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Category: food – Page 4

Scientists at the University of Alberta found a new way to improve plant-based foods, and it involves plasma, the same stuff that makes up stars, as reported by Phys.org.

The breakthrough makes 3D-printed pea protein hold its shape, opening doors for more affordable and tasty meat alternatives.

Pea protein is already in many foods we eat, from bread to dairy-free milk to meatless burgers. It’s cheap and packed with nutrients, but until now, it wouldn’t keep its shape when pushed through a 3D printer, limiting its use in food production.

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A team of materials scientists, physicists, mechanical engineers, and molecular physiologists at Stanford University have developed a nanoparticle technique that can be used to measure force dynamics inside a living creature, such as Caenorhabditis elegans worms biting their food.

In their paper published in the journal Nature, the group describes how they used to excite luminescent nanocrystals in a way that allowed the energy levels of cells inside a C. elegans worm to be measured.

Andries Meijerink, with Utrecht University, has published a News & Views piece in the same journal issue, outlining the work done by the team in California.

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Sensitive cells: Scientists discovered dozens of specific cell types, mostly glial cells, known as brain support cells, that underwent significant gene expression changes with age. Those strongly affected included microglia and border-associated macrophages, oligodendrocytes, tanycytes, and ependymal cells.

Inflammation and neuron protection: In aging brains, genes associated with inflammation increased in activity while those related to neuronal structure and function decreased.

Aging hot spot: Scientists discovered a specific hot spot combining both the decrease in neuronal function and the increase in inflammation in the hypothalamus. The most significant gene expression changes were found in cell types near the third ventricle of the hypothalamus, including tanycytes, ependymal cells, and neurons known for their role in food intake, energy homeostasis, metabolism, and how our bodies use nutrients. This points to a possible connection between diet, lifestyle factors, brain aging, and changes that can influence our susceptibility to age-related brain disorders.

Brain-wide cell-type-specific transcriptomic signatures of healthy ageing in mice.

Continue reading “Brain-wide cell-type-specific transcriptomic signatures of healthy ageing in mice” | >

Year 2023 I have found both spiders and bees are sentient because their emotional intelligence is very high much like a human child.

‘Fringe’ research suggests the insects that are essential to agriculture have emotions, dreams and even PTSD, raising complex ethical questions.

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Research led by Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University in China has performed a metadata investigation into the presence of microplastics in humans. They report a concerning relationship between micro and nanoplastic (MNP) concentrations in damaged tissues and links with multiple health conditions.

Plastic usage soared from 1.5 million metric tons in the 1950s to nearly 390.7 million in 2021. With the increased use in came elevated microscopic plastic pollution circulating in soil and waterways, eventually accumulating in the environment, food webs and human tissues.

Consistent methods to pinpoint and quantify MNPs in human tissues are lacking. Reliable data linking MNPs to human diseases are necessary for assessing potential risks and developing mitigation measures.

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The work-related death rate fell 95% in the U.S. between 1913 & 2015.

Labor union activism is often credited with the decline, but economic expansion is what made better working conditions possible in the first place.

Read more about this trend.

All economic activity involves some degree of physical risk. Credible data on work injuries and fatalities among our agrarian ancestors are difficult to come by. Yet agricultural work must have been quite unappealing, considering that so many people in the early 19th century preferred factory work over farm work.

Continue reading “Work Grows Safer” | >

The growth of maize, sugarcane and sorghum has been greatly boosted by modifying the plants to take advantage of higher carbon dioxide levels now found in the air.

This was done by simply increasing the activity of two genes, says Coralie Salesse-Smith at the University of Illinois. The finding should lead to the creation of new varieties whose yields go up as CO2 levels continue to rise.

For most of the time that photosynthetic cells that turn sunlight into food have existed, atmospheric levels of CO2 have been much higher (and the planet has been much hotter). As CO2 levels fell particularly low from about 35 million years ago, it exacerbated a fundamental flaw in photosynthesis that involves probably the most abundant protein on the planet, called rubisco.

Image: Przemyslaw Koch/Getty Images

Continue reading “Genetic tweak to three key crops massively boosts their growth” | >

Smartwatch bands from popular brands have been found to contain high concentrations of toxic for forever chemicals, also known as PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances). These synthetic chemicals do not break down easily in the environment and build in our bodies over time, hence earning them the nickname of forever chemicals.

PFAS are used in various consumer products, including non-stick cookware, water-resistant clothes, carpets, mattresses, food wraps, and more. Exposure to PFAS has been linked to serious health problems, including increased risks of certain cancers, hormone disruption, weakened immune systems, and developmental delays in children. These chemicals can leach into water, soil, and food, making them a growing public health concern worldwide.

A new study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters has found that smartwatch bands made of fluoroelastomers contain a very high concentration of a forever chemical known as perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA).

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