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UC Berkeley researchers form new Synthetic Biology Institute

An alliance of top researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, has formed the UC Berkeley Synthetic Biology Institute, advancing efforts to engineer cells and biological systems in ways that promise to transform technology in health and medicine, energy, the environment, new materials, and a host of other critical arenas.

22 Apr 2011

Gene mutation in Tibetian Terrier dogs causes hereditary form of Parkinson's disease in humans

University of Missouri researchers believe both man and animal will benefit from their discovery that the same gene mutation found in Tibetan Terrier dogs can also be found in a fatal human neurological disorder related to Parkinson's disease.

19 Apr 2011

FAO, WFP launch international global food security platform to improve coordination

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Program "have launched a new global food security platform" aimed at improving food security response coordination during natural disasters and other humanitarian situations, PTI/MSN India reports.

19 Apr 2011

Drug resistant bug plaguing the meat industry: Study

It has been found that nearly half of the meat and poultry (47 percent) sold in U.S. grocery stores is contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus (“Staph”), a bacteria linked to a wide range of human diseases, and this bacteria is resistant to at least three classes of antibiotics in more than half (52 percent) of contaminated samples. This comes from a nationwide study by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) published this week in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

17 Apr 2011

Media report on additional FY11 budget details

Multiple news outlets examined the proposed reductions of the FY11 spending measure that was released on Tuesday.

15 Apr 2011

Fat in pistachios may not be readily absorbed by the body

In a first-of-its-kind study with nuts, randomized controlled-feeding research conducted by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) found that fat in pistachios may not be completely absorbed by the body. The findings indicate that pistachios may actually contain fewer calories per serving than originally thought - further validating pistachios as one of the lowest calorie nuts with 160 calories per 30 gram serving (approximately 1 ounce).

12 Apr 2011

Opinions: Empowering women, reducing global hunger; wars justified by humanitarianism; climate change, human health; budget cuts to foreign aid

In a perspective piece in The Globalist, Contributing Editor Cesar Chelala calls for more attention to be paid to the role of women in reducing hunger worldwide. "Giving women the same tools and resources as men, such as financial support, education and access to markets, could reduce the number of hungry people worldwide by up to 150 million, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization," he writes.

12 Apr 2011

German government, Gates Foundation sign agreement to provide funding for GAVI Alliance

The German government on Wednesday said it would provide an extra 14 million euros or about $19.9 million "for child immunization in the developing world as part of an agreement with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation," the Associated Press reports (4/6).

8 Apr 2011

Biochemical battle of the bulge: New developments

Dozens of researchers in the coming days will lay out what's around the corner in the biochemical battle of the bulge as part of the Experimental Biology 2011 conference in Washington, D.C.

8 Apr 2011

MDGs still in reach, but 2015 deadline will be missed, Bill Gates says

The U.N. Millennium Development Goals can still be attained if developed nations meet their aid pledges, but the 2015 deadline likely will be missed, Bill Gates, co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said in remarks to the European Parliament's development committee in Strasbourg, France, on Tuesday, EUobserver reports. Gates is traveling in Europe this week.

7 Apr 2011

World Health Day 2011 highlights problem of antimicrobial resistance

On the eve of World Health Day 2011, Inter Press Service examines the growing global challenge of antibimicrobial resistance.

7 Apr 2011

WSPA, BAWA partner for anti-rabies campaign in Bali

The World Society for the Protection of Animals, along with the Bali Provincial Authorities and WSPA partner the Bali Animal Welfare Association, is celebrating an important milestone in Bali's historic campaign to eradicate rabies.

6 Apr 2011

Bill Gates travels to Europe to promote global health investments

Bill Gates, co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is in Europe this week "in an effort to persuade Europeans not to cut aid budgets in the face of austerity - and in particular not to reduce spending on vaccinations and agriculture," the Wall Street Journal reports.

6 Apr 2011

Siemens Hearing to unveil new instruments at AudiologyNOW! 2011

Siemens Hearing Instruments, Inc., will unveil a host of products at the American Academy of Audiology AudiologyNOW! 2011 conference - including the new Aquaris™, the world's first, truly waterproof, dustproof and shock-resistant digital hearing instrument.

5 Apr 2011

International scientists to discuss climate, health data sharing at conference in Ethiopia

Scientists will gather in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, beginning Monday for a workshop that aims to address climate and health issues, VOA News reports.

5 Apr 2011

Opinions: Africa's agricultural sector; foreign aid funding

"There is no doubt that Africa is on the move … But if African countries are to achieve the new future within their grasp, then there needs to be a new focus on the daunting obstacles still to be overcome. … High among these challenges is the need to transform the continent's agriculture," former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan writes in a BusinessDay opinion piece reflecting on the challenges facing Africa's agricultural system and the opportunities to respond to the growing food demands.

5 Apr 2011

Recent releases in Global Health

A Lancet Infectious Diseases editorial describes the growing public concerns over a global rise in antimicrobial resistance. "Bearing in mind that our objective is to contain antibiotic resistance rather than eradicate it, several policies could be adopted to help guarantee a future for antibiotics," the editorial states, adding, "We need reliable data to tackle antibiotic resistance.

2 Apr 2011

FAO report highlights concern over 'slow-onset' climate change effects on food security

"Slow-onset" climate changes could have a bigger impact in developing countries in the future, including "potentially catastrophic" effects on food production, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization said on Thursday in a report for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, The Hindu reports (Parsai, 4/1).

2 Apr 2011

Viewpoints: The dangers of targeting the AARP; health reform in rural areas; prisoners faring better in Calif. than disabled

In hearings Friday, some of my former congressional colleagues are due to explore the operations of the AARP, the nation's oldest and largest organization representing Americans age 50 and older. Specifically, the hearing is to examine the group's tax status, evaluating it in view of its management structure and funding.

1 Apr 2011

Maple syrup contains a range of antioxidant compounds not found in other sweeteners

There's more good news about pure maple syrup from the University of Rhode Island (URI). Researchers there have now identified 54 compounds in maple syrup from Canada, double the amount previously reported, and many with antioxidant activity and potential health benefits. In laboratory studies, they acted as anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents. Initial studies also suggest that maple compounds may inhibit enzymes relevant in Type 2 diabetes management.

1 Apr 2011

Agriculture News and Research

UC Berkeley researchers form new Synthetic Biology Institute

Gene mutation in Tibetian Terrier dogs causes hereditary form of Parkinson's disease in humans

FAO, WFP launch international global food security platform to improve coordination

Drug resistant bug plaguing the meat industry: Study

Media report on additional FY11 budget details

Fat in pistachios may not be readily absorbed by the body

Opinions: Empowering women, reducing global hunger; wars justified by humanitarianism; climate change, human health; budget cuts to foreign aid

German government, Gates Foundation sign agreement to provide funding for GAVI Alliance

Biochemical battle of the bulge: New developments

MDGs still in reach, but 2015 deadline will be missed, Bill Gates says

World Health Day 2011 highlights problem of antimicrobial resistance

WSPA, BAWA partner for anti-rabies campaign in Bali

Bill Gates travels to Europe to promote global health investments

Siemens Hearing to unveil new instruments at AudiologyNOW! 2011

International scientists to discuss climate, health data sharing at conference in Ethiopia

Opinions: Africa's agricultural sector; foreign aid funding

Recent releases in Global Health

FAO report highlights concern over 'slow-onset' climate change effects on food security

Viewpoints: The dangers of targeting the AARP; health reform in rural areas; prisoners faring better in Calif. than disabled

Maple syrup contains a range of antioxidant compounds not found in other sweeteners

Event guide: 4th Extra-Hepatic Lipid-Based Nanoparticles Delivery Summit eBook

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

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