The American Wind Energy Association released an analysis on Wednesday, detailing how the wind industry could phase out reliance on federal tax credits over a six-year time period. In contrast to the wind industry's bold move, there is no end in sight for the fossil fuel subsidies that polluting industries have enjoyed for almost 100 years. Indeed, while the fledgling wind industry was able to develop a plan for moving off of subsidies after just two decades, the fossil fuel industries continue adding to our national debt by taking billions of taxpayer dollars to pollute our air and water. The wind industry has taken the first steps toward moving off of federal subsidies, and it is past time the fossil fuel industry did the same. via sierraclub.typepad.com

The American Wind Energy Association released an analysis on Wednesday, detailing how the wind industry could phase out reliance on federal tax credits over a six-year time period. In contrast to the wind industry's bold move, there is no end in sight for the fossil fuel subsidies that polluting industries have enjoyed for almost 100 years. Indeed, while the fledgling wind industry was able to develop a plan for moving off of subsidies after just two decades, the fossil fuel industries continue adding to our national debt by taking billions of taxpayer dollars to pollute our air and water. The wind industry has taken the first steps toward moving off of federal subsidies, and it is past time the fossil fuel industry did the same.

via sierraclub.typepad.com

Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy - Rutgers University Summer Research Fellowship Program

Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy - Rutgers University Summer Research Fellowship Program

Posted: 16 Dec 2012 10:10 AM PST

Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy - Rutgers University Summer Research Fellowship Program
The Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy announces the 2013 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program. The program is intended for highly motivated undergraduates interested in a research career in the pharmaceutical and environmental sciences. Students are provided with an opportunity to conduct full-time research in areas related to Pharmacology and Toxicology, Environmental Health Sciences, Pharmaceutics, Medicinal Chemistry, Chemical Biology, and Clinical Pharmacy. The SURF program is open to undergraduate students currently enrolled at a university in the United States. Previous experience performing independent laboratory or clinical research is not required. Students should be sophomores, juniors, or seniors at the time of application.
This 10-week program will run May 20 through July 26, 2013 and provides a $2,800 stipend. Students must be available for the entire 10-week period. Training includes hands-on research conducted in the laboratories or clinical practices of faculty members, round table discussions of research progress, and seminars on research careers and activities of the faculty.  Students also participate in career development workshops. At the end of the fellowship, each student will provide a brief oral presentation on his or her summer research project.
To apply to the Summer Research Fellowship Program, the following items are required:
·  Completed application form
·  College transcripts (current and previously attended universities)
·   Personal statement
·   Letter(s) of recommendation (only 1 letter is required)
Applications must be typed and submitted in a single envelope. Letter(s) of recommendation should be in sealed envelopes and included in the envelope with the completed application form, transcripts, and personal statement. All application materials must be received/postmarked by February 6, 2013. Only complete applications will be reviewed.
Students are responsible for finding local housing for the 10-week duration of the SURF program.  Additional funding for room and board is not available. All questions concerning summer housing should be directed to the Residence Life Assignments Office at oncampus@rci.rutgers.edu or (732) 445-0750.
For further information, please contact Dr. Debra Laskin by email at laskin@eohsi.rutgers.edu or Dr. Lauren Aleksunes at aleksunes@eohsi.rutgers.edu.  Students selected for the program will begin to be notified March 8, 2013. Students will have 1 week to notify the Program of their intent to participate. Notifications of selected students will be made through April 1, 2013.  Students who are not selected will be notified by April 8, 2013.
Note: Pharmacy students selected for the SURF program will be placed into Cycle III for their pharmacy practice experience.
Send completed applications to:
Ms. Cindy Olexsa
Dean’s Office
Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy
Rutgers University
160 Frelinghuysen Road
Piscataway, NJ   08854
The SURF Program at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy is financially supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (1R25ES020721), the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, the UMDNJ Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and the Dean of the School of Pharmacy.
General Research Areas
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Environmental Health Sciences: neurotoxicology; immunology; inflammatory mechanisms of tissue injury; kidney injury; role of extracellular matrix in development and disease pathology; wound healing; nitric oxide biology; pulmonary toxicology, developmental toxicology; environmental health sciences
Medicinal Chemistry: design and synthesis of enzyme inhibitors and prodrugs; synthetic organic chemistry, structure activity relationships, medicinal chemistry
Pharmaceutics: design, development and evaluation of drug delivery systems; biopharmaceutics (drug formulation, drug transport); pharmacokinetics
Chemical Biology: cancer biology and prevention; regulation of tumor cell growth and differentiation
Pharmacy Practice: clinical studies; diabetes, hypertension, and medication therapy management

Call for Applications: Association of Community Health Nursing Educators Research Grant

Posted: 16 Dec 2012 10:01 AM PST

Call for Applications: Association of Community Health Nursing Educators Research Grant
Once again ACHNE is sponsoring funding for a research grant. The purpose of this funding is to provide seed money, pilot funding, or total funding for small studies with promising contributions to public health nursing (PHN) or PHN education.
The applicant must be a member of ACHNE, have a master’s or doctoral degree or enrolled in a doctoral program.
The maximum amount of funding will be $5,000. Funds will be awarded at the ACHNE Annual Institute. Proposals must be submitted by February 1, 2013 to Dr. Barbara Polivka at polivka.1@osu.edu.  Contact Dr. Barbara Polivka at polivka.1@osu.edu with questions.

innovative Section Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Predictive, Preventive and Personalised Medicine (PPPM)

I have the pleasure to most warmly invite you to publish in the EPMA Journal.

I have launched the innovative Section Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Predictive, Preventive and Personalised Medicine (PPPM) http://www.epmajournal.com/sections/tcam 

Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine in PPPM Section edited by Paolo Roberti di Sarsina

* This section provides a platform for scientific publications demonstrating how ?Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM)? can enrich the paradigm of Predictive, Preventive and Personalized Medicine.

* Evidence-based TCAM scientific approaches should demonstrate high levels of person centred and participatory medicine, functional links between TCAM, predictive diagnostics, targeted prevention and individualised treatments in healthcare education and clinical practice.

* Topics should explore tailoring care by investigating and treating the person as a physical, psychological and spiritual unicum living in dynamic interaction with nature and society.

* Individualising the therapeutic process by renewing the caregiver-person relationship with trust, compassion and respect for personal choices.

* Exploring innovative research methods to evaluate TCAM and other salutogenetic interventions as a form of preventive medicine empowering communities and individuals.

Hoping of some interest for you here is the link to Traditional, complementary and alternative medical systems and their contribution to personalisation, prediction and prevention in medicine---person-centred medicine which is the inaugural open-access article http://www.epmajournal.com/content/pdf/1878-5085-3-15.pdf of the section

Int J Ophthalmol. 2012; 5(2): 231–237.

Published online 2012 April 18. doi: 10.3980/j.issn.2222-3959.2012.02.23

PMCID: PMC3359045

Role of Mediterranean diet, tropical vegetables rich in antioxidants, and sunlight exposure in blindness, cataract and glaucoma among African type 2 diabetics

Mvitu Muaka Moïse,¹ Longo-Mbenza Benjamin,² Tulomba Mona Doris,³ Kibokela Ndembe Dalida,³ and Nge Okwe Augustin³

¹University of Kinshasa, Department of Ophthalmology

²Walter Sisulu University, Faculty of Health Sciences, South Africa

³Biostatistics Unit, Lomo Medical Center and Heart of Africa Center of Cardiology, Kinshasa, DR Congo

Correspondence to: Longo-Mbenza Benjamin. Walter Sisulu University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Private Bag X1, Mthatha 5117, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Email: longombenza@gmail.com

Author information ► Article notes ► Copyright and License information ►

Received December 22, 2011; Accepted March 27, 2012.

Copyright International Journal of Ophthalmology Press

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Abstract

AIM

To assess whether regular Mediterranean diet and regular intake of vegetables may reduce the risk of blindness, cataract, and glaucoma in these type 2 diabetics.

Fruits and vegetables contain a vast array of antioxidant components, mainly polyphenols and flavonoids such as anthocyanins[13],[14]. Flavonoids possess several physiological properties: antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti mutagenic and antitumor activity, as well as the activation or inactivation of certain enzymes[15]. The researchers found that several flavonoids can prevent cell death at low concentrations; other flavonoids have limited or no effect. Quercetin, a flavonoid present at higher concentrations in yellow onions, prevents oxidative stress-induced cell death in retinal pigmentary epithelium (RPE) cells and has no cellular toxicity over a wide range of concentrations.

Dietary antioxidants prevent cataract formation by preventing oxidation of proteins or lipids within the lens in general and during aging also related to oxidative stress and cataract genesis[16],[17].

METHODS

A cross-sectional design was carried out among known black diabetics admitted at the diabetic clinics of Kinshasa, between October 2008 and March 2009. The Mediterranean-style dietary score (MSDPS) was used to characterize a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern in the study population using the Harvard semi quantitative FFQ adapted for Africa.

RESULTS

Five hundred Type 2 diabetic patients were included in this study (48% of males; 40% aged ≥60 years). There was a significant association between blindness, cataract and aging; between blindness (P<0.05), cataract (P<0.05), glaucoma (P<0.05), and physical inactivity; between blindness (P<0.05), cataract (P<0.0001), glaucoma (P<0.01) and high SES, and a very significant association between blindness (P<0.0001), cataract (P<0.0001), glaucoma (P<0.0001) and exposure to sunlight. There was also a significant association between blindness, glaucoma, and male sex. Regular intake of Mediterranean diet, Brassica Rapa, beans, Abelmoschus, Musa acuminata reduced significantly the risk of blindness, cataract and glaucoma.

The present study showed that regular Mediterranean Diet as well as regular intake of vegetables reduced the risk of blindness, cataract, and glaucoma in these type 2 diabetics. These findings highlighted a very low rate of consumption of vegetables in Africa[27]. Indeed, fruits are only eaten by children in general and diabetics are always discouraged to eat fruits by popular believes.

The present study is, to our knowledge, the first survey focussed on the effects of Mediterranean diet among African type 2 diabetics. The protection against chronic diabetes complications such as cataract, blindness, and glaucoma observed in this study may be explained by the significant reduction in cellular lipids level, and LDL oxidation (oxidative stress) reported by many researchers on Mediterranean diet[9],[28]. This protective action has also been attributed to the higher level in antioxidants in Mediterranean diet[29],[30]. The antioxidant capacity from olive oil, flavonoids, fruits, vegetables, and red wine, the main components of Mediterranean diet[9],[13],[14],[20] are supposed to counter the pro-oxidant of aging, age-related ocular diseases (age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, cataract). Indeed, the pathogenetic mechanisms in this diabetic eye complication are the deficiency of antioxidant system, and the chronic hyperglycaemia-related overproduction of free radicals precursors[10]-[12]. The antioxidant effects of the Mediterranean diet have also been reported to prevent atherosclerosis[30], cancer, and other mortalities.

The other significant protective factors against blindness, cataract, and glaucoma were regular intake of Brassica rapa (pointe noire), Phaseolus vulgaris (dry beans), Abelmoschus esculentus (gombo), and Musa acuminata (plantains). Brassica rapa is rich in polysaccharides (BRP1-1, BRPé-1, BRP3-1) which are known with a novel potential anti-hypoxia agent[31]. The antiradical activity of dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) is well known[32]. Dry beans considered to have the highest total antioxidant capacity[33]-[37] were recently identified as significant and independent protective factor against Metabolic syndrome (MetS) in African type 2 diabetics[27]. Abelmoschus esculentus Moench (gombo), often eaten in the North of Nigeria is characterized by antioxidant activities[38]. The ferric-reducing antioxidant power FRAP), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), markers of antioxidant capacity are reported in different varieties of Musa acuminata[39].

However, despite the intake of antioxidants from Mediterranean diet and locally grown vegetables, aging, usually inducing oxidative stress, was identified as a significant risk factor of both blindness and cataract among these diabetics.

Physical inactivity accompanied by a low grade inflammatory status was identified as a significant risk factor of blindness, cataract, and glaucoma. And a very significant association was shown between blindness, cataract, glaucoma, and exposure to sunlight by professions. Those results confirm the role of environmental factors in inducing the DNA damage, heart shock, apoptosis and oxidative stress. Indeed, after rural-urban migration, these type 2 diabetics are exposed to epidemiologic, demographic, and nutrition transition, with subsequent consequences such as obesity, inappropriate diet (high salt, fat, sugar, cigarette, and alcohol consumption)[40]-[44].

In general, primary metabolites of plants rich in antioxidants (carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, lipids) are essential for cells survival and propagation[45]. The secondary metabolites from plants function in defence against predators and abiotic stresses like UV sunlight.

Indeed, we know that free radical-driven, molecular and cellular processes modulated by phenylpropanoid (antioxidants) in human cells cultures in vitro and in the in vivo animal models of tumours, inflammation, and cellular damage are reported in the literature[45]-[46].

These findings have several strengths such as new insights on oxidative stress and ocular diabetic complications that may lead to a casual antioxidant therapy[47] and health promotion. Thus, exercise, smoking cessation, moderate alcohol intake, and protection against sunlight are the background to curve the rising epidemic of type 2 diabetes and ocular complications in these Africans.

Health professionals could educate African diabetics in general and African male diabetics in particular, and prescribe them supplements rich in antioxidants[48] in terms of primary prevention. Globally, and in sub-Saharan Africa, after adjusting for age, the female sex is significantly associated with blindness and major causes of blindness because of low coverage and poverty[49]-[51]. In the present study and in other African studies[1],[2],[8],[18],[41],[52]-[56], the diabetic African men are more susceptible to blindness and glaucoma and their causes such as hypertension, diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, cigarette smoking, low intake of vegetables-fruits, overrepresentation in hospital series because of income, and late admissions.

In the poor African context, both men and women with blindness lack awareness of the potential to cure these conditions, lack access to services, or do not accept services for a variety of cultural and social reasons. These issues prevent both women and men from availing the services they need but affect them differently[49]. The issue of late presentation has not improved over the last three decades[56].

The present study was limited because of its cross-sectional design which is not capable to demonstrate a casual association between the identified determinants and ocular diabetes complications. Indeed, only prospective studies can do that.

Endogenous markers of oxidative stress and antioxidants were not measured in blood samples. However, potential bias and confounding factors were reduced by the large size of participants and the use of the multivariate logistic regression.

In conclusion, both regular intake of the Mediterranean Diet and the consumption of locally grown vegetables including Brassica Rapa, dry beans, Abelmoschus esculentus, and Musa acuminata rich in antioxidants could exert significant protective effects on blindness, cataract, and glaucoma development in type 2 diabetics. Thus, the present data provide evidence to recommend supplement in antioxidants as useful tools against type 2 diabetes mellitus and its ocular complications. Aging, higher SES, male sex, physical inactivity, and exposure to sunlight were identified as risk factors of ocular diabetic complications.

 

Food Chem. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2011 February 16.

Published in final edited form as:

Food Chem. 2008 August 15; 109(4): 883–890.

doi:  10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.01.021

PMCID: PMC3040238

NIHMSID: NIHMS47435

Quantitative analysis of antiradical phenolic constituents from fourteen edible Myrtaceae fruits

Kurt A. Reynertson,^a,§ Hui Yang,^a Bei Jiang,^a Margaret J. Basile,^b and Edward J. Kennelly^a,*

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Abstract

Many species of Myrtaceae are cultivated in home gardens throughout the tropics for their edible fruit, and have been used in traditional medicine to treat several inflammatory conditions. Fruit phenolics are important dietary antioxidant and anti-inflammatory constituents. We have investigated the antiradical activity, total phenolic content (TPC), and total anthocyanin content (TAC) of 14 underutilized Myrtaceae fruits, namely Eugenia aggregata, E. brasiliensis, E. luschnathiana, E. reinwardtiana, Myrciaria cauliflora, M. dubia, M. vexator, Syzygium cumini, S. curranii, S. jambos, S. javanicum, S. malaccense, S. samarangense, and S. samarangense var. Taiwan pink. An HPLC-PDA method was developed to quantify the amounts of cyanidin 3-glucoside (1), delphinidin 3-glucoside (2), ellagic acid (3), kaempferol (4), myricetin (5), quercetin (6), quercitrin (7), and rutin (8) present in MeOH extracts of the fruit. TPC ranged from 3.57 to 101 mg/g, TAC ranged from undetectable to 12.1 mg/g, and antiradical activity, measured as DPPH˙ IC₅₀, ranged from very active (19.4 μg/ml) to inactive (389 μg/ml).

Keywords: HPLC-PDA, quantitative analysis, Myrtaceae, Myrciaria, Eugenia, Syzygium, antioxidant, flavonoid, anthocyanin, Folin-Ciocalteu, DPPH, polyphenolic

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1. Introduction

According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, over half of all deaths in the United States are caused by diseases of the heart and malignant neoplasms (Minino, Heron & Smith, 2006). Epidemiological evidence suggests that diets high in fruits and vegetables are linked to a reduced incidence of heart disease, cancer, and some neurodegenerative disorders (Youdim & Joseph, 2001; Hu & Willett, 2002; Arts & Hollman, 2005; Collins, 2005). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced naturally in mammalian systems as a result of oxidative metabolism. However, ROS damage cell membranes and DNA, causing cancerous mutations, and the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein is a major factor in the promotion of heart disease. ROS are also implicated in activating redox-responsive pro-inflammatory transcription factors, nuclear factor (NF)-κB and activator protein (AP)-1 (Rahman & Adcock, 2006). Inflammation is a major factor in the promotion of chronic inflammatory diseases, as well as the etiology of cancers and heart disease (Middleton, Kandaswami & Theoharides, 2000; Hu et al., 2002). Oxidative damage is balanced by endogenous antioxidants, but additional protection, provided by nutritive and non-nutritive elements from food, is critical for disease chemoprevention.

Colourful fruits are a potentially rich source of many dietary phenolic antioxidants and are believed to play an important role in the prevention of many oxidative and inflammatory diseases (Arts et al., 2005). The anthocyanin pigments are responsible for many of the bright fruit and flower colours, and act as strong antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, with antimutagenic and cancer chemopreventative activities (Kong, Chia, Goh, Chia & Brouillard, 2003; Reynertson et al., 2006). Anthocyanins often account for much of the phenolic content of these fruits, but flavanols, procyanidins, phenolic acids, and ellagitannins may be the most predominant phenolics in some taxa. Polyphenolic compounds inhibit several oxidative and inflammatory enzymes (Middleton et al., 2000), and have shown antiallergenic, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antitumor, and antihemorrhagic activities (Pietta, 2000). Flavonoids also inhibit the inflammatory transcription factors NF-κB and AP-1 (Rahman et al., 2006).

The plant family Myrtaceae is pan-tropical in occurrence, with concentrations in South America, Southeast Asia, and Australia. The fleshy-fruited subfamily, Myrtoideae, includes many economically important food plants, agricultural crops, and ornamentals, including the Mediterranean genus Myrtus (myrtle), spices such as clove (Syzygium aromaticum), allspice (Pimenta dioica), and bay rum (Pimenta racemosa), and the fruits of Psidium (guavas), Myrciaria, Eugenia, Syzygium, Plinia and Luma.

In this report, we have analyzed the phenolic content and antiradical activity of 14 edible fruits from 13 species of Myrciaria, Eugenia and Syzygium, namely Eugenia aggregata Kiaersk., E. brasiliensis Lam., E. luschnathiana Klotzsch ex O.Berg, E. reinwardtiana (Bloom) DC, Myrciaria cauliflora (Mart.) O.Berg, M. dubia (Kunth) McVaugh, M. vexator McVaugh, Syzygium cumini (L) Skeels, S. curranii (C.B.Rob.) Merr., S. jambos (L) Alston, S. javanicum Miq., S. malaccense (L)Merr. & L.M.Perry, S. samarangense (Bloom) Merr. & L.M.Perry and S. samarangense var. Taiwan pink.

These fruits are mostly red to purple drupes, 2-4 cm in diameter, although some species produce larger or less pigmented fruit. In the tropics, these species are often cultivated in home gardens, small-scale agricultural plots, or wild-harvested. They are primarily eaten fresh or used to make jams, desserts, wines, liquors, and vinegars, and can be found in local markets. In addition to their use as food, many of these fruits have been used in divergent traditional medical practices for a variety of illnesses and conditions. Most notably, the seeds of the jamun (S. cumini) are an important Ayurvedic medicine for diabetes. The rose apple (S. jambos) has been used in India as a tonic for the brain and for liver problems, as an astringent, and digestive (Kirtikar & Basu, 1988), and distilled to make rosewater (Morton, 1987). In Brazil, E. brasiliensis leaves have been used for gastrointestinal disorders and rheumatism, and the jaboticaba fruit (M. cauliflora) has been used as a treatment for hemoptysis, asthma, diarrhea, and chronic inflammation of the tonsils (Morton, 1987). Leaves of S. malaccense have been used for a wide variety of inflammatory conditions in Western Samoa (Andersson Dunstan, Noreen, Serrano, Cox, Perera & Bohlin, 1997).

The majority of the phytochemical literature for these species has focussed on the aromatic terpenoid compounds found in the leaves (Wong & Lai, 1996), but phenolics have also been identified in some species. We previously reported flavonols, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, and depsides from M. cauliflora (Reynertson et al., 2006), as well as the occurrence of catechin and epicatechin in E. aggregata (Reynertson, Basile & Kennelly, 2005). Myrciaria dubia was reported to contain cyanidin 3-glucoside and delphinidin 3-glucoside (Zanatta, Cuevas, Bobbio, Winterhalter & Mercadante, 2005). Several flavonoids, ellagitannins, and phenolic acids have been identified from the fruits, seeds, and aerial parts of S. cumini (Bhatia, Bajaj & Ghangas, 1971; Bhatia & Bajaj, 1975; Mahmoud, Marzouk, Moharram, El-Gindi & Hassan, 2001), and flavonoids and ellagitannins have been found in the fruits of S. samarangense (Okuda, Yoshida, Hatano, Yazaki & Ashida, 1982; Nonaka, Aiko, Aritake & Nishioka, 1992; Srivastava, Shaw & Kulshreshtha, 1995; Nair, Krishnan, Ravikrishna & Madhusudanan, 1999). Ellagic acids and an anthocyanin were reported from S. malaccense (Andersson Dunstan et al., 1997). To the best of our knowledge, however, the phenolic constituents of Eugenia brasiliensis, E. luschnathiana, E. reinwardtiana, Myrciaria vexator, Syzygium curranii, S. javanicum, and S. samarangense var. Taiwan pink have not been reported in the literature, despite their widespread consumption in the tropics.

Here we report on the HPLC-PDA quantification of eight phenolic compounds in 14 fruits. Cyanidin 3-glucoside (1), delphinidin 3-glucoside (2), ellagic acid (3), kaempferol (4), myricetin (5), quercetin (6), quercitrin (7), and rutin (8) .

With cancers and heart disease being the leading causes of death in the United States, studies indicate that diets high in naturally occurring antioxidants and anti-inflammatories are important as a first-line strategy of chemoprevention (Youdim et al., 2001; Hu et al., 2002; Arts et al., 2005; Collins, 2005). We have shown that edible fruits in the Myrtaceae are a rich source of biologically active phenolic compounds, which is similar to other well-studied berries and fruits (Kähkönen et al., 2001).

Why is the Failed Monti a “Technocrat” and the Successful Correa a “Left-Leaning Economist”?

Bill Black: Why is the Failed Monti a “Technocrat” and the Successful Correa a “Left-Leaning Economist”? http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/ By Bill Black, the author of The Best Way to Rob a Bank is to Own One and an associate professor of economics and law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Cross posted from New Economic Perspectives The New York Times produces profiles of national leaders like Italy’s Mario Monti and Ecuador’s Rafael Correa. I invite readers to contrast the worshipful treatment accorded Monti with the Correa profile. The next time someone tells you the NYT is a “leftist” paper you can show them how far right it is on financial issues. Read the Rest... Read more at http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/#4fQjWtVmKZ7Cxw7d.99

J Chromatogr A. 2011 Aug 26;1218(34):5765-73. doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2011.06.088. Epub 2011 Jul 3.

Pressurized liquid extraction of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) with bioethanol: an efficient and sustainable approach.

Hu J, Guo Z, Glasius M, Kristensen K, Xiao L, Xu X.

Source

Department of Molecular Biology, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark.

Abstract

To develop an efficient green extraction approach for recovery of bioactive compounds from natural plants, we examined the potential of pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) with bioethanol/water as solvents. The advantages of PLE over other extraction approaches, in addition to reduced time/solvent cost, the extract of PLE showed a distinct constituent profile from that of Soxhlet extraction, with significantly improved recovery of diarylheptanoids, etc. Among the pure solvents tested for PLE, bioethanol yield the highest efficiency for recovering most constituents of gingerol-related compounds; while for a broad concentration spectrum of ethanol aqueous solutions, 70% ethanol gave the best performance in terms of yield of total extract, complete constituent profile and recovery of most gingerol-related components. PLE with 70% bioethanol operated at 1500 psi and 100 °C for 20 min (static extraction time: 5 min) is recommended as optimized extraction conditions, achieving 106.8%, 109.3% and 108.0% yield of [6]-, [8]- and [10]-gingerol relative to the yield of corresponding constituent obtained by 8h Soxhlet extraction (absolute ethanol as extraction solvent)

Sorrel drink lowers blood pressure

J Nutr. 2010 Feb;140(2):298-303. Epub 2009 Dec 16.

Hibiscus sabdariffa L. tea (tisane) lowers blood pressure in prehypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults.

McKay DL, Chen CY, Saltzman E, Blumberg JB.

Source

Antioxidants Research Laboratory; 6Energy Metabolism Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA. diane.mckay@tufts.edu

Abstract

In vitro studies show Hibiscus sabdariffa L., an ingredient found in many herbal tea blends and other beverages, has antioxidant properties, and, in animal models, extracts of its calyces have demonstrated hypocholesterolemic and antihypertensive properties. Our objective in this study was to examine the antihypertensive effects of H. sabdariffa tisane (hibiscus tea) consumption in humans. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted in 65 pre- and mildly hypertensive adults, age 30-70 y, not taking blood pressure (BP)-lowering medications, with either 3 240-mL servings/d of brewed hibiscus tea or placebo beverage for 6 wk. A standardized method was used to measure BP at baseline and weekly intervals. At 6 wk, hibiscus tea lowered systolic BP (SBP) compared with placebo (-7.2 +/- 11.4 vs. -1.3 +/- 10.0 mm Hg; P = 0.030). Diastolic BP was also lower, although this change did not differ from placebo (-3.1 +/- 7.0 vs. -0.5 +/- 7.5 mm Hg; P = 0.160). The change in mean arterial pressure was of borderline significance compared with placebo (-4.5 +/- 7.7 vs. -0.8 +/- 7.4 mm Hg; P = 0.054). Participants with higher SBP at baseline showed a greater response to hibiscus treatment (r = -0.421 for SBP change; P = 0.010). No effects were observed with regard to age, gender, or dietary supplement use. These results suggest daily consumption of hibiscus tea, in an amount readily incorporated into the diet, lowers BP in pre- and mildly hypertensive adults and may prove an effective component of the dietary changes recommended for people with these conditions.

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coyote?

After some weeks of not seeing anything el gato and I saw the old raccoon and the light footed bushy tailed animal that I think is probably a coyote. Surprisingly we saw both after 6 am. The coyote like the last time was coming down the side road but it turned down our lane. For once el gato saw it before it saw us and ran back inside with a growl. Then it saw me, stopped and turned sideways for a minute as if it was considering before it decided to take another route.

Community-based harassment is a grown-up version of school yard bullying.

A group of people who don't know you when you are looking for a job, don't contribute to your interests and don't even talk to you know what you are looking for in a man? How likely is that? Disrespectful and delusional and extremely sexist. The purpose of a supermarket is to buy food and the library is for scholarly work. http://www.randomcollection.info/catchcanada/ Community-based harassment is a grown-up version of school yard bullying. Multiple individuals within a community participate in the harassment and stalking of a single individual. However, rather than attack a victim physically, techniques are used to undermine a person psychologically. This can be far more damaging than a physical attack because not only is it very hard to prove, but it is extremely traumatizing for the victim. (Also known as cause stalking or gang stalking). What sets community-based harassment apart from the related examples to the right is that the reason it takes place is often obscure to the victim. Without a solid reason for its occurrence, victims are often dismissed as delusional. In addition, this form of harassment often leaves the target a victim of ridicule among friends and family because of the subtle nature of the attacks, which further compounds the trauma to the victim. It is emotionally draining and isolating to the victims because it is extremely difficult to prove, and virtually impossible . ________________________________________ Why is this Happening? ________________________________________ Although it is difficult for a non-victim to understand, it is not difficult to realize that many schoolyard bullies have never outgrown their unhealthy ways of dealing with conflict and pain. Reasons may include revenge by people who feel slighted but prefer to remain anonymous. Revenge is more common than you may think, especially with the advent of the internet which allows "revengists" or "avengers" to share their ideas. See http://www.ekran.no/html/revenge/ or do a search on the word "revenge" to see for yourself. It is also possible that such harassment has developed into a form of "sport" for the individuals who participate, not unlike a schoolyard bullying situation, which tends to center somewhat obsessively and irrationally around one individual who is perceived to be weak. It is important to realize that our society's understanding of human psychology has grown exponentially over the last 50 years, allowing any hate or vigilante group to take full advantage of such knowledge. "Psychological warfare" is the perfect crime, because it causes the maximum damage to the victim, with the least chance of exposure of the perpetrator(s). Victims can very well be driven to suicide, while the explanation appears to be mental illness, so their claims are never investigated.

A secret deal could allow China’s energy companies to take over an enormous toxic oil reserve with devastating consequences for the planet. A lawsuit is our big chance to stop it.

Dear friends,


Right now, the tar sands, a toxic oil reserve almost the size of Saudi Arabia's but over 3 times as dangerous for climate change, sits landlocked in Northern Canada. People power has twice blocked new pipelines into this poison, but now we have a bigger challenge.

A new trade deal, negotiated in secret with China, could allow China's companies to take over the tar sands and sue the Canadian government if it hampers their exploitation with environmental or health laws. Canada's right-wing Prime Minister is an oil-man with a history of climate-denial, and he's using this tactic to bypass democracy, with potentially devastating consequences for the planet.

Our big chance to stop this is that the deal may not be legal. It's likely to be signed in the coming days or weeks and we need to be ready to hit back when that happens. If 20,000 of us pledge now to help hire outstanding lawyers and fund research and public campaigning, we can be sure to hit the ground running when the government acts -- Avaaz will only process the pledge if we get enough to make this important case happen. A secret deal could allow China’s energy companies to take over an enormous toxic oil reserve with devastating consequences for the planet. A lawsuit is our big chance to stop it. Click to chip in and Avaaz will only process your donation if we raise enough money to make this important case happen : Our climate is already under grave threat, and tar sands could push it over the edge. Pledge now to defend the planet:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/canada_fipa_pledge_en_nrc/?bOUfzbb&v=19706

Tar sands oil would harm all of us: The emissions from this dirty oil are up to 35% greater than regular crude oil, the process for getting it out of the ground alone emits three times the pollution, and the production of one gallon of oil poisons up to 35 gallons of fresh water. Not to mention that the exposure of another huge oil reserve would skyrocket the destruction of our planet.

That's why experts and campaigners all over joined the fight to stop pipelines from being built in the US and Canada that would unlock this toxic sludge from the ground. Now those hard-fought victories could be wiped out.

We have already reached out to one of the top constitutional law firms in Canada and they are standing by to help us fight this dirty deal. But it's going to take a powerful legal fund to stand up to the government's deep pockets, campaign to win in the court of public opinion and make sure we keep dirty oil in the ground. Let's all pledge our support now. Then, if the deal goes through, we'll be able to get started right away defending our planet in Canada's courts. Chip in to join the fight for our planet:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/canada_fipa_pledge_en_nrc/?bOUfzbb&v=19706

We've taken on the Canadian government before, and won -- striking a blow against a Fox News-style television network and beating back attempts to stop Canadian Avaaz members from campaigning during federal elections. This is our chance to win a battle for the entire world's survival against a trade deal that threatens our water, air and land.

With hope and determination

Dalia, Ricken, Emma, Morgan, Rewan, Ari, Grant and the rest of the Avaaz team


MORE INFORMATION:

Chinese FIPA now a lose-lose proposition (Vancouver Sun)
http://www.vancouversun.com/life/OPINION+Chinese+FIPA+lose+lose+proposition/7545141/story.html

What if the Canada-China investment treaty is unconstitutional? (The Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/what-if-the-canada-china-investment-treaty-is-unconstitutional/article4629972/

Even Canada doesn't believe its own spin on tar sands (Guardian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/damian-carrington-blog/2011/dec/20/oil-sands-tar-canada-uk-lobbying-emissions

Canadian Government: Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Tar Sands May Double by 2020 (Think Progress)
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/08/08/291116/canadian-government-greenhouse-gas-emissions-from-tar-sands-will-double-by-2020/

Background: Environmental Impacts of Tar Sands Development (Sierra Club)
http://www.sierraclub.org/energy/factsheets/tarsands.asp Dear friends,

A secret deal could allow China’s energy companies to take over an enormous toxic oil reserve with devastating consequences for the planet. A lawsuit is our big chance to stop it. Click to chip in and Avaaz will only process your donation if we raise enough money to make this important case happen :

Right now, the tar sands, a toxic oil reserve almost the size of Saudi Arabia's but over 3 times as dangerous for climate change, sits landlocked in Northern Canada. People power has twice blocked new pipelines into this poison, but now we have a bigger challenge.

A new trade deal, negotiated in secret with China, could allow China's companies to take over the tar sands and sue the Canadian government if it hampers their exploitation with environmental or health laws. Canada's right-wing Prime Minister is an oil-man with a history of climate-denial, and he's using this tactic to bypass democracy, with potentially devastating consequences for the planet.

Our big chance to stop this is that the deal may not be legal. It's likely to be signed in the coming days or weeks and we need to be ready to hit back when that happens. If 20,000 of us pledge now to help hire outstanding lawyers and fund research and public campaigning, we can be sure to hit the ground running when the government acts -- Avaaz will only process the pledge if we get enough to make this important case happen. Our climate is already under grave threat, and tar sands could push it over the edge. Pledge now to defend the planet:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/canada_fipa_pledge_en_nrc/?bOUfzbb&v=19706

Tar sands oil would harm all of us: The emissions from this dirty oil are up to 35% greater than regular crude oil, the process for getting it out of the ground alone emits three times the pollution, and the production of one gallon of oil poisons up to 35 gallons of fresh water. Not to mention that the exposure of another huge oil reserve would skyrocket the destruction of our planet.

That's why experts and campaigners all over joined the fight to stop pipelines from being built in the US and Canada that would unlock this toxic sludge from the ground. Now those hard-fought victories could be wiped out.

We have already reached out to one of the top constitutional law firms in Canada and they are standing by to help us fight this dirty deal. But it's going to take a powerful legal fund to stand up to the government's deep pockets, campaign to win in the court of public opinion and make sure we keep dirty oil in the ground. Let's all pledge our support now. Then, if the deal goes through, we'll be able to get started right away defending our planet in Canada's courts. Chip in to join the fight for our planet:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/canada_fipa_pledge_en_nrc/?bOUfzbb&v=19706

We've taken on the Canadian government before, and won -- striking a blow against a Fox News-style television network and beating back attempts to stop Canadian Avaaz members from campaigning during federal elections. This is our chance to win a battle for the entire world's survival against a trade deal that threatens our water, air and land.

With hope and determination

Dalia, Ricken, Emma, Morgan, Rewan, Ari, Grant and the rest of the Avaaz team


MORE INFORMATION:

Chinese FIPA now a lose-lose proposition (Vancouver Sun)
http://www.vancouversun.com/life/OPINION+Chinese+FIPA+lose+lose+proposition/7545141/story.html

What if the Canada-China investment treaty is unconstitutional? (The Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/what-if-the-canada-china-investment-treaty-is-unconstitutional/article4629972/

Even Canada doesn't believe its own spin on tar sands (Guardian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/damian-carrington-blog/2011/dec/20/oil-sands-tar-canada-uk-lobbying-emissions

Canadian Government: Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Tar Sands May Double by 2020 (Think Progress)
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/08/08/291116/canadian-government-greenhouse-gas-emissions-from-tar-sands-will-double-by-2020/

Background: Environmental Impacts of Tar Sands Development (Sierra Club)
http://www.sierraclub.org/energy/factsheets/tarsands.asp

A Canada-US Comparison of the Wage Gap for Highly Educated Immigrants

A Canada-US Comparison of the Wage Gap for Highly Educated Immigrants

Summary

This policy brief focuses on changes in the wages of university educated new immigrants over the 1980-2005 period in Canada and the United States. Generally speaking, wage outcomes for this group were superior in the U.S. Wages of university educated new immigrants relative to domestic born university graduates declined in Canada over that period but rose in the United States. Also, the university wage premium — the difference in the wages of the university and high school educated — for new immigrants was similar in both countries in 1980, but rose over the next two decades in the United States while staying fairly static in Canada. The vast majority of this difference occurred in the 1990s, and coincided with a larger influx of immigrants to Canada than the United States, relative to the 1980s levels, and more of them arriving with degrees. The paper discusses a number of possible reasons for this divergence in immigrant wages between the two countries.

Key Findings

• The gap between the wages of a new immigrant with a university degree and a domestic-born university graduate rose sharply in Canada from 1980 to 2005, but remained relatively level in the United States over the same period.
• In 1980, the gap between immigrant and domestic-born men was -0.25 log points (i.e. entering immigrants earned roughly 25% less than the domestic born). In 2005 it was -0.67 log points.
• In the US, the gap was basically identical to that in Canada in 1980, but was about -0.40 log points in 2005 and has gone up and down over the 25 years surveyed.
• In Canada, the inflation-adjusted wages of university-educated workers declined among new immigrants but rose among the Canadian born. In the United States the wages of both groups increased.
• Since 1990, the university wage premium (the difference in wages between university and high school educated workers) has been both higher and rising faster in the United States than in Canada where it stagnated in the 1990s for immigrants and dropped from 2000 to 2005.

Data

Information for the study was taken from 1981, 1991, 2001 and 2006 Canadian Census data. For the United States it came from the 1980, 1990 and 2000 censuses and the 2005 American Community Survey — data available from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Sample.

These censuses incorporate 20% of the Canadian population and 5% of the American population, while the American Community Survey is a 1% sample. The samples used consist of individuals aged 25-54 living in private dwellings and working in civilian occupations. They also exclude individuals with Aboriginal ancestry to make the domestic-born populations in the two countries more comparable.

Immigrants are defined as foreign-born individuals who are not citizens of the host country by birth, and the sample excludes temporary residents in Canada because they were not enumerated in the 1981 Census. The study restricts the immigrant sample to those who arrived at or after the age of 25, and focuses on the wages of “new” immigrants during their first five years in the country.

Results

From 1990 to 2005, the wage gap between university-educated new immigrants and domestic-born university graduates widened much faster in Canada than in the United States after being about equal in 1980.

As the following graph shows, relative (to domestic-born workers) weekly earnings of highly educated new immigrant men diverged in the two countries, particularly between 1990 and 2000, when outcomes improved in the United States, but deteriorated in Canada.

The gap between Canada and the U.S. has widened for both men and women, but less so for women. The outcomes of immigrant women in the United States were superior to those in Canada in 1980 but the improvement observed among new male immigrants in the U.S. was not observed among women.

The falling relative wages of immigrants in Canada are driven by both declines in the absolute wages of successive cohorts of entering immigrants and increases (since the 1990s) in the earnings of Canadian born workers. In the United States, wages have been rising for both groups, and new immigrants have seen a more rapid increase.

The university wage premium — the difference between what a university graduate and a high school graduate earn — has also been higher in the United States and rising more quickly. In Canada between 2000 and 2005, the university wage premium actually fell among immigrants.

This decline appears to be due to a downturn in the tech sector and the high proportion of entering immigrants who were IT professionals or engineers. The annual inflows of skilled economic immigrants who intended to work as IT professionals or engineers increased from about 2,000 in 1990 to the peak of 25,000 in 2001 and remained high at about 19,000 by 2005.

The divergence in relative earnings of immigrants between the two countries occurred in the 1990s, when the entry earnings gap declined in the United States while rising in Can-ada. In 1990, after adjusting for individual characteristics, the gap among men was -0.44 log points in Canada and -0.40 in the United States. By 2000, it was -0.51 in Canada and -0.28 in the United States.

Part of this change may be related to the more rapid increase in the number of highly educated immigrants entering Canada than the U.S., and the changing characteristics of immigrants in Canada.

For example, between 1991 and 2006, the number of university educated new immigrants aged 25–54 rose from around 84,350 to 298,000 in Canada (a 253% increase), while rising from 531,390 to 1,230,300 in the United States (a 132% increase).

Finally, the source countries of Canadian immigrants changed much more significantly than was the case in the United States. In 1981, around 54% of university educated new immigrants in Canada came from Asia, Africa and South America. In 2006, that number was close to 80%. However, this shift was much smaller in the United States.

There was also a large shift in languages spoken at home, which may affect labour market outcomes. In 1981, around 40% of Canada’s new immigrants with university degrees spoke a language other than English or French at home. That number was around 85% in 2006. In the U.S., the number changed from 82% to 87%.

In Canada, the wage gap for immigrants from the non-traditional immigrant regions (such as Asia and Africa) was more than double the wage gap for immigrants from traditional countries (Western Europe, the U.S, etc.). In the United States, highly educated immigrants from the traditional countries actually tend to have higher wages than domestic-born workers and the disadvantage is concentrated among immigrants from non-traditional countries.

Therefore, Canada’s shift to more new immigrants from non-traditional countries may play a role in explaining why outcomes followed a divergent path from that in the United States.

There are other potential reasons for the divergent patterns between Canada and the United States since the 1990s in the wage gap between new immigrant and domestic-born workers:
• The United States utilizes more pre-arranged employment than Canada.
• More pronounced change in immigrants’ proficiency in official languages.
• Possible changes in the quality of university degrees held by entering immigrants in Canada.
• Changes in unobserved characteristics among entering immigrants.
• Differences in the occupational mix among the highly educated in the two countries.

Conclusion

There are steps Canada can take to reduce the wage gap, or better determine which immigrants will have more successful labour market outcomes.

1. Implement a more demanding language test. Citizenship and Immigration Canada improved the language test in 2002 and preliminary data suggest this improved labour market outcomes.

2. Develop a distinction in the selection system among different groups of foreign universities. Currently, all schools are treated equally in the system, regardless of their international prestige.

3. Increase the proportion of highly skilled immigrants who are nominated for entry by Canadian employers.

4. Place the decisions regarding immigration of highly skilled immigrants within the context of the supply of and demand for such labour.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada is making changes in light of the evidence from various sources regarding the declining economic outcomes of entering immigrants. During the past few years some existing programs were altered and new ones were implemented with the goal of improving immigrant labour market outcomes. Furthermore, the federal government has announced additional changes to the points system that is used to select skilled workers.

About the Policy Brief

This policy brief is based on Bonikowska, Aneta, Feng Hou and Garnett Picot. “A Canada-US Comparison of Labour Market Outcomes among Highly Educated Immigrants.” Canadian Public Policy 37(1): 25-48. University of Toronto Press: 2011. This brief was prepared by Paul Owen.

For more information, please contact Aneta Bonikowska or Feng Hou.

Print (PDF)

multi-billion dollar web of law firms involved in investor-state arbitration

The more we learn about the Canada-China investors deal, FIPA, the more concerning it becomes. Jamie and Emma just published some research we've been working on for the last few weeks. It reveals a multi-billion dollar web of law firms involved in investor-state arbitration - the mechanism by which China's companies could sue Canadian governments in secret tribunals under FIPA.

Many of those same lawyers are commenting publicly, telling us not to worry about FIPA. And, in the media's efforts to appear balanced, they're giving significant weight to these pro-FIPA voices. What isn't made clear to readers is these experts' apparent personal financial interests in FIPA passing, because of the millions of dollars in business FIPA could create for their firms.

We need to make sure Canadians know that these pro-FIPA "experts" are far from neutral -- please share this article right now:

Link to email & share: http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2012/11/30/FIPA-Profits-For-Lawyers/

Share on Facebook - http://on.fb.me/R1x9u4
Share on Twitter - http://bit.ly/WE5njX
Share on Google+ - http://goo.gl/K3cuG
Upvote on Reddit - http://redd.it/147d19

Please share this on all the social media channels you use.

Thank you so much.

With hope and respect,
Matthew on behalf of the Leadnow team

Explaining the Deteriorating Entry Earnings of Canada’s Immigrant

Analytical Studies Branch research paper series

Explaining the Deteriorating Entry Earnings of Canada’s Immigrant

By Abdurrahman Aydemir and Mikal Skuterud

Family and Labour Studies Division

24th floor, R.H. Coats Building, Ottawa, K1A 0T6

The study explores causes of the deterioration in entry earnings of Canadian immigrant cohorts by estimating an empirical specification that nests a number of competing explanations found in the Canadian literature. To do this, we use the pooled sample of Canadian-born and immigrant men employed full-year, full-time from the complete 20 percent samples of the 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996 and 2001 Canadian Censuses. Our results indicate that no more than one-third of the deterioration can be explained by compositional shifts in the knowledge of an official language, mother tongue and region of origin of recent immigrant cohorts. – NON EUROPEAN WORK EXPERIENCE NOT VALUED