Weedy rice has become herbicide resistant through rapid evolution

Biologists used whole-genome sequences of 48 contemporary weedy rice plants to show how herbicide resistance evolved by gene flow from crop rice. Almost all other cases of herbicide resistance in agricultural weeds result from selection of tolerant genotypes in the weed species.

Mangosteen Peel as Medicine – CU’s Faculty of Veterinary Science is Successful in Replicating Mangosteen Peel Extract! Treatment for Intestinal Inflammation in Humans and Animals

The Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University has researched and replicated “hydroxy-xanthones”, the vital extracts rich in antioxidants found in mangosteen peels that kill germs and halt infections in the intestinal mucosa. It hopes to expand to include health products for humans and animals in the future.

Albupro Plus Dietary Supplements Research from Chula for Kidney Patients and all Healthy People

A lecturer of the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chula unveils her research on high egg white protein dietary supplement Albupro Plus, functional food for health lovers, now ready for sale.

Eating More Ultra-processed Foods Associated with Increased Risk of Dementia

People who eat the highest amounts of ultra-processed foods like soft drinks, chips and cookies may have a higher risk of developing dementia than those who eat the lowest amounts, according to a new study published in the July 27, 2022, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers also found that replacing ultra-processed foods in a person’s diet with unprocessed or minimally processed foods was associated with a lower risk. The study does not prove that ultra-processed foods cause dementia. It only shows an association.

Public Beware: Study Finds Potential for Massive Cancer Nutrition Misinformation on Pinterest

A multi-center team including researchers from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine claims that the social media site Pinterest is rife with cancer misinformation. Their study found that about a third of posts…

Now We’re Cooking with Lasers

Imagine having your own digital personal chef; ready to cook whatever you want, tailoring the shape, texture, and flavor just for you–all at the push of a button. Columbia engineers have been working on doing just that, using lasers for cooking and 3D printing technology for assembling foods. In their new study they discovered that laser-cooked meat shrinks 50% less, retains double the moisture content, and shows similar flavor development to conventionally cooked meat.

Addressing climate change and agriculture complicated by need to feed planet with safe, healthy, affordable, nutritious foods

Before joining Notre Dame’s Keough School of Global Affairs, Paul Winters was the associate vice-president, Strategy and Knowledge Department and director of the Research and Impact Assessment Division at the International Fund for Agricultural Development in Rome. “With respect to…

Chula Taps into Medical Cannabis and Expands the Product Line

“Cannabis” is a high-value cash crop with immense benefits in medicine, health, nutrition, and beauty. As soon as the Thai government had given the green light, Chulalongkorn was ready to join hands with the private sector and concerning government agencies to accelerate the research and development of a vast assortment of cannabis products.

Switching from Western diet to a balanced diet may reduce skin, joint inflammation

Diet rich in sugar and fat leads to disruption in the gut’s microbial culture and contributes to inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis. Research shows that switching to a more balanced diet restores the gut’s health and suppresses inflammation.

Meeting Preview: Hot Topics at NUTRITION 2021 LIVE ONLINE

Reporters and bloggers are invited to join top nutrition researchers and practitioners for a dynamic virtual program at NUTRITION 2021 LIVE ONLINE. The flagship meeting of the American Society for Nutrition runs June 7–10, 2021 and features research announcements, expert discussions and more.

Orangutan Finding Highlights Need to Protect Habitat

Wild orangutans are known for their ability to survive food shortages, but scientists have made a surprising finding that highlights the need to protect the habitat of these critically endangered primates, which face rapid habitat destruction and threats linked to climate change. Scientists found that the muscle mass of orangutans on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia was significantly lower when less fruit was available. That’s remarkable because orangutans are thought to be especially good at storing and using fat for energy, according a Rutgers-led study in the journal Scientific Reports.

Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Coronavirus Risks a Year After Lockdowns Began

New Brunswick, N.J. (March 11, 2021) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor Donald W. Schaffner is available for interviews on the likelihood of becoming infected by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus via shopping, groceries, surfaces and airborne/aerosol transmission after a year of lockdowns due to the global pandemic.…

Why Food Sticks to Nonstick Frying Pans

Foods will sometimes get stuck to a heated surface, even if oil or a nonstick frying pan is used. Scientists have investigated the fluid properties of oil on a flat surface and their work, reported in Physics of Fluids, shows convection may be to blame. When the pan is heated from below, a temperature gradient is established in the oil film, as well as a surface tension gradient. This gradient sets up a type of convection known as thermocapillary convection.

Nuclear War Could Trigger Big El Niño and Decrease Seafood

A nuclear war could trigger an unprecedented El Niño-like warming episode in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, slashing algal populations by 40 percent and likely lowering the fish catch, according to a Rutgers-led study. The research, published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, shows that turning to the oceans for food if land-based farming fails after a nuclear war is unlikely to be a successful strategy – at least in the equatorial Pacific.

Climate Change is Hurting Children’s Diets, Global Study Finds

A first-of-its-kind, international study of 107,000 children finds that higher temperatures are an equal or even greater contributor to child malnutrition than the traditional culprits of poverty, inadequate sanitation, and poor education.

The 19-nation study is the largest investigation to date of the relationship between our changing climate and children’s diet diversity.

Of the six regions examined–in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America–five had significant reductions in diet diversity associated with higher temperatures.

How to Identify Heat-Stressed Corals

Researchers have found a novel way to identify heat-stressed corals, which could help scientists pinpoint the coral species that need protection from warming ocean waters linked to climate change, according to a Rutgers-led study.