Apr. 10, 2013 ? With nearly one billion users worldwide, Facebook has become a daily activity for hundreds of millions of people. Because so many people engage with the website daily, researchers are interested in how emotionally involved Facebook users become with the social networking site and the precursors that lead to Facebook connections with other people. Russell Clayton, now a doctoral student at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, found that anxiety and alcohol use significantly predict emotional connectedness to Facebook.
Clayton's master's thesis, conducted under the supervision of Randall Osborne, Brian Miller, and Crystal Oberle of Texas State University, surveyed more than 225 college freshmen students concerning their perceived levels of loneliness, anxiousness, alcohol use, and marijuana use in the prediction of emotional connectedness to Facebook and Facebook connections. They found that students who reported higher levels of anxiousness and alcohol use appeared to be more emotionally connected with the social networking site. Clayton and his colleagues also found that students who reported higher levels of loneliness and anxiousness use Facebook as a platform to connect with others.
"People who perceive themselves to be anxious are more likely to want to meet and connect with people online, as opposed to a more social, public setting," Clayton said. "Also, when people who are emotionally connected to Facebook view pictures and statuses of their Facebook friends using alcohol, they are more motivated to engage in similar online behaviors in order to fit in socially."
Clayton says that because alcohol use is generally viewed as normative, or socially acceptable, among college students, increased alcohol use may cause an increase in emotional connectedness to Facebook. The researchers also found that marijuana use predicted the opposite: a lack of emotional connectedness with Facebook.
"Marijuana use is less normative, meaning fewer people post on Facebook about using it," Clayton said. "In turn, people who engage in marijuana use are less likely to be emotionally attached to Facebook."
Clayton and his fellow researchers also found that students who reported high levels of perceived loneliness were not emotionally connected to Facebook, but use Facebook as a tool to connect with others.
This study was published in the Journal of Computers in Human Behavior.
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Journal Reference:
Russell B. Clayton, Randall E. Osborne, Brian K. Miller, Crystal D. Oberle. Loneliness, anxiousness, and substance use as predictors of Facebook use. Computers in Human Behavior, 2013; 29 (3): 687 DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2012.12.002
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Apr. 10, 2013 ? The very serious hereditary disease HDLS was discovered in 1984 in Sweden. Many HDLS patients are still incorrectly diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, MS or Parkinson's disease, but researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have now developed a more certain diagnosis method -- and are seeking to find a treatment for the "unknown" neurological disorder.
In 1984, Sahlgrenska Professor Oluf Andersen for the first time described a new, hereditary and very serious neurological disease that was given the name hereditary diffuse leukoencephalopathy with spheroids, usually abbreviated HDLS.
The disease has been perceived as very uncommon. However, a HDLS international consortium with headquarter at the Mayo Clinic in collaboration with the researcher Christina Sundal at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, and her research colleagues have now succeeded in identifying the genetic mutation, called CSF1R, that is believed to cause the disease.
The discovery, which is presented in a dissertation at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, has resulted in a new gene test that has led to more than 100 new cases of HDLS being confirmed in the U.S. and Japan in recent months.
In Sweden, HDLS has to-date been limited to one single family, which currently consists of 166 individuals of which 15 have been diagnosed with HDLS. There are many unreported cases, and since the Swedish family was found negative for the CSF1R gene mutation Dr. Christina Sundal and her research team are still doing genetic testing to find additional gene mutation that are causative for the Swedish family. Results of this analysis will soon be published.
Since knowledge of the disease is limited among doctors, patients with HDLS are often incorrectly diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, MS or atypical Parkinson's disease, and a study is now under way where 100 Swedish MS patients are undergoing genetic analysis to see if their disease is actually HDLS.
The basic Swedish research has been followed up internationally -- most successfully by researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Florida, who have now gathered information and samples from HDLS families around the world. In 2011, Christina Sundal, a doctoral student at the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, was invited to the Mayo Clinic to conduct research on HDLS.
Christina Sundal is now presenting her dissertation, which shows that the symptoms and characteristic changes of HDLS can be distinguished on magnetic resonance images of the brain. Together with the discovery of the CSF1R gene mutation, this has revolutionized the possibilities of making the right diagnosis and developing future treatments.
"Our research has shown that HDLS is often incorrectly diagnosed. We hope that the disease will now be easier to identify, and that it will eventually be possible to use the CSF1R gene mutation to develop new medicines that can treat both HDLS and other similar neurodegenerative diseases," says Christina Sundal.
The 36-year-old researcher, raised in Bergen, Norway, is now being given the responsibility to lead the continued HDLS research at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital.
"I hope that our research will lead us to find a treatment in the future that can stop this disease, which is very devastating and strikes many families hard," says Christina Sundal.
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Fox television reporter Jana Winter, right, and her attorneys arrive at district court for a hearing for Aurora theater shooting suspect James Holmes in Centennial, Colo., on Wednesday, April 10, 2013.
By Andrew Rafferty and Jack Chesnutt, NBC News
A decision on whether a journalist will be sent to jail for not revealing her sources has been delayed until August, a Colorado judge ruled Wednesday.
Lawyers for theater massacre suspect James Holmes have been contending that Fox News reporter Jana Winter needs to reveal the sources of a story she broke last July revealing Holmes had sent a notebook to his psychiatrist outlining his plot.
Holmes is accused of slaughtering 12 people at a midnight showing of Batman in an Aurora, Colo., movie theater last July.
And despite an offer last month to plead guilty, Holmes' lawyers are arguing that the law enforcement sources Winter cited in her piece violated a gag order and may have jeopardized the defendant's right to a fair trial.
Arapahoe County District Judge Carlos Samour Jr. has yet to decide whether Winter will need to testify.
On Wednesday, Samour said he must first know if the notebook will be a critical piece of evidence in the case before he can determine if Winter should be obligated to reveal her sources.
After consulting with the lawyers, the judge set the August 19 date, saying it will be likely known by then the role the notebook will play in the case.
Winter and her lawyers have indicated she will not reveal her sources if compelled. She could face jail time as a result.
On Monday, Samour wrote an opinion previewing today's ruling that sided with Winter's lawyers' arguments that that a decision should not be made until it is known whether the notebook will be a critical piece of evidence.
?The notebook may or may not be introduced, and its contents may or may not be of significance. Given these uncertainties, the record is inadequate,"?Samour wrote in his order.
Lawyers for Holmes may decide to argue that the notebook ? which according to the Fox News report is filled with stick figures holding guns and shooting other stick figures ? is protected by?doctor-patient privilege.
And if his team uses mental-health as a defense, the notebook could became a vital part of the case.?
Winter told the court in a March affidavit that her ability to do her job has already been compromised as a result of the legal issues, and being forced to take the stand will would destroy her career. ?
Multiple media organizations from around the country have come in to support Winter and any reporter's rights to not be legally obligated to reveal sources.
Apr. 9, 2013 ? Inspired by a traditional Balkan bedbug remedy, researchers have documented how microscopic hairs on kidney bean leaves effectively stab and trap the biting insects, according to findings published online today in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface. Scientists at UC Irvine and the University of Kentucky are now developing materials that mimic the geometry of the leaves.
Bedbugs have made a dramatic comeback in the U.S. in recent years, infesting everything from homes and hotels to schools, movie theaters and hospitals. Although not known to transmit disease, their bites can cause burning, itching, swelling and psychological distress. It helps to catch infestations early, but the nocturnal parasites' ability to hide almost anywhere, breed rapidly and "hitchhike" from place to place makes detection difficult. They can survive as long as a year without a blood meal.
Current commercial prevention methods, including freezing, extreme heating, vacuuming and pesticides, can be costly and unreliable. Many sufferers resort to ineffective, potentially dangerous measures, such as spraying nonapproved insecticides themselves rather than hiring a professional.
Doctoral student Megan Szyndler, entomologist Catherine Loudon and chemist Robert Corn of UC Irvine and entomologists Kenneth Haynes and Michael Potter of the University of Kentucky collaborated on the new study.
Their work was motivated by a centuries-old remedy for bedbugs used in Bulgaria, Serbia and other southeast European countries. Kidney bean leaves were strewn on the floor next to beds and seemed to ensnare the blood-seeking parasites on their nightly forays. The bug-encrusted greenery was burned the next morning to exterminate the insects.
Through painstaking detective work, the scientists discovered that the creatures are trapped within seconds of stepping on a leaf, their legs impaled by microscopic hooked hairs known botanically as trichomes.
Using the bean leaves as templates, the researchers have microfabricated materials that closely resemble them geometrically. The synthetic surfaces snag the bedbugs temporarily but do not yet stop them as effectively as real leaves, Loudon said, suggesting that crucial mechanics of the trichomes still need to be determined.
Theoretically, bean leaves could be used for pest control, but they dry out and don't last very long. They also can't easily be applied to locations other than a floor. Synthetic materials could provide a nontoxic alternative.
"Plants exhibit extraordinary abilities to entrap insects," said Loudon, lead author of the paper. "Modern scientific techniques let us fabricate materials at a microscopic level, with the potential to 'not let the bedbugs bite' without pesticides."
"Nature is a hard act to follow, but the benefits could be enormous," Potter said. "Imagine if every bedbug inadvertently brought into a dwelling was captured before it had a chance to bite and multiply."
Funding for the study was provided by the National Science Foundation.
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<strong>"666 Park Ave.," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/16/666-park-avenue-canceled_n_2147290.html">ABC pulled the plug</a> on this supernatural drama earlier in the season.
"The Bachelor"
<strong>"The Bachelor," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: While ratings may have dropped, "The Bachelor" will likely see another season on ABC as tabloids and viewers still care about the comings and goings of contestants.
"Body of Proof"
<strong>"Body of Proof," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: ABC is keen on this Dana Delany drama, but the ratings for this upcoming third season will be the true test.
"Castle"
<strong>"Castle," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed. <strong>Why</strong>: Strong ratings and a dedicated viewership will keep "Castle" on the schedule.
"Dancing With the Stars"
<strong>"Dancing With the Stars," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The series is hurting in the ratings ... by "DWTS" standards. It's still a strong player for ABC, but the new season hasn't premiered yet.
"Don't Trust The B---- In Apt. 23"
<strong>"Don't Trust The B---- In Apt. 23," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/22/apartment-23-canceled-dont-trust-the-b_n_2528858.html">ABC pulled the low-rated comedy</a> from it schedule and the stars took to Twitter to announce the cancellation.
"Family Tools"
<strong>"Family Tools," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: This ABC comedy has yet to debut, but a May 1 premiere date doesn't look great.
"Grey's Anatomy"
<strong>"Grey's Anatomy," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: America still loves McDreamy and the goings on at Seattle Grace. Expect "Grey's" to return.
"Happy Endings"
<strong>"Happy Endings," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: Always the bubble show, never the surefire renewal hit. "Happy Endings" has suffered from many ratings ailments, including bad scheduling (<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/happy-endings-friday-abc_n_2683091.html">it's moving to Friday night</a>) and lack of promo. But this ahmahzing show has some serious fans that could keep it afloat for another season ... maybe on another network (a la "Cougar Town.")
"How To Live With Your Parents (For The Rest Of Your Life)"
<strong>"How To Live With Your Parents (For The Rest Of Your Life)," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: The ABC comedy starring Sarah Chalke has yet to debut, but its late season bow doesn't exactly bode well for its future.
"Last Man Standing"
<strong>"Last Man Standing," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Viewers still love Tim Allen! Paired with "Malibu Country," "Last Man Standing" has been performing well on Friday nights and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/jonathan-taylor-thomas-last-man-standing-home-improvement_n_2686307.html">will soon see Allen's "Home Improvement" co-star Jonathan Tyler Thomas</a>.
"Last Resort"
<strong>"Last Resort," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/16/last-resort-canceled-abc_n_2147316.html">ABC killed the Shawn Ryan drama</a> in late 2012.
"Malibu Country"
<strong>"Malibu Country," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: "Malibu Country" has been performing well on Friday nights. Lesson: Never underestimate the star power of Reba.
"The Middle"
<strong>"The Middle," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Now in its fourth season, "The Middle" is still pulling in more than 8 million viewers an episode as the anchor of ABC's Wednesday comedies.
"Mistresses"
<strong>"Mistresses," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: The drama, which is based on the UK series of the same name, just got a Monday, May 27 premiere date. Though the scheduling struggle doesn't bode well, the ABC drama does have Alyssa Milano and "Lost" alum Yunjin Kim leading the foursome.
"Modern Family"
<strong>"Modern Family," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: A fan favorite and Emmy darling, "Modern Family" will be back and will make ABC lots of money in syndication.
"Nashville"
<strong>"Nashville," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: Critical acclaim doesn't always equate to rating success. The show has stabilized in Nielsen ratings, but its future really depends on the strength of ABC's drama pilots.
"The Neighbors"
<strong>"The Neighbors," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: One of the few "hits" of the season, "The Neighbors" has found an audience and kept it pretty steadily week after week (<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/11/abc-shows-fall-tv-2012-2013_n_1581796.html">much to our dismay</a>).
"Once Upon a Time"
<strong>"Once Upon a Time," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: A ratings hit in its second season, "Once Upon a Time" is almost sure to be back for a third season full of fairytale adventures.
"Private Practice"
<strong>"Private Practice," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Ended <strong>Why</strong>: The "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff said goodbye in January 2013.
"Red Widow"
<strong>"Red Widow," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: The show has a late February debut on ABC.
"Revenge"
<strong>"Revenge," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: "Revenge" has fallen out of critical favor and seen lower ratings in its new Sunday night home. But none of ABC's freshman dramas are doing well, so that works in the show's favor.
"Rookie Blue"
<strong>"Rookie Blue," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The Canadian co-production will return for a fourth season on ABC during the summer of 2013.
"Scandal"
<strong>"Scandal," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Shonda Rhimes has another hit on her hands. Now in its second season, "Scandal" has benefited from word-of-mouth and has been rising in the ratings (even recently beating out its lead in "Grey's Anatomy"). A likable star -- Kerry Washington -- and continued buzz will keep "Scandal" on the schedule.
"Suburgatory"
<strong>"Suburgatory," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: The series started Season 2 off strong in the ratings, but its audience has slowly eroded. Its not the worst-performing ABC sitcom, but its buzziness has died down as well.
"Zero Hour"
<strong>"Zero Hour," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: The Anthony Edwards vehicle debuted to 6.3 million viewers with a 1.3 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, making it <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/15/zero-hour-ratings_n_2695800.html">the least-watched premiere for a scripted series in ABC's history</a>. Things only got worse from there.
"2 Broke Girls"
<strong>"2 Broke Girls," CBS</strong>
<strong>Status</strong>: Renewed
<strong>Why</strong>: CBS renewed "2 Broke Girls" in March of 2013.
"The Amazing Race"
<strong>"The Amazing Race," CBS</strong>
<strong>Status</strong>: Renewed
<strong>Why</strong>: As an Emmy and fan favorite, "The Amazing Race" has been a strong player for CBS.
"The Big Bang Theory"
<strong>"The Big Bang Theory," CBS</strong>
<strong>Status</strong>: Renewed
<strong>Why</strong>: Now in its sixth season, "Big Bang" is reaching series-high ratings. Even up against reality powerhouse "American Idol," "The Big Bang Theory" has been delivering with crazy high numbers in the 18-49 demographic, beating out what was once Fox's juggernaut.
"Blue Bloods"
<strong>"Blue Bloods," CBS</strong>
<strong>Status</strong>: Renewed
<strong>Why</strong>: The Tom Selleck-fronted police drama is a strong ratings performer for CBS on Fridays.
"Criminal Minds"
<strong>"Criminal Minds," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: As one of CBS's strong procedural players, the series has been steady in the ratings and will likely be renewed to help anchor a night and launch a new drama.
"CSI"
<strong>"CSI," CBS</strong>
<strong>Status</strong>: Renewed
<strong>Why</strong>: Of the two "CSI" shows on the air, "CSI" is the stronger player in the TV landscape. The show is nowhere near its earlier ratings, but Ted Danson signed on for more and the show will be back.
"CSI: NY"
<strong>"CSI: NY," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: The spinoff series will be entering Season 10 in the 2013-2014 season. The ratings have faded over the years, but they're still pretty stable, especially for Fridays. It's a toss up, depending on how well CBS's development slate goes.
"Elementary"
<strong>"Elementary," CBS</strong>
<strong>Status</strong>: Renewed
<strong>Why</strong>: One of the very few freshman series hits during the 2012-2013 TV season, CBS is very keen on this modern-day take on Sherlock Holmes. The audience has been steady and the network even gave it the post-Super Bowl timeslot.
"Golden Boy"
<strong>"Golden Boy," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: CBS certainly has a handsome star at the front of this cop drama, but its late season entry and Friday timeslot could be a hint toward CBS's confidence in the show.
"The Good Wife"
<strong>"The Good Wife," CBS</strong>
<strong>Status</strong>: Renewed
<strong>Why</strong>: A former ratings champ, "The Good Wife" has slipped to series low ratings on Sunday nights. Blame football overrun, fan-detested storylines or too many guest stars, but "The Good Wife" has star power and critical praise, plus its nearing a good syndication sweet spot.
"Hawaii Five-0"
<strong>"Hawaii Five-0," CBS</strong>
<strong>Status</strong>: Renewed
<strong>Why</strong>: In March, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/27/the-good-wife-renewed-season-5_n_2965829.html" target="_hplink">CBS announced "Hawaii Five-0" received an early renewal along with several of its other popular programs</a>.
"How I Met Your Mother"
<strong>"How I Met Your Mother," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: CBS handed out a ninth and final season to this comedy with the entire cast returning. Expect to meet the mother, finally.
"Made In Jersey"
<strong>"Made In Jersey," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: CBS pulled the plug on this legal drama very early on in the season because of low ratings.
"The Mentalist"
<strong>"The Mentalist," CBS</strong>
<strong>Status</strong>: Renewed
<strong>Why</strong>: "The Mentalist" has fallen to mediocre ratings -- by CBS standards -- but it was nonetheless renewed in March of 2013.
"Mike & Molly"
<strong>"Mike & Molly," CBS</strong>
<strong>Status</strong>: Renewed
<strong>Why</strong>: The ratings are down a little bit from last year, but Melissa McCarthy's star continues to rise.
"NCIS"
<strong>"NCIS," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: CBS reached a deal with series star Mark Harmon in early 2013, keeping the No. 1 show in America around for a Season 11.
"NCIS: LA"
<strong>"NCIS: LA," CBS</strong>
<strong>Status</strong>: Renewed
<strong>Why</strong>: Viewers love their "NCIS," in any form. The ratings have been strong and the network is producing a backdoor spinoff pilot for this spinoff show. A full night of "NCIS" could be in CBS's future.
"Partners"
<strong>"Partners," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: Low ratings and unfavorable reviews led to the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/16/partners-canceled-cbs_n_2145832.html">early demise</a> of this CBS comedy.
"Person of Interest"
<strong>"Person of Interest," CBS</strong>
<strong>Status</strong>: Renewed
<strong>Why</strong>: The series has developed a nice-sized audience, bigger than its first season.
"Rules of Engagement"
<strong>"Rules of Engagement," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Honestly, who knows <strong>Why</strong>: This comedy has been on the bubble since it premiered ... yet is now in its seventh season. It's too soon to look at the numbers for this season, but the show has been a midseason success for CBS in the past. However, series co-star <a href="http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/02/07/cbs-orders-comedy-pilot-starring-patrick-warburton/">Patrick Warburton is attached to star in a new pilot</a> ... for CBS.
"Survivor"
<strong>"Survivor," CBS</strong>
<strong>Status</strong>: Renewed
<strong>Why</strong>: A strong player for the last 13 years, "Survivor" will be back. But due to its <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/survivor-ratings-lowest-premiere-ever_n_2687591.html">most recent premiere ratings</a>, we might not see it during the fall season, though a midseason or summer return -- with some new gimmick -- is definitely in the cards for the reality series.
"Two and a Half Men"
<strong>"Two and a Half Men," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: CBS wants another season of this bawdy hit, it's just a matter of getting its stars to sign back on.
"Undercover Boss"
<strong>"Undercover Boss," CBS</strong>
<strong>Status</strong>: Renewed
<strong>Why</strong>: The show is enjoying life in syndication and its Season 4 numbers are better than most of its third season.
"Unforgettable"
<strong>"Unforgettable," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Uncanceled <strong>Why</strong>: CBS canceled the Poppy Montgomery drama last season ... and then revived it! Season 2 premieres Sunday, July 28.
"Vegas"
<strong>"Vegas," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: Despite star power, the series hasn't been a breakout hit in the ratings. CBS previously canceled "Unforgettable" (then uncanceled it) last season when it was doing about the same as "Vegas."
Strict school meal standards associated with improved weight status among students
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
A study suggests that states with stricter school meal nutrition standards were associated with better weight status among students who received free or reduced-price lunches compared with students who did not eat school lunches, according to a reportpublished Online First by JAMA Pediatrics, a JAMA Network publication.
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) was started in 1946 to improve student nutrition by providing school lunches according to standards sets by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). However, the program has faced criticism that the lunches did not meet USDA nutrient-based standards, and the NSLP may be a missed opportunity to improve students' weight status and reduce the health consequences of obesity, the authors write in the study background.
Daniel R. Taber, Ph.D., of the University of Illinois at Chicago and colleagues conducted a study using a sample of 4,870 students in 40 states. Student data were obtained from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class, which began collecting data from a nationally representative sample of kindergarten students in fall 1998.
In states that exceeded USDA school meal standards, the difference in obesity prevalence between students who received free or reduced-price lunches and students who did not get lunches was 12.3 percentage points smaller compared with states that did not exceed USDA standards.
"In states that did not exceed USDA standards, students who obtained free/reduced-price lunches were almost twice as likely to be obese than students who did not obtain school lunches (26 percent and 13.9 percent, respectively), whereas the disparity between groups was markedly reduced in states that exceeded USDA standards (21.1 percent and 17.4 percent, respectively)," according to the study results.
Researchers also found that there was little evidence that students compensated for school meal laws by buying sweets, salty snacks or sugar-sweetened beverages from other school venues, such as vending machines, or from other sources, such as fast food restaurants.
"The evidence in this study suggests that ongoing changes to school meal standards have the potential to reduce obesity, particularly among students who are eligible for free/reduced-price lunches, though additional longitudinal research is needed to confirm this," the study concludes.
(JAMA Pediatr.Published online April 8, 2013. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.399. Available pre-embargo to the media at http://media.jamanetwork.com.)
Editor's Note: Support for the research was provided by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and a grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
Editorial: School Meals a Starting Point for Countering Childhood Obesity
In a related editorial, Marion Nestle, Ph.D., M.P.H., of New York University, writes: "In this issue of JAMA Pediatrics, Taber and colleagues provide important evidence to support the value of strong, far-reaching public health initiatives to counter childhood obesity."
"In short, the study found an association between more stringent school meal standards and more favorable weight status, especially among low-income students," Nestle continues.
'The study produced one other noteworthy result. Students did not compensate for the healthier school meals by buying more snacks or sodas on school premises," Nestle concludes.
(JAMA Pediatr.Published online April 8, 2013. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.404. Available pre-embargo to the media at http://media.jamanetwork.com.)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
###
The JAMA Network Journals: http://www.jamamedia.org
Thanks to The JAMA Network Journals for this article.
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This film image released by Sony-TriStar Pictures shows Jane Levy in a scene from "Evil Dead." (AP Photo/Sony-TriStar Pictures)
This film image released by Sony-TriStar Pictures shows Jane Levy in a scene from "Evil Dead." (AP Photo/Sony-TriStar Pictures)
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Resurrected demons and resurrected dinosaurs are helping to put some life back into the weekend box office.
The demonic horror remake "Evil Dead" debuted at No. 1 with $26 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.
In a tight fight for second-place were two holdovers, the animated comedy "The Croods" and the action flick "G.I. Joe: Retaliation," both with an estimated $21.1 million. Final numbers Monday will sort out which movie comes out ahead.
Steven Spielberg's 3-D debut of his dinosaur blockbuster "Jurassic Park" came in fourth with $18.2 million. That's on top of the $357.1 million domestic haul for "Jurassic Park" in its initial run in 1993.
Released by Sony's TriStar Pictures, "Evil Dead" added $4.5 million in 21 overseas markets, giving it a worldwide start of $30.5 million. Shot on a modest budget of $17 million, the movie is well on its way to turning a profit.
The remake was produced by the 1983 original's filmmakers, director Sam Raimi and producer Rob Tapert, and its star, Bruce Campbell. The new "Evil Dead" lays the gore on thickly for the story of a group of friends terrorized and possessed by demons during a trip to a cabin in the woods.
"It's one crazy ride, that movie. I have to think Sam Raimi is so proud in remaking this film that it turned out so well," said Rory Bruer, head of distribution for Sony. "It's such a visceral ride, where you're holding on to your seat or holding on to the person next to you."
Paramount's "G.I. Joe" sequel, which had been No. 1 the previous weekend, pushed its domestic total to $86.7 million. The movie also added $40.2 million overseas for an international haul of $145.2 million and a worldwide take of $232 million.
"The Croods," a DreamWorks Animation release distributed by 20th Century Fox, raised its domestic total to $125.8 million after three weekends. Overseas, the movie did an additional $34.1 million to lift its international total to $206.8 million and its worldwide receipts to $333 million.
Universal Pictures' "Jurassic Park" reissue opened in a similar range of other recent blockbuster 3-D releases such as "Titanic" ($17.3 million) and "Star Wars: Episode I ? The Phantom Menace" ($22.4 million).
None of the new movies or holdovers came close to the domestic business being done a year ago by "The Hunger Games," which led over the same weekend in 2012 with $33.1 million in its third weekend. But collectively, Hollywood had a winning lineup of movies that gave revenues a lift from last year.
Domestic receipts totaled $134 million, up 8.5 percent from the first weekend of April a year ago, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com. That uptick comes after three-straight weekends of declining revenue and a quiet first quarter in which domestic business has totaled $2.47 billion, down 11.4 percent from the same point in 2012.
Hollywood set a record with $10.8 billion domestically last year, and 2013's releases so far have been unable to match up. Studios are counting on a strong start to the summer season as "Iron Man 3" arrives the first weekend in May and such sequels as "Star Trek: Into Darkness," ''The Hangover Part III" and "Fast & Furious 6" quickly follow.
"When you have a record box-office year like we did in 2012, every weekend in 2013 is becoming a challenge to best or even equal what we did the year before," said Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian. "The summer movie season can't come a moment too soon. We definitely need it."
In limited release this weekend, director and star Robert Redford's "The Company You Keep" started well with $146,058 in five theaters for a healthy $29,212 average. That compares to an $8,595 average in 3,025 cinemas for "Evil Dead."
"The Company You Keep" also features Susan Sarandon and Shia LaBeouf in the story of a 1970s fugitive on the run for three decades for a robbery that left a security guard dead.
"Slumdog Millionaire" director Danny Boyle's "Trance" opened with $136,103 in four theaters for a $34,026 average. The twisting thriller features James McAvoy as an amnesiac art thief whose accomplices enlist a hypnotist (Rosario Dawson) to crack his memory.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. "Evil Dead," $26 million ($4.5 million international).
2 (tie). "The Croods," $21.1 million ($34.1 million international).
2 (tie). "G.I. Joe: Retaliation," $21.1 million ($40.2 million international).
4. "Jurassic Park" in 3-D," $18.2 million ($3 million international).
5. "Olympus Has Fallen," $10.04 million.
6. "Tyler Perry's Temptation," $10 million.
7. "Oz the Great and Powerful," $8.2 million ($13.6 million international).
8. "The Host," $5.2 million ($3.5 million international).
9. "The Call," $3.5 million.
10. "Admission," $2.1 million.
___
Estimated weekend ticket sales at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada) for films distributed overseas by Hollywood studios, according to Rentrak:
1. "G.I. Joe: Retaliation," $40.2 million.
2. "The Croods," $34.1 million.
3. "Oz the Great and Powerful," $13.6 million.
4. "Jack the Giant Slayer," $10.9 million.
5. "Identity Thief," $6.4 million.
6. "Evil Dead," $4.5 million.
7. "Dragon Ball Z: Kami to Kami," $4.4 million.
8. "Running Man," $3.7 million.
9. "The Host," $3.5 million.
10. "Wreck-It Ralph," $3.4 million.
___
Online:
http://www.hollywood.com
http://www.rentrak.com
___
Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.
Microsoft is selling its Mediaroom business to Ericsson.
(Credit: Microsoft) Ericsson plans to buy Microsoft's Mediaroom IPTV platform business so that Microsoft can tune in on its Xbox gaming system.
The companies didn't disclose the purchase price, but a person familiar with the deal terms said the price was "just south of $200 million." The deal should close in the second half of the year.
One of the next big battlegrounds among industry players is video. Many companies, such as Amazon and Netflix, already provide content, but others are looking to provide a full package to consumers. Chip maker Intel is building an IPTV service and set-top box, while Apple is reportedly prepping its own system. Game console makers also are looking at the sector, with Sony and Microsoft both seeking to provide more programming for their customers.
Mediaroom is the software that powers many of the world's leading Internet-delivered television services, such as AT&T's U-verse, and Deutsche Telekom's Entertain. More than 22 million set-top boxes in 11 million homes around the world use Mediaroom technology. Ericsson, the world's largest maker of wireless networks, noted the acquisition will make it the leading provider of IPTV and multiscreen offerings, with a market share of more than 25 percent.
For Microsoft, the deal removes any distraction or conflict with pushing TV on its Xbox console. While Xbox started out as a gaming machine, the majority of the 76 million users worldwide spend more time viewing entertainment than playing games, said Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president of marketing, strategy, and business for Microsoft's interactive entertainment operations, during an All Things D conference earlier this year.
"With the sale of Mediaroom, Microsoft is dedicating all TV resources to Xbox in a continued mission to make it the premium entertainment service that delivers all the games and entertainment consumers want -- whether on a console, phone, PC, or tablet," Mehdi said in a blog post today.
He added that there are 76 million Xbox 360 consoles around the world and 46 million Xbox LIVE members. Microsoft is expected to unveil the next generation of the Xbox sometime this year, possibly as soon as next month. The device is likely to attract new users, as well as include new features to attract viewers, not just gamers.
The company has said that it's working on providing interactive TV through Xbox, including live events, reality shows, and scripted programs with an interactive twist. Instead of going it alone, Microsoft is trying to partner with content creators, studios, labels, networks, content aggregators, operators, and distributors.
"We believe the future of home entertainment is one where TV becomes more simple, tailored, and intelligent," Mehdi said. "We believe the best is yet to come for this industry."
Microsoft declined to comment further about the deal.
Ericsson, meanwhile, plans to integrate Mediaroom with its current products to extend the software beyond the set-top box to mobile and other devices, said Per Borgklint, senior vice president and head of business unit support solutions at Ericsson.
"Today Mediaroom is only on set-top boxes, but we at Ericsson have developed multiscreen solutions that have been integrated already on customer premises on the existing Mediaroom solution," he told CNET.
Ericsson will continue to target mobile operators with the service, Borgklint said, with the belief that all will need a video strategy and something to manage and secure the delivery of those services.
The company will hire additional employees for Mediaroom, expanding beyond the current headcount of about 400.
"This is an area of investment," Borgklint said. "We plan to grow the business."
Updated at 9:35 a.m. PT with the deal price, a no comment from Microsoft, and comments from an Ericsson executive.
Apr. 8, 2013 ? According to a newly-published NOAA-led study in Geophysical Research Letters, as the globe warms from rising atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, more moisture in a warmer atmosphere will make the most extreme precipitation events more intense.
The study, conducted by a team of researchers from the North Carolina State University's Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites-North Carolina (CICS-NC), NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), the Desert Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and ERT, Inc., reports that the extra moisture due to a warmer atmosphere dominates all other factors and leads to notable increases in the most intense precipitation rates.
The study also shows a 20-30 percent expected increase in the maximum precipitation possible over large portions of the Northern Hemisphere by the end of the 21st century if greenhouse gases continue to rise at a high emissions rate.
"We have high confidence that the most extreme rainfalls will become even more intense, as it is virtually certain that the atmosphere will provide more water to fuel these events," said Kenneth Kunkel, Ph.D., senior research professor at CICS-NC and lead author of the paper.
The paper looked at three factors that go into the maximum precipitation value possible in any given location: moisture in the atmosphere, upward motion of air in the atmosphere, and horizontal winds. The team examined climate model data to understand how a continued course of high greenhouse gas emissions would influence the potential maximum precipitation. While greenhouse gas increases did not substantially change the maximum upward motion of the atmosphere or horizontal winds, the models did show a 20-30 percent increase in maximum moisture in the atmosphere, which led to a corresponding increase in the maximum precipitation value.
The findings of this report could inform "design values," or precipitation amounts, used by water resource managers, insurance and building sectors in modeling the risk due to catastrophic precipitation amounts. Engineers use design values to determine the design of water impoundments and runoff control structures, such as dams, culverts, and detention ponds.
"Our next challenge is to translate this research into local and regional new design values that can be used for identifying risks and mitigating potential disasters. Findings of this study, and others like it, could lead to new information for engineers and developers that will save lives and major infrastructure investments," said Thomas R. Karl, L.H.D., director of NOAA's NCDC in Asheville, N.C., and co-author on the paper.
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Journal Reference:
Kenneth E. Kunkel, Thomas R. Karl, David R. Easterling, Kelly Redmond, John Young, Xungang Yin, Paula Hennon. Probable maximum precipitation (PMP) and climate change. Geophysical Research Letters, 2013; DOI: 10.1002/grl.50334
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LITTLETON, New Hampshire (Reuters) - A New Hampshire jury on Tuesday found Exxon Mobil Corp liable for $236.4 million in a civil lawsuit that charged the oil company had polluted groundwater in the state with a gasoline additive used to reduce smog in the 1970s and 1980s.
Following a three-month trial, jurors deliberated less than two hours before finding that the world's largest publicly traded oil company acted negligently in contaminating the groundwater with the additive MTBE, said Jessica Grant, a lawyer who represented the state.
"We're very pleased that the jury held Exxon accountable for the harm its defective product caused to the state's groundwater resources and that they also held Exxon responsible for its negligence," she said.
Originally filed in New Hampshire court in 2003, the state charged that Exxon and other major oil companies knew that MTBE was likely to contaminate groundwater and was more difficult to clean up than other pollutants. Some damages from the suit will help pay for the costs of testing and cleaning affected water supplies.
Exxon vowed to appeal.
"MTBE worked as intended to improve our air quality and the benefits of its use substantially outweighed the known risks," said spokeswoman Rachael Moore. "MTBE contamination in New Hampshire is rapidly decreasing and the state's current system for cleaning up gasoline spills ensures safe drinking water."
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today considers MTBE a potential human carcinogen, though much of the research on the chemical has focused on the health effects of inhaling it rather than drinking it. New Hampshire banned MTBE in the state in 2007.
Exxon was the only one of the 22 original defendants in the original suit to go to trial. Other defendants either had the suits against them dismissed or agreed to settlements.
Those included Canada-based Irving Oil Co, which agreed to pay $57 million last year, and Venezuela's state-owned Citgo Petroleum Corp, which struck a $16 million agreement as the trial began.
The three-month trial on the suit, filed in state court, was moved to the state's federal courthouse in Concord to accommodate the large number of witnesses, lawyers and exhibits. The jury found that MTBE contamination had caused $816 million in damages in the state. Exxon's market share of 29 percent was used to compute damages, Grant said.
(Reporting by Jason McLure; Editing by Scott Malone and Tim Dobbyn)
Apr. 8, 2013 ? Studies show 97 percent of American adults get less than 30 minutes of exercise a day, which is the minimum recommended amount based on federal guidelines. New research from the University of Missouri suggests certain genetic traits may predispose people to being more or less motivated to exercise and remain active. Frank Booth, a professor in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, along with his post-doctoral fellow Michael Roberts, were able to selectively breed rats that exhibited traits of either extreme activity or extreme laziness. They say these rats indicate that genetics could play a role in exercise motivation, even in humans.
"We have shown that it is possible to be genetically predisposed to being lazy," Booth said. "This could be an important step in identifying additional causes for obesity in humans, especially considering dramatic increases in childhood obesity in the United States. It would be very useful to know if a person is genetically predisposed to having a lack of motivation to exercise, because that could potentially make them more likely to grow obese."
In their study published in the American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology on April 3, 2013, Roberts and Booth put rats in cages with running wheels and measured how much each rat willingly ran on their wheels during a six-day period. They then bred the top 26 runners with each other and bred the 26 rats that ran the least with each other. They repeated this process through 10 generations and found that the line of running rats chose to run 10 times more than the line of "lazy" rats.
Once the researchers created their "super runner" and "couch potato" rats, they studied the levels of mitochondria in muscle cells, compared body composition and conducted thorough genetic evaluations through RNA deep sequencing of each rat.
"While we found minor differences in the body composition and levels of mitochondria in muscle cells of the rats, the most important thing we identified were the genetic differences between the two lines of rats," Roberts said. "Out of more than 17,000 different genes in one part of the brain, we identified 36 genes that may play a role in predisposition to physical activity motivation."
Now that the researchers have identified these specific genes, they plan on continuing their research to explore the effects each gene has on motivation to exercise.
Frank Booth also is a professor in the Department of Physiology in the MU School of Medicine as well as a research investigator in the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center at MU. This research also featured Kevin Wells, an assistant professor of genetics in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Division of Animal Sciences.
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Journal Reference:
M. D. Roberts, J. D. Brown, J. M. Company, L. P. Oberle, A. J. Heese, R. G. Toedebusch, K. D. Wells, C. L. Cruthirds, J. A. Knouse, J. A. Ferreira, T. E. Childs, M. Brown, F. W. Booth. Phenotypic and Molecular Differences Between Rats Selectively-Bred to Voluntarily Run High Versus Low Nightly Distances. AJP: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 2013; DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00581.2012
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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Population boom poses interconnected challenges of energy, food, waterPublic release date: 8-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Michael Bernstein
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504-670-4707 (New Orleans Press Center, April 5-10)
202-872-6042
Michael Woods
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202-872-6293
American Chemical Society
NEW ORLEANS, April 8, 2013 Mention great challenges in feeding a soaring world population, and thoughts turn to providing a bare subsistence diet for poverty-stricken people in developing countries. But an expert speaking here today at the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society, described a parallel and often-overlooked challenge.
"The global population will rise from 7 billion today to almost 9 billion people by 2040," Ganesh Kishore, Ph.D., said at the meeting, which continues through Thursday. "Providing enough food to prevent starvation and famine certainly will be a daunting problem. But we also have to meet the rising expectations of huge numbers of people who will be moving up into the middle class. We will have a New York City-sized population added to the middle class every second month. Their purchasing power is projected to be more than $60 trillion by 2040. Most of this growth will be in Asia. The expanding middle class will demand food that doesn't just fill the belly, but food that's appetizing, safe and nourishing, convenient to prepare and available in unlimited quantities at reasonable prices. Producing food for a middle class that will number more than 5 billion within 30 years will strain existing technology for clean water, sustainable energy and other resources."
Kishore spoke at a symposium, "The Interconnected World of Energy, Food and Water," that focused on approaches to prepare for the population boom. Kishore is a co-organizer of the symposium, along with John Finley, Ph.D., of Louisiana State University and Hessy Taft, Ph.D., of St. John's University.
"We want to foster greater awareness among scientists, the public and policy-makers about the interconnections between these three challenges," said Kishore. "Water, food and energy must be understood together it's not just one or the other, so we have speakers addressing all of these topics. And the reason for this interconnection is that we need water to produce both energy and food whether it is about harvesting fossil-fuel energy, producing biobased renewable energy or producing food, we need fresh water! In addition, we are competing with other demands for fresh water. It is not just about developing technology we have to move the technology from the bench to the real world so that solutions see the light of day, which the industry speakers in the session can address. Regulatory policies have to keep pace with technology development, not just in places where the technology is developed but where the technology is deployed, and that requires science-based risk assessment capability and the creation of consumer confidence in the process."
He described how the addition of one billion people every 12-13 years itself poses challenges that require innovations, rather than simply scaling up existing technologies. And he said that opportunities go hand-in-hand with the challenges.
They include using plant biotechnology and tools of synthetic biology to expand the food supply and providing new sources of energy, developing more efficient ways to convert sunlight into chemical energy and applying information technology to the production of food and chemical energy more efficiently. Kishore cited specific examples of progress being made in those areas. As CEO of the Malaysian Life Sciences Capital Fund, Kishore and colleagues are promoting some of these strategies by investing in companies working in these areas. One company in which they invest, for instance, improves agricultural crops by enhancing plant breeding and genetic technologies. Another is developing ways to transform waste gases into fuels.
Abstracts of other symposium presentations appear below.
###
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Abstracts
Enhancing food and energy production: Issues, opportunities, and threats
Ganesh Murthy Kishore1 , CEO, PhD, MLSCF, Number One, Embarcadero Center, Suite 2700, San Francisco, CA, 94111, United States, 4153732053, 14155915401, Gkishore@b-c.com
Human population reached 7 billion last year and expected to grow to 9 billion over the next thirty years. This rate of addition of one billion people in twelve to thirteen years is both an enormous opportunity as well as a challenge. Innovation is essential if these opportunities are to be addressed and societal needs will not be met by simply scaling up current practices. The presentation will focus on the theme of convergence of technologies to deploy innovation in food and feedstock production, greening of the planet and provide specific examples of progress made towards developing such technologies. Specifically the theme of biology as both a product of chemical as well information technology will be embellished. Investment and deployment of innovation require transparent and predictable regulatory practices and some of the specific issues that need to be addressed in this regard will be highlighted.
Protein networks from an atlas of proteotypes
Steve Briggs1, Professor, University of California at San Diego, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, 6108 Natural Science Building, MC 0380, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, 92093, United States, (858) 534-5372, sbriggs@ucsd.edu
The specific state of the proteome in a given cell, tissue, or organism is known as the proteotype. The proteotype integrates constraints imposed by the genotype, the environment, and by developmental history (e.g., a leaf cell has a different proteotype than a root cell with the same genotype in the same environment). The proteotype directly determines phenotype since all molecules are made by and regulated by proteins. Thus, a complete description of the proteotype should define a phenotype at the molecular level. We have constructed an Atlas of Proteotypes that currently includes 162,777 peptides from 41,553 proteins in 65 different tissues and stages of development. In addition, we have identified and measured more than 30,000 phosphopeptides from these same samples. The 65 resultant proteotypes are revealing thousands of unanticipated regulatory relationships. The relationships between mRNA levels and protein levels are fascinating; they indicate that protein levels from some genes are regulated by transcription but that most protein levels are under post-transcriptional control. The proteotypes explain and expand upon known tissue-specific phenotypes including oil accumulation in the embryo and starch accumulation in the endosperm. Protein networks such as enzyme-substrate relationships between protein kinases and phosphoproteins are emerging from analyses of the proteotypes. The data are also being used for proteogenomics in which the peptide sequences are mapped back to the genomic DNA sequence to identify new protein coding genes and to correct existing gene models.
Food, feed, and fuel from crops under global atmospheric change: Could we have it all in 2030?
Stephen Long1, Professor, University of Illinois, Departments of Plant Biology and Crop Sciences, 134 Institute for Genomic Biology, 1206 W. Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL, 61801, United States, (217) 333-2487, slong@illinois.edu
Global demand for our four major food and feed crops is beginning to out-strip supply, at a time when year-on-year yield per unit area increases are stagnating and while emerging global climate change further threatens supply. Not only is the rapidly developing economy of China drawing in more imports of these crops, but the EU 27 is now a net importer of 10% of these primary food stuffs, putting yet greater pressure on world supply. Global atmospheric and climate change is likely to place further pressure on supply. It will be shown that the methods used in the Green Revolution to increase genetic yield potential are almost at their biological limits, and radically new methods particularly in improving photosynthetic efficiency are critical if we are to see further increases in yield potential. The new opportunities here will be explained, and the necessity of basing these on synthetic and systems approaches explained. Recent progress in both a theoretical engineering framework and proof of concept improvement in crop productivity will be presented. The developing risk of demand outstripping supply comes at a time when we are also looking to the land to provide more sustainable sources of energy, including biofuels from crops. This is exemplified by Germany and the USA which are the world's largest producers of biodiesel and bio-ethanol respectively, but at the cost of land that could be used for food and feed production. In the context of possible shortages the continued use of land suited to food and feed production into 2030 for bioenergy will be neither socially acceptable nor economically viable. It will be argued that the use of food crops, which have been developed to meet nutritional needs, for bioenergy is environmentally flawed, sub-optimal with respect to net greenhouse gas (GHGe) and other ecosystem services. It will be shown that, using Miscanthus, canes, agave and poplars as examples, there are many opportunities, some partially realized, to achieve very substantial quantities of bioenergy on non-agricultural land, globally. Systems based on such crops have positive greenhouse gas benefits and are without unsustainable impacts on food production. There is sufficient environmental resource and biotechnological understanding to achieve the goals of sustainable and adequate food and fuel production. But realization will depend on new policies based on a holistic view of these demands on land and other resources and a greater acceptance of biotechnology. A shift from the disaggregated and inconsistent policy development based on single issues and interests, which have characterised this arena on both sides of the Atlantic in recent years, to a holistic framework will be critical.
Innovation in agriculture: Biotechnology, genetics, genomics, and beyond
Stephen R Padgette1, Dr., Monsanto Company, Corporate Strategy Group, 800 North Lindbergh Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63167, United States, 314-694-2874, stephen.r.padgette@monsanto.com
In order to meet the growing world demand for food, feed and fuel, continued technology innovation in agriculture will be required. Genetic improvement of crop plants in the past two decades primarily focused on the implementation of DNA marker technologies in plant breeding programs and on the first generation of crop biotechnology traits for improved weed and insect control. Future generations of pest control traits are being developed through the application of new technologies including protein engineering and RNAi to offer growers products with additional modes of action and ever-improving efficacy against pests. In addition, significant research efforts in crop biotechnology now focus on enhancements to complex traits such as intrinsic yield potential, nutrient utilization and abiotic stress mitigation. Increasing yields while at the same time significantly decreasing the key resources (water, land and energy) required to produce each unit of output is one of the most important challenges facing agriculture. Leveraging advanced enabling technologies such as high-throughput genome sequencing, functional genomics, and systems biology in both plant breeding and biotechnology disciplines will be required to help deliver the next generation of traits in agricultural crops. In addition, new opportunities in biological control of pests are emerging, which could provide additional sustainable solutions for crop production. Finally, the availability of high definition field mapping coupled with more predictive genotypic responses to environmental conditions, soil types, planting conditions and inputs will enable enhanced opportunities to harvest increasing proportions of yield potential for crops worldwide.
Water and food security
Theodore C Hsiao1, Professor, University of California at Davis, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, One Shields Avenue, 133 Veihmeyer Hall, Davis, CA, 95616, United States, 530-752-0691, tchsiao@ucdavis.edu
The continuous increase in human population and the innate desire for better living standard place relentless demand on food production. Production is maximized or optimized by having good water and mineral nutrient supplies coupled with good agronomical practices and well adapted crop cultivars. To assess food security for future scenarios, it is crucial to define possible potential productions for different climate and soil regimes. Although opinions differ on the upper limit of potential food productivity, there is no question that water supply is becoming more and more a critical factor, especially in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world, as well as in the temperate regions. Productivity of a crop is closely linked to the amount of water it consumes. The physical and physiological bases for this tight link are elaborated on. Experimental data will be presented to validate a simple quantitatively predictive relationship derived from gas transport equations. This relationship specifies the upper limit of production per unit of water consumed by a crop. Recently the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of United Nations developed a crop production model, named AquaCrop, partly based on this relationship. The model is water driven and has been validated for different climate regions for some crop species, and is suitable for the estimation of the potential yields of crops for a given climate and soil regimes. Comparisons between potential yields and reported actual yields (yield gap) will be made for some areas to assess to what extent food production can be further increased to meet the rising demands. The discussion will also include other factors affecting productivity, particularly fertilizer input, irrigation management, and climate change and elevation of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Food and energy from the land: Turning necessity into opportunity
Lee R Lynd1, Professor, Dartmouth, Thayer School of Engineering, 14 Engineering Drive, Hanover, NH, 03755, United States, (603) 646-2231, Lee.R.Lynd@Dartmouth.edu
New analysis will be presented supporting the proposition that bioenergy is likely to be an obligatory rather than discretionary part of a sustainable energy supply system. The underlying reasons for the broad disparity in assessments of the feasibility and desirability of large-scale bioenergy production will be considered. Thereafter, features of the Global Sustainable Bioenergy (GSB) project will be described, and the status of GSB tasks will summarized. These tasks address development of geographically-distributed pasture and energy crop productivity models, the interaction between soil fertility, food security, and bioenergy, and scenario analyses addressing "making room" for bioenergy as well as systemic approaches to food and bioenergy production that positively and synergistically impact multiple human needs. Informed by recent results of the GSB project, potential approaches to gracefully reconcile very large-scale bioenergy production with other important priorities will be discussed with a particular emphasis on the potential for bioenergy production to positively impact food security.
Sustaining water resources in agriculture
Hessy Taft1, Adjunct Professor, St. John's University, 65 Central Park West, New York, New York, 10023, United States, 212-874-2235, htaft@att.net
Exponential population growth in a world with uneven distribution of global freshwater will sharply increase water demands. Rising global temperatures exacerbate violent storms and prolonged drought. Salinization occurs at coastal deltas from rising sea levels and in groundwater from over pumping. The World Bank estimates that 25-30% freshwater is lost, costing the global economy $14billion annually. This paper highlights novel technologies developed to augment our finite freshwater systems and presents potential remediation to relieve agricultural stress. Improving water management in agriculture rests on implementing sustainable irrigation techniques and developing crop modifications that help tolerate water stress. Innovative techniques permit desalination that preserves membranes and is less energy intensive. Recycling highly purified sewage water is powerful tool for replenishing groundwater. Although growing crops for biofuels is incompatible with global demands for freshwater and food, recent studies on cellulosic biomass and microalgae cultivation hold promise as economically viable alternative energy sources.
Outlook for energy: A view to 2040
Tim Barckholtz1, 1545 Route 22 East, Annandale, NJ, 08801, United States, 908-730-2848, tim.barckholtz@exxonmobil.com
Ensuring reliable and affordable energy supplies to support human progress, safely and with minimum impact on the environment, is a challenge facing companies, governments, and societies around the world. The scale and nature of this challenge is visible in ExxonMobil's Outlook for Energy: A View to 2040, our long-term forecast of global energy supply and demand trends.
What do we see over the next 30 years? As the Outlook details, the answer often varies significantly by region, reflecting diverse economic and demographic trends as well as the evolution of technology and government policies. Everywhere though, we see energy being used more efficiently and energy supplies continuing to diversify as new technologies and sources emerge.
The Outlook for Energy covers energy-demand sectors (transportation, power generation, industrial and residential) as well as energy-supply sources (oil, gas, coal, nuclear, and renewables). The talk will summarize the key conclusions of the Outlook.
Nexus between food, water, and energy
Sonny Ramaswamy1, USDA, 305-A Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250, United States, 202-720-4423, sonny@nifa.usda.gov
The Earth's population is expected to exceed 9 billion by 2050, and we will need to meet human needs while minimally impacting the environment. The "9 Billion Problem" has implications for the way we support research, education, and outreach at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The science, policies, and regulations must align with the global challenges, including food security, hunger, food safety, nutrition, childhood obesity, sustainable energy, water, and climate change.
The nexus between food, water, energy and health is critical to how we deploy resources to address the same. The increase in population will contribute to escalating scarcity of land, water, energy, and food. As we develop solutions to provide food and energy, we impact our water supply. Additionally, with increasing wealth, consumers in developing countries are consuming greater quantities of protein, particularly animal protein, production of which requires high quality feed grains requiring energy and water for their production. The food animal industry is also competing with the energy industry for meeting its need of grain and biomass. And, yet, as we've seen with the recent droughts, without adequate water, both food and energy production are impacted.
Going forward NIFA will invest in enabling sound science and policies that address these complex issues, and investments in ensuring food security and sustainable bioenergy and water will be a significant part of our portfolio. NIFA will continue to work with the best and brightest scientists at academic institutions and in private and non-governmental sectors to find innovative solutions to these challenges. By making the right investments in science at the right time, NIFA enables the scientific community to make great discoveries that can be translated into innovations beneficial to lives of the American people, and for that matter, globally.
Tomorrow's oil from yesterday's wells: Enhanced oil recovery as a bridge to the future of renewable energy
Thomas Ishoey1, CTO, PhD, 4315 South Drive, Houston, TX, 77053, United States , 713-471-1129, tishoey@glorienergy.com
A reliable and predictable energy supply is a requirement for the continued development of our society. Current infrastructure is based on energy supplied from extracted hydrocarbons, and there is no indication of this changing significantly within the foreseeable future. Therefore, the extraction and consumption of available hydrocarbon resources is extremely important to establishing a secure energy supply.
Traditional production of crude oil typically leaves 60-70% of discovered oil behind, making mature oil fields a prime target for the application of novel technologies aiming to improve oil recovery.
This presentation will review technologies for enhanced oil recovery with a focus on a biotechnology-based approach targeting reservoir microbiology. When successfully implemented, this technology offers a viable option to recover trapped oil with minimal new footprint or investment.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Population boom poses interconnected challenges of energy, food, waterPublic release date: 8-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Michael Bernstein
m_bernstein@acs.org
504-670-4707 (New Orleans Press Center, April 5-10)
202-872-6042
Michael Woods
m_woods@acs.org
504-670-4707 (New Orleans Press Center, April 5-10)
202-872-6293
American Chemical Society
NEW ORLEANS, April 8, 2013 Mention great challenges in feeding a soaring world population, and thoughts turn to providing a bare subsistence diet for poverty-stricken people in developing countries. But an expert speaking here today at the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society, described a parallel and often-overlooked challenge.
"The global population will rise from 7 billion today to almost 9 billion people by 2040," Ganesh Kishore, Ph.D., said at the meeting, which continues through Thursday. "Providing enough food to prevent starvation and famine certainly will be a daunting problem. But we also have to meet the rising expectations of huge numbers of people who will be moving up into the middle class. We will have a New York City-sized population added to the middle class every second month. Their purchasing power is projected to be more than $60 trillion by 2040. Most of this growth will be in Asia. The expanding middle class will demand food that doesn't just fill the belly, but food that's appetizing, safe and nourishing, convenient to prepare and available in unlimited quantities at reasonable prices. Producing food for a middle class that will number more than 5 billion within 30 years will strain existing technology for clean water, sustainable energy and other resources."
Kishore spoke at a symposium, "The Interconnected World of Energy, Food and Water," that focused on approaches to prepare for the population boom. Kishore is a co-organizer of the symposium, along with John Finley, Ph.D., of Louisiana State University and Hessy Taft, Ph.D., of St. John's University.
"We want to foster greater awareness among scientists, the public and policy-makers about the interconnections between these three challenges," said Kishore. "Water, food and energy must be understood together it's not just one or the other, so we have speakers addressing all of these topics. And the reason for this interconnection is that we need water to produce both energy and food whether it is about harvesting fossil-fuel energy, producing biobased renewable energy or producing food, we need fresh water! In addition, we are competing with other demands for fresh water. It is not just about developing technology we have to move the technology from the bench to the real world so that solutions see the light of day, which the industry speakers in the session can address. Regulatory policies have to keep pace with technology development, not just in places where the technology is developed but where the technology is deployed, and that requires science-based risk assessment capability and the creation of consumer confidence in the process."
He described how the addition of one billion people every 12-13 years itself poses challenges that require innovations, rather than simply scaling up existing technologies. And he said that opportunities go hand-in-hand with the challenges.
They include using plant biotechnology and tools of synthetic biology to expand the food supply and providing new sources of energy, developing more efficient ways to convert sunlight into chemical energy and applying information technology to the production of food and chemical energy more efficiently. Kishore cited specific examples of progress being made in those areas. As CEO of the Malaysian Life Sciences Capital Fund, Kishore and colleagues are promoting some of these strategies by investing in companies working in these areas. One company in which they invest, for instance, improves agricultural crops by enhancing plant breeding and genetic technologies. Another is developing ways to transform waste gases into fuels.
Abstracts of other symposium presentations appear below.
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Abstracts
Enhancing food and energy production: Issues, opportunities, and threats
Ganesh Murthy Kishore1 , CEO, PhD, MLSCF, Number One, Embarcadero Center, Suite 2700, San Francisco, CA, 94111, United States, 4153732053, 14155915401, Gkishore@b-c.com
Human population reached 7 billion last year and expected to grow to 9 billion over the next thirty years. This rate of addition of one billion people in twelve to thirteen years is both an enormous opportunity as well as a challenge. Innovation is essential if these opportunities are to be addressed and societal needs will not be met by simply scaling up current practices. The presentation will focus on the theme of convergence of technologies to deploy innovation in food and feedstock production, greening of the planet and provide specific examples of progress made towards developing such technologies. Specifically the theme of biology as both a product of chemical as well information technology will be embellished. Investment and deployment of innovation require transparent and predictable regulatory practices and some of the specific issues that need to be addressed in this regard will be highlighted.
Protein networks from an atlas of proteotypes
Steve Briggs1, Professor, University of California at San Diego, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, 6108 Natural Science Building, MC 0380, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, 92093, United States, (858) 534-5372, sbriggs@ucsd.edu
The specific state of the proteome in a given cell, tissue, or organism is known as the proteotype. The proteotype integrates constraints imposed by the genotype, the environment, and by developmental history (e.g., a leaf cell has a different proteotype than a root cell with the same genotype in the same environment). The proteotype directly determines phenotype since all molecules are made by and regulated by proteins. Thus, a complete description of the proteotype should define a phenotype at the molecular level. We have constructed an Atlas of Proteotypes that currently includes 162,777 peptides from 41,553 proteins in 65 different tissues and stages of development. In addition, we have identified and measured more than 30,000 phosphopeptides from these same samples. The 65 resultant proteotypes are revealing thousands of unanticipated regulatory relationships. The relationships between mRNA levels and protein levels are fascinating; they indicate that protein levels from some genes are regulated by transcription but that most protein levels are under post-transcriptional control. The proteotypes explain and expand upon known tissue-specific phenotypes including oil accumulation in the embryo and starch accumulation in the endosperm. Protein networks such as enzyme-substrate relationships between protein kinases and phosphoproteins are emerging from analyses of the proteotypes. The data are also being used for proteogenomics in which the peptide sequences are mapped back to the genomic DNA sequence to identify new protein coding genes and to correct existing gene models.
Food, feed, and fuel from crops under global atmospheric change: Could we have it all in 2030?
Stephen Long1, Professor, University of Illinois, Departments of Plant Biology and Crop Sciences, 134 Institute for Genomic Biology, 1206 W. Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL, 61801, United States, (217) 333-2487, slong@illinois.edu
Global demand for our four major food and feed crops is beginning to out-strip supply, at a time when year-on-year yield per unit area increases are stagnating and while emerging global climate change further threatens supply. Not only is the rapidly developing economy of China drawing in more imports of these crops, but the EU 27 is now a net importer of 10% of these primary food stuffs, putting yet greater pressure on world supply. Global atmospheric and climate change is likely to place further pressure on supply. It will be shown that the methods used in the Green Revolution to increase genetic yield potential are almost at their biological limits, and radically new methods particularly in improving photosynthetic efficiency are critical if we are to see further increases in yield potential. The new opportunities here will be explained, and the necessity of basing these on synthetic and systems approaches explained. Recent progress in both a theoretical engineering framework and proof of concept improvement in crop productivity will be presented. The developing risk of demand outstripping supply comes at a time when we are also looking to the land to provide more sustainable sources of energy, including biofuels from crops. This is exemplified by Germany and the USA which are the world's largest producers of biodiesel and bio-ethanol respectively, but at the cost of land that could be used for food and feed production. In the context of possible shortages the continued use of land suited to food and feed production into 2030 for bioenergy will be neither socially acceptable nor economically viable. It will be argued that the use of food crops, which have been developed to meet nutritional needs, for bioenergy is environmentally flawed, sub-optimal with respect to net greenhouse gas (GHGe) and other ecosystem services. It will be shown that, using Miscanthus, canes, agave and poplars as examples, there are many opportunities, some partially realized, to achieve very substantial quantities of bioenergy on non-agricultural land, globally. Systems based on such crops have positive greenhouse gas benefits and are without unsustainable impacts on food production. There is sufficient environmental resource and biotechnological understanding to achieve the goals of sustainable and adequate food and fuel production. But realization will depend on new policies based on a holistic view of these demands on land and other resources and a greater acceptance of biotechnology. A shift from the disaggregated and inconsistent policy development based on single issues and interests, which have characterised this arena on both sides of the Atlantic in recent years, to a holistic framework will be critical.
Innovation in agriculture: Biotechnology, genetics, genomics, and beyond
Stephen R Padgette1, Dr., Monsanto Company, Corporate Strategy Group, 800 North Lindbergh Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63167, United States, 314-694-2874, stephen.r.padgette@monsanto.com
In order to meet the growing world demand for food, feed and fuel, continued technology innovation in agriculture will be required. Genetic improvement of crop plants in the past two decades primarily focused on the implementation of DNA marker technologies in plant breeding programs and on the first generation of crop biotechnology traits for improved weed and insect control. Future generations of pest control traits are being developed through the application of new technologies including protein engineering and RNAi to offer growers products with additional modes of action and ever-improving efficacy against pests. In addition, significant research efforts in crop biotechnology now focus on enhancements to complex traits such as intrinsic yield potential, nutrient utilization and abiotic stress mitigation. Increasing yields while at the same time significantly decreasing the key resources (water, land and energy) required to produce each unit of output is one of the most important challenges facing agriculture. Leveraging advanced enabling technologies such as high-throughput genome sequencing, functional genomics, and systems biology in both plant breeding and biotechnology disciplines will be required to help deliver the next generation of traits in agricultural crops. In addition, new opportunities in biological control of pests are emerging, which could provide additional sustainable solutions for crop production. Finally, the availability of high definition field mapping coupled with more predictive genotypic responses to environmental conditions, soil types, planting conditions and inputs will enable enhanced opportunities to harvest increasing proportions of yield potential for crops worldwide.
Water and food security
Theodore C Hsiao1, Professor, University of California at Davis, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, One Shields Avenue, 133 Veihmeyer Hall, Davis, CA, 95616, United States, 530-752-0691, tchsiao@ucdavis.edu
The continuous increase in human population and the innate desire for better living standard place relentless demand on food production. Production is maximized or optimized by having good water and mineral nutrient supplies coupled with good agronomical practices and well adapted crop cultivars. To assess food security for future scenarios, it is crucial to define possible potential productions for different climate and soil regimes. Although opinions differ on the upper limit of potential food productivity, there is no question that water supply is becoming more and more a critical factor, especially in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world, as well as in the temperate regions. Productivity of a crop is closely linked to the amount of water it consumes. The physical and physiological bases for this tight link are elaborated on. Experimental data will be presented to validate a simple quantitatively predictive relationship derived from gas transport equations. This relationship specifies the upper limit of production per unit of water consumed by a crop. Recently the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of United Nations developed a crop production model, named AquaCrop, partly based on this relationship. The model is water driven and has been validated for different climate regions for some crop species, and is suitable for the estimation of the potential yields of crops for a given climate and soil regimes. Comparisons between potential yields and reported actual yields (yield gap) will be made for some areas to assess to what extent food production can be further increased to meet the rising demands. The discussion will also include other factors affecting productivity, particularly fertilizer input, irrigation management, and climate change and elevation of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Food and energy from the land: Turning necessity into opportunity
Lee R Lynd1, Professor, Dartmouth, Thayer School of Engineering, 14 Engineering Drive, Hanover, NH, 03755, United States, (603) 646-2231, Lee.R.Lynd@Dartmouth.edu
New analysis will be presented supporting the proposition that bioenergy is likely to be an obligatory rather than discretionary part of a sustainable energy supply system. The underlying reasons for the broad disparity in assessments of the feasibility and desirability of large-scale bioenergy production will be considered. Thereafter, features of the Global Sustainable Bioenergy (GSB) project will be described, and the status of GSB tasks will summarized. These tasks address development of geographically-distributed pasture and energy crop productivity models, the interaction between soil fertility, food security, and bioenergy, and scenario analyses addressing "making room" for bioenergy as well as systemic approaches to food and bioenergy production that positively and synergistically impact multiple human needs. Informed by recent results of the GSB project, potential approaches to gracefully reconcile very large-scale bioenergy production with other important priorities will be discussed with a particular emphasis on the potential for bioenergy production to positively impact food security.
Sustaining water resources in agriculture
Hessy Taft1, Adjunct Professor, St. John's University, 65 Central Park West, New York, New York, 10023, United States, 212-874-2235, htaft@att.net
Exponential population growth in a world with uneven distribution of global freshwater will sharply increase water demands. Rising global temperatures exacerbate violent storms and prolonged drought. Salinization occurs at coastal deltas from rising sea levels and in groundwater from over pumping. The World Bank estimates that 25-30% freshwater is lost, costing the global economy $14billion annually. This paper highlights novel technologies developed to augment our finite freshwater systems and presents potential remediation to relieve agricultural stress. Improving water management in agriculture rests on implementing sustainable irrigation techniques and developing crop modifications that help tolerate water stress. Innovative techniques permit desalination that preserves membranes and is less energy intensive. Recycling highly purified sewage water is powerful tool for replenishing groundwater. Although growing crops for biofuels is incompatible with global demands for freshwater and food, recent studies on cellulosic biomass and microalgae cultivation hold promise as economically viable alternative energy sources.
Outlook for energy: A view to 2040
Tim Barckholtz1, 1545 Route 22 East, Annandale, NJ, 08801, United States, 908-730-2848, tim.barckholtz@exxonmobil.com
Ensuring reliable and affordable energy supplies to support human progress, safely and with minimum impact on the environment, is a challenge facing companies, governments, and societies around the world. The scale and nature of this challenge is visible in ExxonMobil's Outlook for Energy: A View to 2040, our long-term forecast of global energy supply and demand trends.
What do we see over the next 30 years? As the Outlook details, the answer often varies significantly by region, reflecting diverse economic and demographic trends as well as the evolution of technology and government policies. Everywhere though, we see energy being used more efficiently and energy supplies continuing to diversify as new technologies and sources emerge.
The Outlook for Energy covers energy-demand sectors (transportation, power generation, industrial and residential) as well as energy-supply sources (oil, gas, coal, nuclear, and renewables). The talk will summarize the key conclusions of the Outlook.
Nexus between food, water, and energy
Sonny Ramaswamy1, USDA, 305-A Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250, United States, 202-720-4423, sonny@nifa.usda.gov
The Earth's population is expected to exceed 9 billion by 2050, and we will need to meet human needs while minimally impacting the environment. The "9 Billion Problem" has implications for the way we support research, education, and outreach at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The science, policies, and regulations must align with the global challenges, including food security, hunger, food safety, nutrition, childhood obesity, sustainable energy, water, and climate change.
The nexus between food, water, energy and health is critical to how we deploy resources to address the same. The increase in population will contribute to escalating scarcity of land, water, energy, and food. As we develop solutions to provide food and energy, we impact our water supply. Additionally, with increasing wealth, consumers in developing countries are consuming greater quantities of protein, particularly animal protein, production of which requires high quality feed grains requiring energy and water for their production. The food animal industry is also competing with the energy industry for meeting its need of grain and biomass. And, yet, as we've seen with the recent droughts, without adequate water, both food and energy production are impacted.
Going forward NIFA will invest in enabling sound science and policies that address these complex issues, and investments in ensuring food security and sustainable bioenergy and water will be a significant part of our portfolio. NIFA will continue to work with the best and brightest scientists at academic institutions and in private and non-governmental sectors to find innovative solutions to these challenges. By making the right investments in science at the right time, NIFA enables the scientific community to make great discoveries that can be translated into innovations beneficial to lives of the American people, and for that matter, globally.
Tomorrow's oil from yesterday's wells: Enhanced oil recovery as a bridge to the future of renewable energy
Thomas Ishoey1, CTO, PhD, 4315 South Drive, Houston, TX, 77053, United States , 713-471-1129, tishoey@glorienergy.com
A reliable and predictable energy supply is a requirement for the continued development of our society. Current infrastructure is based on energy supplied from extracted hydrocarbons, and there is no indication of this changing significantly within the foreseeable future. Therefore, the extraction and consumption of available hydrocarbon resources is extremely important to establishing a secure energy supply.
Traditional production of crude oil typically leaves 60-70% of discovered oil behind, making mature oil fields a prime target for the application of novel technologies aiming to improve oil recovery.
This presentation will review technologies for enhanced oil recovery with a focus on a biotechnology-based approach targeting reservoir microbiology. When successfully implemented, this technology offers a viable option to recover trapped oil with minimal new footprint or investment.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
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