Invasive species in the UK
Invasive species, a term referring to non-native species introduced to new environments, often establish self-sustaining populations with negative impacts on local ecosystems, economies, or human health.
These invaders, encompassing plants, animals, fungi, or microorganisms (refer to the foot of this article for examples), typically arrive due to human activities such as trade, travel, or intentional release. In rare cases, invasive species might reach the UK through natural avenues, such as animal migration or wind dispersal. Climate change exacerbates the situation, creating new ecological niches due to shifts in tempera...
Source: David Bradley Sciencebase - Songs, Snaps, Science - November 10, 2023 Category: Science Authors: David Bradley Tags: Biology Environment Science Source Type: blogs
Answer to Case 685
Answer to theParasite Case of the Week 685:Raphides, i.e, needle-shaped crystals of calcium oxalate or calcium carbonate used by several plants such as pineapple, kiwi, and rhubarb as a defense against plant-eating animals. According to Idzi, " The weird feeling you get in your mouth when eating too much pineapple is apparently caused by these crystals. You can find them quite often in stools and they should not be confused with Charcot-Leyden (C-L) crystals! " They can be differentiated from C-L crystals by their long needle-like shape and uniform diameter:As a comparator, Idzi provided 2 nice photographs of C-L cry...
Source: Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites - June 5, 2022 Category: Parasitology Source Type: blogs
Covid-19 chain-letters and friend of a friend BS
I am receiving an inordinate number of personal messages on social media and emails asking about different aspects of Covid-19 and the coronavirus. Often the question will be about some email that has purportedly arrived from a friend of a friend in China or Italy or wherever and claiming all sorts of conspiratorial nonsense, proclaiming the end of civilisation, or pointing out how some miracle cure might be a miracle cure (it won’t be). Often recipients are told to urgently share the message with all their contacts.
Now, I am not medically trained, I cannot give medical advice. But, what I do know is that random not...
Source: David Bradley Sciencebase - Songs, Snaps, Science - March 24, 2020 Category: Science Authors: David Bradley Tags: Sciencebase Source Type: blogs
Allotment Life, hashtag: #AllotmentLife
Some of the more astute among you may have spotted the occasional recent allusion to our acquisition of an allotment…well half an allotment to be precise, with a shed. For years, we had been toying with the idea of taking on an allotment, the site is just five minutes walk from our house, it’s almost a peppercorn rent, and it’s safe from the dog digging up seedlings and eating the veg.
So, back in February, I contacted the chair of the local charity that manages the allotments and as spring rolled on, got a reply from the trustee in charge of assigning them. We took a look at a possible “quarter...
Source: David Bradley Sciencebase - Songs, Snaps, Science - April 15, 2019 Category: Science Authors: David Bradley Tags: AllotmentLife Source Type: blogs
A tree by any other name
A recent late afternoon stroll with Mrs Sciencebase around NT Anglesey Abbey in Lode, near Cambridge, led to a few revelations about various plants and statuaria that were in bloom and uncovered following the winter. There’s an avenue of trees before you leave (not the Winter Walk) but parallel to that with a tree we couldn’t identify. Picture below, tree is about 8-10 metres tall and in this zoomed in shot you can see a bee about to alight on its floral protuberances.
Tall, with both a red and yellow, rhubarb and custard, hue to its aspect overall against the blue of the sky. The curious thing though zoomin...
Source: David Bradley Sciencebase - Songs, Snaps, Science - April 11, 2017 Category: Science Authors: David Bradley Tags: Science Source Type: blogs
The secret way to eating fewer brownies
I know why I sometimes eat too many brownies. They taste great! The same goes, of course, for a whole slew of desserts — I love me my strawberry rhubarb pie, and I never say no to a ginger snap. And while a touch of dessert is often a fine way to top off dinner, many of us get in trouble when we gorge on desserts.
So how can we get a taste of dessert without overindulging? This might sound weird, but try eating in front of a mirror — it will make junk food taste less delicious.
Bear with me while I explain the science behind this weird mirror research, and then show how that the finding is relevant whether or n...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - February 4, 2017 Category: Journals (General) Authors: < a href="http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/peter-ubel" rel="tag" > Peter Ubel, MD < /a > Tags: Conditions Obesity Source Type: blogs
A Surprising Way to Stop Eating so Many Brownies
I know why I sometimes eat too many brownies. They taste great! The same goes, of course, for a whole slew of desserts–I love me my strawberry rhubarb pie, and I never say no to a ginger snap. And while … Continue reading →
The post A Surprising Way to Stop Eating so Many Brownies appeared first on PeterUbel.com. (Source: blog.bioethics.net)
Source: blog.bioethics.net - January 20, 2017 Category: Medical Ethics Authors: Peter Ubel Tags: Health Care behavioral economics obesity Peter Ubel syndicated Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
“ This pill could make your dog (and maybe you) live longer ”
That is the title of a FASCINATING article by CNN’s senior medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, about an experiment involving a few very sick dogs and a compound–also a drug–called rapamycin, discovered in the dirt of Easter Island (it’s a bacterial by-product…yum yum!) and mainly intended for humans with cancer and transplant patients. The article is so full of twists and turns that I am not even going to try writing a synopsis…Here is the link: goo.gl/Tdsis8
But I do have a few comments, as always. Ah yes, rapamycin is being studied in myeloma treatment, too…A number o...
Source: Margaret's Corner - October 6, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Margaret Tags: Blogroll Elizabeth Cohen myeloma rapamycin Source Type: blogs
Expedition and Wilderness Medicine
Guest post Dr Edi Albert – Associate Professor, Remote and Polar Medicine at the University of Tasmania. Director, Wilderness Education Group
These two nearly synonymous terms refer broadly to the practice of medicine in austere and remote environments. The former term suggests a “journey with a purpose”, whether scientific, humanitarian, or recreational. The latter terms suggests an environment “undisturbed by human activity”. Either way, a pretty cool way to practice medicine.
It is within this context that we can identify three broad aspects to expedition and wilderness medicine: pre-departure preparation ...
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - April 25, 2016 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Sean Rothwell Tags: Medical Specialty Wilderness Medicine adventure adventure medicine Curriculum Dr Bill Lukin Dr Edi Albert Dr Julian Williams Dr Sean Rothwell remote Source Type: blogs
Valentine Veggie Parties
I often have parents who want my sessions to focus on helping kids learn to eat healthier foods, especially vegetables. On the journey to developing the oral motor skills necessary for biting, chewing and swallowing a variety of vegetables, simply interacting with these foods via food crafts and food play develops a positive relationships with Brussels sprouts, carrots and more. Holidays offer ideal opportunities for food play, especially Valentine’s Day.
From classroom parties to neighborhood get-togethers, Valentine’s Day is traditionally a sugar-fest of red, pink and white candy, frosting and sprinkles. Why n...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - February 2, 2016 Category: Speech Therapy Authors: Melanie Potock MA Tags: Speech-Language Pathology Feeding Disorders Swallowing Disorders Source Type: blogs
Does Europe ban more cosmetic ingredients than the US? The Beauty Brains Show episode 53
Is it true that Europe bans more cosmetic ingredients that the US? Listen to this week’s show to find out (or read the notes below). You’ll also learn about perfume from the past, microbeads in your mouth, and more. (Plus a special themed version of our “Improbable Products” game.)
Click below to play Episode 53 or click “download” to save the MP3 file to your computer.
Show notes
Improbable Products
Can these crazy products be real? Two of them are – but one is made up. Can you guess which one is fake?
Triple Penis Potion – this exotic skin lotion uses fermented penises from...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - October 21, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Perry RomanowskiThe Beauty Brains Tags: Beauty Biz Podcast Source Type: blogs
Everyday Life: July 2014
We went down to Dunfermline to visit the in-laws and I spent the whole weekend sneezing and crying. Good ol’ Fife pollen.
We got the royal tour of the allotment…
It’s unrecognisable from the weedy wasteland we inherited back in 2011. It’s now crammed with tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, blueberries, leeks, onions, carrots, pumpkins, broad beans, peas, rhubarb, courgettes and even wee apple trees. David and Mary have put so much hard work into it.
Meanwhile back in Inverness there’s only one plant in our little rental back yard, but it’s a goodun. It heaved w...
Source: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl - August 5, 2014 Category: Other Conditions Authors: shauna Tags: Everyday Life Source Type: blogs
