Tag Archives: option

EPA offers email option to bypass clean air regulations

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The Biden administration has urged coal and oil-fired power plants to cut back on toxic chemical emissions, including mercury.

Today, the Trump administration is offering a special opportunity for businesses. By sending an email, you could receive permission from President Trump to bypass new restrictions and other major clean air regulations.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced this week that a vague section of the Clean Air Act allows the president to temporarily exempt industrial facilities from new regulations if the necessary technology is unavailable and if it is for national security reasons.

In notifications to businesses, the agency provided templates for seeking approval, including what to include in the subject line of an email. “The president will make a decision on merit,” stated a notice issued by the EPA on Monday.

Joseph Goffman, former executive director of the Harvard Law School Environment and Energy Law Program, expressed concern that President Trump is establishing a process that lacks scrutiny.

Goffman noted that government agencies typically set more specific standards for exemptions from regulations. He argued that Congress intended to include conditions in the Clean Air Act that would ensure some level of pollution control.

He stated, “It’s strongly indicated that decisions will be made on an ad hoc basis at best, as the provision doesn’t currently exist. This contradicts Congress’ intent, disregards the public health needs of affected communities, and goes against the EPA’s historical practices.”

EPA spokesperson Molly Vaseliou disagreed with this perspective, asserting that there is no explicit requirement for such conditions in the law. “This type of legal analysis seems in line with the responsibilities given,” she stated in an email addressing the interpretation of the law.

Under the latest policy, businesses can apply for up to two years of exemptions from various new restrictions on the emission of toxic substances like mercury and arsenic. This includes ethylene oxide, a carcinogen used in sterilizing medical devices.

Former New York Congressman Zeldin also mentioned that coal-fired power plants could seek exemptions from new regulations requiring them to address the health risks associated with coal ash, a toxic byproduct of electricity production through burning.

The EPA plans to eventually revise many of these same regulations, a complex process that will take time. While this process unfolds, companies are able to avoid complying with certain rules.

Critics like Pugh find it difficult to justify these exemptions, especially since the Biden administration had already identified feasible alternatives for the new rules. They also question the notion that contamination is in the national interest.

As of Thursday, it remained unclear whether companies had begun applying for exemptions, if any were granted, or if they would be made public. The deadline for applying for exemptions is by the end of the month, according to the EPA.

Alexa Lopez, spokesperson for the National Association of Manufacturers, expressed gratitude for the EPA’s consideration of exemptions for affected manufacturers. “NAM is prepared to collaborate with the administration to find a sustainable solution that protects the environment and supports manufacturers in global competition,” Lopez stated.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Study suggests ellagic acid as a promising dietary option for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

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Ellagic acid is a polyphenolic, non-flavonoid compound found naturally in a variety of fruits, including pomegranates, raspberries, strawberries, and grapes, as well as nuts, including pistachios, pecans, walnuts, and acorns.

Senavirasna othersResearchers are investigating the effects of ellagic acid, an antioxidant found in pomegranates, raspberries, strawberries, grapes and nuts, in preventing and potentially reversing the damage caused by fatty liver disease. Image courtesy of Engin Akyurt.

Obesity is epidemic in many parts of the world and contributes to increasing rates of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

This rapidly expanding epidemic is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide.

The prevalence of NAFLD increased from 25.24% in 2015 to 29.38% in 2021.

NAFLD represents a range of pathologies from simple fatty liver (nonalcoholic fatty liver, NAFL) to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which can progress to more severe conditions including fibrosis.

Currently, no cure exists for the long-term management of NAFLD/NASH, but dietary interventions containing several polyphenolic compounds have been investigated for the treatment of NASH. Ellagic acid is one such compound.

“Ellagic acid, found in a variety of foods including raspberries, pomegranates, blackberries and pecans, is widely known for its antioxidant properties but has also demonstrated anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic and anti-cancer properties,” said researcher Lois Balmer and doctoral student Tarani Senaviratna, both from Edith Cowan University.

“Ellagic acid stands out as a remarkable polyphenolic compound with a wide range of pharmacological properties that may be promising for the treatment of various chronic diseases, including NAFLD.”

“Edible plants containing ellagic acid and its derivatives are recognized as valuable functional foods that promote human health due to their pleiotropic biological effects.”

“Furthermore, evidence suggests that ellagic acid may exert synergistic therapeutic effects when combined with other antioxidant dietary supplements, making it a potential candidate for combination therapy.”

The authors were involved in a previous pilot study investigating the effects of several polyphenolic compounds on NAFLD, with ellagic acid showing the most promise in reducing inflammation.

“Ellagic acid exerts its hepatoprotective properties mainly through scavenging free radicals, modulating cytokine production, and regulating lipid metabolism,” the researchers said.

“Ellagic acid, a potent antioxidant, combats reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activates the NrF2 pathway to reduce oxidative stress and protect the liver.”

“Surprisingly, ellagic acid also inhibits the Nf-kB and MAPK pathways, reducing inflammation during NAFLD/NASH.”

“Evidence also shows that ellagic acid can lower both triglyceride and cholesterol levels and combat de novo lipogenesis, a significant risk factor in the progression of NASH.”

“Test-tube findings suggest that ellagic acid has the ability to reduce fibrosis.”

“Urolithins, the main microbial metabolites of ellagic acid, have been shown to improve the gut microbiota in several mouse models of obesity.”

“Specifically, Urolithin A has been shown to lower LDL and increase HDL levels and is also involved in improving lipid metabolism through gene regulation, while Urolithin C activates the hepatic AMPK pathway, countering the pathophysiology of NAFLD.”

“While the health benefits of ellagic acid and urolithins in NAFLD/NASH are being debated, their biological effects on the liver are still poorly understood.”

“Given that lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammation, and insulin resistance play a role in the development of NASH, the results of this review suggest that ellagic acid may be a potential dietary intervention for NASH, potentially suppressing and even reversing the pathological symptoms of NAFLD/NASH.”

of study Published in the journal Antioxidants.

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Tarani Senavilasna others2024. Elucidation of the therapeutic effects of ellagic acid on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Antioxidants 13(4):485; doi:10.3390/antiox13040485

Source: www.sci.news

Bovine cell-infused rice may offer a sustainable dietary option

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Rice and beef finally come together

Yonsei University

It's the ultimate fusion food. Two key ingredients come together in a lab-created hybrid format for ready-to-eat rice and beef meals.

A number of research groups and companies are developing meat products grown from cells in the laboratory to address issues such as the heavy environmental impact of animal agriculture.

Rather than coaxing animal cells to grow into large structures that replicate the texture of meat (which has proven difficult) Hong Jin-ki Doctors from Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, wanted to create a “new complete food” by fusing rice grains with cultured animal cells.

They first coated the rice grains with fish gelatin so that the cow muscle cells could attach to the rice grains, and then allowed the cells to grow throughout the rice grains for about five to seven days. The rice was then placed in a culture medium to encourage the growth of bovine cells within the grain.

The resulting beef-rice hybrid can be boiled or steamed just like regular rice. Hong said its texture is harder, more brittle and less sticky than regular rice, and it has a nutty taste.

“It's not like beef in the traditional sense, but it offers a new gastronomic experience that combines the familiarity of rice with the richness of meat's flavor,” he says.

Researchers found that hybrid rice contained 7% more protein and 8% more fat than regular rice. Researchers estimate that beef production releases about 50 kilograms of carbon dioxide per 100 grams of protein, compared to about 6 kilograms of carbon dioxide released per 100 grams of protein.

Hong said that unlike other types of cultured meat, all the ingredients used to make beef rice are well-known, cheap and highly nutritious. Additionally, this process does not involve genetic modification.

“These benefits…offer a more sustainable way to produce meat, reduce the environmental footprint associated with traditional livestock farming, and create new food sources that can meet the growing global demand for protein. We provide that,” Hong said.

“Not only is it a great gimmick, but it can also be very useful,” he says. Johannes Le Coutre at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. “The key is whether these products can be scaled up. The challenge is growing meat cells on rice at scale.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com