that clearly avoids the key issues faced by caribou in B.C., namely multiple decades of cumulative clearing of habitat, mostly for commercial purposes,” Ray and Johnson said. The term ‘cumulative impacts’ was not mentioned in the discussion paper. The paper also ignores well-founded tenets of caribou research, according to the scientists. An accumulated body of evidence from several decades of research shows that increases in habitat disturbance result in a greater likelihood of population decline and local extinction, they pointed out. “There is a solid grounding and understanding that the more habitat loss and disturbance there is in the landscape, the worse off the population is,” Ray said in an interview. Even though limiting disturbance across caribou ranges and critical habitat figures prominently in federal recovery strategies, the B.C. discussion paper fails to acknowledge this, the scientists noted. “We are concerned that this departure from the well-accepted and legally-required approach for recovery serves as the foundation for a ‘A New Approach: Made in B.C.’” Concern industry aims clash with caribou recovery So-called “caribou-friendly approaches” emphasized in the discussion paper, such as best management practices, “will appeal to industry, but these shortcuts will not be effective without limiting the extent of habitat change across landscapes,” the scientists warned. In fact, the B.C. government continues to entertain discussions about building open-pit coal mines in prime caribou habitat within several Central Mountain ranges, where every single herd is in decline, they pointed out. One of those coal mines, near Tumbler Ridge, would further impact the already imperilled Quintette caribou herd. The scientists noted that oil and gas activities — the dominant cause for land use change for boreal caribou herds and some mountain caribou herds — and mining are not even mentioned in the habitat management section of the paper, which fingers forestry and recreation as the major culprits for habitat loss. “We’re at a place now where we’ve got to stop talking about accommodating everyone and start doing things for caribou because they’re just disappearing,” Johnson said. “Those days of managing for everything on these landscapes are behind us, at least relative to caribou conservation.” The ministry spokesperson told The Narwhal the government is “examining new guidelines on industrial development in the woodland caribou’s critical habitat,” but details were not immediately forthcoming. Ray and Johnson also called out the discussion paper for suggesting B.C. is doing good work to recover caribou “when in fact this is more sleight of hand for public consumption.” The paper overstates efforts made by the B.C. and federal governments to protect caribou, the scientists wrote, saying it is “disingenuous” to suggest there has been much progress during what they characterize as “two decades of inaction” on the part of B.C. Other than publicizing recovery strategies for both mountain and boreal caribou, no substantive progress has been made through policies, targeted management plans or applying the federal Species at Risk Act, the scientists said. They also questioned the paper’s description of caribou penning experiments as “innovative, while they should be thought of as desperate measures that should be avoided…” Ray and Johnson say they are aware of no evidence demonstrating that strategies such as supplemental feeding, maternal penning and predator control have resulted in the long-term recovery of the few populations where such actions have been taken. B.C. is ahead of many provinces when it comes to monitoring caribou herds and tracking their decline, Ray pointed out. “It has a lot of good information at hand to make decisions,” she said. Whether or not the species survives in the long-term will depend on hard decisions by government with socioeconomic consequences, Ray and Johnson stated. “It has to happen if we want to maintain caribou across many of these landscapes,” Johnson said. “We’re at a breaking point right now

Bridge that collapsed six hours after opening was built without geotech investigation of riverbed: Reeve

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/bridge-that-collapsed-six-hours-after-opening-was-built-without-geotech-investigation-of-riverbed-reeve-1.4829890 Bridge expert calls lack of geotechnical work "irregular" Geoff Leo · CBC News · Posted: Sep 20, 2018 11:00 AM CT | Last Updated: an hour ago A section of the newly-built Dyck Memorial Bridge over the Swan River in the RM of Clayton collapsed hours after the bridge was opened to the public. (Photo submitted by Duane Hicks) The Reeve of the rural municipality of Clayton says the bridge that collapsed six hours after it opened was built without having geotechnical investigation done on the riverbed it stood on. A bridge building expert calls that approach "irregular." The Dyck Memorial Bridge, located in the RM of Clayton about 300 kilometres east of Saskatoon, collapsed Friday shortly after it was opened. Sask. RM promising investigation into collapse of newly-built bridge RM of Clayton Reeve Duane Hicks told CBC he believes the contractor and engineer did everything right and this was an "act of God." "It seems like something under the riverbed let go and a row of pilings sunk," Hicks said. "I don't know who to blame but I figure God built most of this for us." It's being sort of penny-wise and pound-foolish by not doing the geotechnical investigation. - Paul Gauvreau , University of Toronto Engineering Professor He said the issue was with five underwater pilings and "the whole five of them just went straight down. Boom. Four feet." "So something tells me that something underneath the ground happened. I don't know what it was. They don't know what it was. Nobody knows what it is." Geotechnical investigation not done, Reeve said Hicks said a geotechnical study of the riverbed wasn't done before the bridge was built. Inertia, the engineering company for the project, declined to answer media questions and referred calls to the RM. Initially, Hicks told CBC the geotech work wasn't done because it's not possible to do that work under the river. "You can't drill through water," he said. "You can't do it. You can't take underground samples." He said people in the industry he spoke to told him standard practice was to drill holes on each shore and assume the soil under the river would be the same. "All the bridge people that we've talked to since this has happened indicate that's what they do," said Hicks. He said he is not sure if Inertia did drill holes on the shore when building the Dyck Memorial bridge. Paul Gauvreau, a bridge-building expert from the University of Toronto, disputes Hicks's claim. "I think it's irregular that a proper geotechnical program wasn't done for the piers in the water," said Gauvreau, an engineering professor at the U of T. "And it is not correct to say that it can't be done in a river. It's done all the time." He said that is even the case for a small bridge like the one in the RM of Clayton. "Perhaps for smaller bridges you can get by with a less extensive geotechnical program, but generally speaking you're going to have at least one test hole at the location of every pier including piers in the water," he said. Geotechnical investigation too expensive, says Reeve Later in the interview, Hicks acknowledged that perhaps drilling can be done under the riverbed, but said it would be costly. "Well the fact of the matter is we don't have a heck of a lot of money," said Hicks. According to Sasktenders, the bridge contract was worth $325,000. Hicks said it's difficult to justify a huge budget for this bridge, which he estimated would have about 1,000 vehicles crossing it annually. Gauvreau also disputed Hick's claim about the cost of this work. "A geotechnical investigation relative to the cost to build a bridge is not that expensive. It's being sort of penny-wise and pound-foolish by not doing the geotechnical investigation," he said. Furthermore, he said making this sort of decision based on cost is not appropriate. "It's not an insignificant cost but the point is that's not a cost that you can shave," Gauvreau said. New bridge in three to four weeks? Hicks said he'd like to see the new bridge completed within the next three to four weeks, though he acknowledges that may not be realistic. This bridge in the RM of Clayton in Saskatchewan collapsed just hours after it opened. (Photo submitted by Duane Hicks.) He said the construction company is going to rebuild the bridge at no cost to taxpayers. Hicks said the company will be going to extraordinary lengths to ensure the piles are solid and immovable. "They're going to go down deeper. And just keep going down and down and down," he said. "I don't know what I could ask them to do differently quite frankly." Hicks says the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan (APEGS) is conducting an investigation. APEGS executive director Bob McDonald refused to confirm or deny that. McDonald did tell CBC the organization can only investigate if it receives a complaint or a request by the organization's council. He said the only way the organization would ever confirm an investigation had been conducted is if it found professional misconduct or incompetence. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Geoff Leo Senior Investigative Journalist Geoff Leo has been a reporter for CBC News in Saskatchewan since 2001. His work as an investigative journalist and documentary producer has earned numerous national and regional awards. Send yo