Farmers’ attitudes about farming and the environment: A survey of conventional and organic farmers

Farmers have been characterized as people whose ties to the land have given them a deep awareness of natural cycles, appreciation for natural beauty and sense of responsibility as stewards. At the same time, their relationship to the land has been characterized as more utilitarian than that of others who are less directly dependent on its bounty. This paper explores this tension by comparing the attitudes and beliefs of a group of conventional farmers to those of a group of organic farmers. It was found that while both groups reject the idea that a farmer’s role is to conquer nature, organic farmers were significantly more supportive of the notion that humans should live in harmony with nature. Organic farmers also reported a greater awareness of and appreciation for nature in their relationship with the land. Both groups view independence as a main benefit of farming and a lack of financial reward as its main drawback. Overall, conventional farmers report more stress in their lives although they also view themselves in a caretaker role for the land more than do the organic farmers. In contrast, organic farmers report more satisfaction with their lives, a greater concern for living ethically, and a stronger perception of community. Finally, both groups are willing to have their rights limited (organic farmers somewhat more so) but they do not trust the government to do so.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/83671/1/Sullivan,_S.,_E._McCann,_R._De_Young_&_D._Erickson_(1996)._Farmers_attitudes_about_farming_and_the_environment,_JAEE,_9,_123-143.pd

Resistance exercise-induced hormonal response promotes satellite cell proliferation in untrained men but not in women

The purpose of this work was to determine the effect of resistance exercise (RE)-induced hormonal changes on the satellite cell (SC) myogenic state in response to muscle damage. Untrained men ( n = 10, 22 ± 3 yr) and women ( n = 9, 21 ± 4 yr) completed 2 sessions of 80 unilateral maximal eccentric knee extensions followed by either an upper body RE protocol (EX) or a 20-min rest (CON). Muscle samples were collected and analyzed for protein content of Pax7, MyoD, myogenin, cyclin D1, and p21 before (PRE), 12 h, and 24 h after the session was completed. Serum testosterone, growth hormone, cortisol, and myoglobin concentrations were analyzed at PRE, post-damage, immediately after (IP), and 15, 30, and 60 min after the session was completed. Testosterone was significantly ( P &lt; 0.05) higher immediately after the session in EX vs. CON for men. A significant time  × sex × condition interaction was found for MyoD with an increase in EX (men) and CON (women) at 12 h. A significant time × condition interaction was found for Pax7, with a decrease in EX and increase in CON at 24 h. A significant time effect was found for myogenin, p21, and cyclin D1. Myogenin and p21 were increased at 12 and 24 h, and cyclin D1 was increased at 12 h. These results suggest that the acute RE-induced hormonal response can be important for men to promote SC proliferation after muscle damage but had no effect in women. Markers of SC differentiation appeared unaffected by the hormonal response but increased in response to muscle damage. </jats:p

Design of a partial peptide mimetic of anginex with antiangiogenic and anticancer activity

Based on structure-activity relationships of the angiostatic ß-sheet-forming peptide anginex, we have designed a mimetic, 6DBF7, which inhibits angiogenesis and tumor growth in mice. 6DBF7 is composed of a ß-sheet-inducing dibenzofuran (DBF)-turn mimetic and two short key amino acid sequences from anginex. This novel antiangiogenic molecule is more effective in vivo than parent anginex. In a mouse xenograft model for ovarian carcinoma, 6DBF7 is observed to reduce tumor growth by up to 80%. It is suggested that the activity is based on antiangiogenesis, because in vitro tube formation is inhibited, and because treatment of tumor-bearing mice led to a significant reduction in microvessel density within the tumor. This partial peptide mimetic is the first endothelial cell-specific molecule designed as a substitute for an angiostatic inhibitory peptide

Design of a partial peptide mimetic of anginex with antiangiogenic and anticancer activity

Based on structure-activity relationships of the angiostatic ß-sheet-forming peptide anginex, we have designed a mimetic, 6DBF7, which inhibits angiogenesis and tumor growth in mice. 6DBF7 is composed of a ß-sheet-inducing dibenzofuran (DBF)-turn mimetic and two short key amino acid sequences from anginex. This novel antiangiogenic molecule is more effective in vivo than parent anginex. In a mouse xenograft model for ovarian carcinoma, 6DBF7 is observed to reduce tumor growth by up to 80%. It is suggested that the activity is based on antiangiogenesis, because in vitro tube formation is inhibited, and because treatment of tumor-bearing mice led to a significant reduction in microvessel density within the tumor. This partial peptide mimetic is the first endothelial cell-specific molecule designed as a substitute for an angiostatic inhibitory peptide