The town of Figueres situated inland in the province of Girona in Catalonia, is best known for being the home of Salvador Dalí; yet visitors to this town with its deep Catalan roots, will find much more than Dali memories. Figueres is teeming with cultural attractions and has a full festival program throughout the year for visitors to enjoy.
Figueres is the last town before the Spanish/French border in the county of Alt Empordà, set between the Pyrenees and the Costa Blanca. The nearest airport is Girona, just 56 kilometres from the town.
Places to Visit
Figueres is home to a host of important historical monuments and cultural attractions. Amongst which is the Castle of Sant Ferran, an 18th century military fortress built on the top of a hill on the outskirts of town. Its vast form dominates the town; it has a perimeter of more than three kilometres making it the largest historical monument in Catalonia and one of the largest fortresses in Europe.
Of course the main reason why most tourists visit Figueres and what really has left the greatest mark on the town, is that it was the birthplace of one of the greatest artists of all time, Salvador Dalí. Tourists come from all over the world to visit the famous Salvador Dali Theatre-Museum. The building was actually designed by the artist himself, inaugurated in 1974, it contains an extended collection of his works covering his entire career, from his early artistic experiences through to works created during the last year of his life.
Other notable attractions in Figueres include the Toy Museum of Catalonia; situated in the former Hotel Paris on the Rambla de Figueres; the museum exhibits over 4000 games and toys from different periods. The interesting collection ensures a nostalgic visit for both parents and children alike. The Empordà Museum is an ode to the historic routes of the local area, and takes you on a journey through the deep Catalan routes of Figueres and the province of Girona.
ᕙ Besalúᕗ
History & Architecture
Besalu was an important town in Roman times; when the Moors were expelled from this corner of Spain in the ninth century it was one of the first independent counties that arose. The town prospered, as it had done in Romans times and remained a place of importance well into the fourteenth century.
In appearance the town remains almost completely medieval, boasting some monuments quite out of proportion to its current humble status. Important monuments worth a visit include the Mikva, a twelfth-century Jewish bathhouse, the Romanesque church of Santa Vicenç (1018) and the ruins of Romanesque Santa María, on a rise overlooking the village. The 11 century Hospital, the late 12 century monastery of San Pedro and the church and monsatery of Sant Pere are all outstanding examples of the history of Besalu.
Today the city is in incredible condition for its age, giving you the chance to imagine what Spain was like during the Middle Ages.
ᕙ Castellfollit De La Rocaᕗ
Despite being one of the smallest towns in Catalonia, Castellfollit De La Roca is one of the most impressive places. This is mainly due to the fact that it has been built on the edge of a 50-metre cliff. The streets of this historic town are rich in character and much like its neighbour, Besalu, many of the buildings have been well kept and restored, keeping the town’s charisma intact.
DO YOU KNOW THE STORY OF THE BROKEN BRIDGE?
The broken bridge which lies next to the main road has a long history of misfortune. The bridge dates back to 1908, but soon after its construction several abutments cracked open as they had been built on unstable ground, and the bridge had to be re-built.
Later, at the end of the Civil War, the retreating Republican forces blew up the bridge to prevent the Nationalist army from advancing on. A few months after it had been restored back to use, the Great Storm of 1940 knocked down two arches. This was the final stroke of bad luck, the bridge was not rebuilt again, and another bridge, that of the present day was built in its place .
DID YOU KNOW THAT THE TOWN OF CASTELLFOLLIT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO HAVE TELEPHONES INSTALLED?
In 1904 the mayors of Castellfollit, Olot and Begudà combined their efforts to set up a telephone system between the three towns. In 1906 the idea was approved, and in 1907 the network was up and working. By 1913 the telephone network extended throughout the Gerona's region, and the whole of Spain.
DO YOU KNOW THE MUSEUM OF VIETNAM OF CASTELLFOLLIT?
In Castellfollit de la Roca, you will find a war history museum dedicated to the
If the global domination is allowed to take root, biotech and Big Agra will control the world food supply, at the expense of personal liberty.
We don't accept this. Let us keep our seeds EU! The European Commission is changing the European Union’s plant legislation, apparently to enhance food safety across the continent. This move has sparked a heavy opposition from many, saying that the measure will threaten seed diversity and favour large agrochemical businesses. This new law creates new powers to classify and regulate all plant life anywhere in Europe. You can view the entire proposal in the list of sources at the bottom of this article. The “Plant Reproductive Material Law” regulates all plants. It contains restrictions on vegetables and woodland trees, as well as all other plants of any species. It will be illegal to grow, reproduce, or trade any vegetable seed or tree that has not been been tested and approved by the government, more specifically the “EU Plant Variety Agency.” This agency will be responsible for making a list of approved plants and an annual fee must also be forwarded to the agency if growers would like to keep what they grow on the list. The new law basically puts the government in charge of all plants and seeds in Europe, and prevents home gardeners from growing their own plants from non-regulated seeds. If they did, they would now be considered criminals. The draft text of the law has already been changed several times due to a large backlash from gardeners. This law will immediately stop the professional development of vegetable varieties for home gardeners, organic growers and small scale market farmers. Home gardeners have really different needs – for example they grow by hand, not machine, and can’t or don’t want to use such powerful chemical sprays. There’s no way to register the varieties suitable for home use as they don’t meet the strict criteria of the PLant Variety Agency, which is only concerned about approving the sort of seed used by industrial farmers – Ben Gabel, Director of The Real Seed Catalogue It seems the government is taking over everything, virtually all plants, vegetables seeds and gardeners are to be registered by the government. What’s even more disturbing is that all heirloom seeds will be criminalized. This means that saving seeds from from one generation to the next will become a criminal act! This law was written for the needs of the globalized farm seed industry, who supply seed by the ton to industrial farmers. It should not apply at all to seed used by home gardeners and small market growers. Freely reproducible seeds should be a human right, they are part of our heritage. I understand this is to protect the business of big agri-companies, but registration and testing should be voluntary for all non GMO, non-patented and non hybrid seed. So what can you do? Please sign the petition! http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/We_dont_accept_this_Let_us_keep_our_seeds_EU
In the UK You Can Now Only Buy Heirloom Seeds if You Are Part of a Private Members Club
The way we are being pushed and squeezed by regulations that govern every facet of our life, we will soon only be able to defecate when our allotted time slot comes around. The European Commission is currently drawing up a new law to regulate the sale of all seeds, plants and plant material. The latest draft of the law is even more restrictive than the regulations that we have at the moment. Every single variety of vegetable will have to be registered on an EU list, otherwise it will be illegal to sell it. To be registered on the list, seed varieties have to pass a series of tests demonstrating what is called DUS ‘Distinctiveness, Uniformity and Stability’. It costs nearly £3000 to test & register just one single variety of seed for sale. Although we have had a system like this for many years, there have been much simpler and cheaper options for what are considered ‘amateur varieties’ for home gardeners, and the rules have never been strictly enforced in the UK. The EU wants to get rid of these simpler and cheaper rules for ‘amateur’ seed, and make sure that every country enforces the rules 100%. Although they say there will be exceptions, in current drafts of the law these are very, very limited. The effect of this new legislation will be to massively limit the choice of vegetable varieties available to home gardeners. This is because if you are selling seed to farmers, you can expect to sell hundreds of tonnes of seed every year, so it is worth the cost of registering the variety. But if you are selling to gardeners, even the biggest seed companies will be selling a few kilos of seed at most, sometimes just a few hundred grammes of more unusual varieties. It just doesn’t work if they have to pay thousands of pounds to register that variety! So only seed designed for farmers will get registered and be legally sellable. [...]
Despite scientific findings and increasing concerns, and in great contrast with France’s position, Spain currently has the highest adoption rate of Bt maize in the EU since it was first introduced in 1998. In 2012, over 120 thousand hectares ofBt maize were cultivated — 19.5 percent more than the previous year — representing 90 percent of GM crops in the EU.
So why do countries that share a common European legal framework, as well as similar climate and soil conditions, have diametrically opposed views on this issue?
A survey was conducted for the European Commission in 2005 in three of Spain’s leading Bt maize-growing provinces. While results do report higher yields, the study shows statistical significance in only one province, and all Bt maize produced was actually sold for feed manufacturing.
The survey also found that 30 percent of farmers still applied insecticides even when the treatment was ineffective. Although the study praises this percentage as an achievement, data must be contrasted with recent findings on the use of pesticides: in the US, the fifteen-year period following the 1996 introduction of Roundup Ready crops saw herbicide use rise by about seven percent. This percentage, however, would be much higher if “insecticides applied” counted theBt produced by transgenic plants, as many entomologists propose.
Interestingly, when asked about their reasons for adopting Bt maize, farmers stated “lowering the risk of maize borer damage”, “obtaining higher yields”, and “better quality of the harvest”, though there is no scientific basis for believing that the technology provides any of those results. Moreover, factors including soil type, irrigation intensity, weather conditions or ecological integrity were not analyzed in the study, all of which have direct impact on the three responses provided.
The roots of Spain’s GM openness
In 1998, the Spanish government authorized two varieties of Bt maize 176 for the first time, entrusting the biomonitoringprocess to the same companies that had created those varieties. The change of government in 2004, from right-wing to more centre oriented, made it possible for the protests coming from civil society to be heard, and a representative from the environmental sector was admitted in the National Commission on Biosafety.
During European Council meetings, the Spanish government shifted from “pro-GMO” responses to “abstention” in most cases. Interestingly, though, Member States’ individual votes are not accessible to the public. Fortunately, votes are recorded by NGOs, uncovering the inconsistency of the country’s neutral EU position and policies at the national level: the same government approved 14 new varieties of maize MON810 in July 2005, bringing the total number to 40 at that time. Although Bt 176 varieties were removed from the country’s list of authorized GMOs in 2005, today the total number of approved GM commercial varieties is 116.
The difference between the GM maize cultivation rates of France and Spain stems, on the one hand, from weak mobilization of social organizations and insufficient public debate in Spain and, on the other, from the Spanish government’s support of GM companies.
A weak social mobilization compared to the French case could originate from the difference in the sociological composition and history of the French and Spanish countrysides. Unlike Spain, France experienced a phenomenon ofneo-ruralisation after May 1968, which led to the formation of strong agricultural unions devoted to protecting the rights of small-scale farmers (e.g., Confédération Paysanne).
At the same time, the Spanish rural population is not as receptive to alternatives, such as organic agriculture, as the French. Although a number of regions have declared themselves GMO-free zones, which highlights the disconnect between national government and local populations, the productivist approach still remains unchallenged, and this includes GMOs.
Furthermore, cables released by WikiLeaks revealed that, according to Monsanto, the French government would have contravened WTO regulations by banning MON810, and that the company would seek compensation. The Spanish government possibly saw this as a retaliatory threat.
In addition, these cables showed that US diplomats were working directly for GM companies like Monsanto to help ensure Spain’s adoption. “In response to recent urgent requests by [Spanish rural affairs ministry] Josep Puxeu and Monsanto, post requests renewed US government support of Spain’s science-based agricultural biotechnology position through high-level US government intervention.”
It also emerged that Spain and the US worked closely to persuade the EU not to strengthen biotechnology laws. In one cable, the embassy in Madrid writes: “If Spain falls, the rest of Europe will follow.”
The adoption of genetically modified Bt corn in Spain–one of the few European Union countries to embrace GM technology–has allowed the country to reduce imports by over 853,000 tons between 1998 and 2013, according to a report published by the Antama Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes the use of new technologies for agriculture, farming and food. The main economic reasons behind the adoption of Bt corn were the higher crop yields and the lower production costs, says a press release by the Foundation. Fewer pesticide applications and decreased input costs allowed Spain to save 156 million euros. The Bt corn also contributed to a reduction of water use and carbon dioxide emissions.
There was noticeable growth for Bt maize in Castilian-La Mancha, Extremadura und Andalusia – regions in which the insect pressure was particularly high due to the European corn borer. In Catalonia 90 percent of the cultivation account for Bt maize by now. In Portugal the Bt maize area increased to 9.300 hectares 2012 but dropped again afterwards by 12 percent to 8.100 hectares. Some of the reasons put forward are the mild pest infestation 2012 and the strict conditions for coexistence.
Yet the EU total for MON 810 is just 1.35% of the EU's total maize-growing area.
Brussels also allows 49 GM varieties to be used in animal feed - mostly maize, including Pioneer 1507. Mr Borg said it did not make sense therefore to block cultivation of Pioneer 1507.
Spain Considers Trial Release of Genetically-Modified Olive Flies
Genetically-modified olive flies will be released in a Catalan olive grove if a field trial proposed by British biotech company Oxitec is approved in Spain.
According to German expert group Testbiotech, which opposes the trial, it would be the first release of GM animals in the European Union.
The olive fly – Bactrocera (Dacus) oleae – is one of the key pests affecting olive cultivation and is managed mainly via pesticides.
Oxitec believes its modified olive fly strain – called OX3097D‐Bol and developed about three years ago – offers a more effective, chemical-free solution.
After what is says were promising greenhouse trials, Oxitec seeks approval to release its flies about 8 km from the port in Tarragona, one of Catalonia’s main olive oil production regions. It’s understood that six nets would each cover various trees and the trial would last 2-3 months.
Oxitec says it want to test the mating competitiveness, longevity and persistence of the fly in the field.
Fears of escape and unforeseen impacts
Public interest scientific group Testbiotech’s spokesman Christoph Then said among the group’s fears was that male descendants of the GM flies, which unlike the females could mate and propagate further, would escape and spread without control.
“If the genetically engineered flies escape, the harvest in the regions concerned would become non-marketable. Genetically engineered larvae living inside the olives are not allowed for food consumption in the E.U.”
“The Oxitec insects are manipulated with synthetic DNA, which is a mix of maritime organisms, bacteria, viruses and other insects. It is not known how these insects will interact with changing environmental conditions, so far they have only been bred in the laboratory,” he said.
The Possible Link Between GMOs and Digestive Disorders
Ever since GMOs have entered the food supply, numbers of irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, leaky gut syndrome, constipation, and acid reflux have sharply risen. While no causal relationship has been found, one argument claims that a likely culprit is the Bt toxin (Bacillus thuringiensis). Registered as a pesticide with the EPA, the bacteria is added to food crops, like corn, so that insects that try to eat the crop ingest the toxin and die. Proponents of the Bt toxin as a possible instigator of digestive disorders argue that plants modified to have the Bt toxin become a toxin as well. And when humans consume the plants, the Bt toxin enters their digestive tract – causing harmful consequences
Another possible issue with GMOs is a chain reaction of digestive illnesses. In other words, the prevalence of GMOs and the Bt toxin in our diets causes leaky gut syndrome, which increases overall inflammation within the digestive tract, essentially opening the door for the series of illnesses listed above to develop.
In addition, new research has suggested the use of Roundup in GMO (a pesticide) crops contain plant-derived xenoestrogens that have been linked to carcinogenic transformation through the disruptions of humanhormonal metabolism. You are basically bombarding your digestive system with undesirable amounts of estrogen-promoting hormones.
How to Avoid GMO Foods
Soy, wheat, corn, canola, and sugar beats make up the majority of food crops containing GMOs. As most experts recommend avoiding GMOs and genetically modified foods due to the possibility of digestive disorders, exercise caution when eating the crops listed above.
Dr Neumann – Glyphosate Released into Rhizosphere In nutrient solution, rhizobox and pot experiments this Hohenheim University research shows that foliar applied glyphosate to target plants is released into the rhizosphere after a fast translocation from shoots to roots.
Source: Greenfingers.com
Abstract
There is a common understanding that the widely used herbicide glyphosate is easily degraded and adsorbed in soils and thus, harmless for use in agriculture. We can demonstrate, however, that this conclusion is wrong and dangerous for farmers because in former risk assessments the behaviour of glyphosate in the rhizosphere was not properly considered.
In nutrient solution, rhizobox and pot experiments we can show that foliar applied glyphosate to target plants is released into the rhizosphere after a fast translocation from shoots to roots. In the rhizosphere glyphosate can obviously be stabilized long enough to achieve negative effects on non-target plants. Such a negative side-effect is for example inhibited acquisition of micronutrients such as Mn, but also Zn, Fe and B, which are involved in plant own disease resistance mechanisms.
From this glyphosate transfer from target to non-target plants (e.g. from weed to trees in orchards) we predict an increase in disease problems, particularly on soils with low micronutrient availability as already reported in the USA. In view of plant and soil health, we urgently call for a re-assessment of glyphosate as herbicide.
Authors
G. NEUMANN, S. KOHLS, E. LANDSBERG, K. STOCK-OLIVEIRA SOUZA, T. YAMADA, V. RÖMHELD
Dr Jose Domingo: Review on Safety Assessment of GM Plants
The main goal of this Universitat Rovira i Virgili review is to assess the current state-of-the-art regarding the potential adverse effects/safety assessment of GM plants for human consumption. Most of studies have been conducted by biotechnology companies responsible of commercializing these GM plants. These findings suggest a notable advance in comparison with the lack of studies published in recent years in scientific journals by those companies.
Author
Dr Jose Domingo, Universitat Rovira i Virgili
Spanish Government Institute: Glyphosate is Capable of Reaching Groundwater
This Spanish Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research study is one of the few works related to the analysis of glyphosate in real groundwater samples and the presented data confirm that, although it has low mobility in soils, glyphosate is capable of reaching groundwater.
Authors:
Sanchís J, Kantiani L, Llorca M, Rubio F, Ginebreda A, Fraile J, Garrido T, Farré M.
Dr Hilbeck: Farmers Have Seed Choices Restricted by GM Crops
This study finds that there is “no evidence that restrictions and regulations of GM crops in Europe have decreased seed choices for farmers in the non-adopting countries Austria, Germany and Switzerland. In contrast, we observed that in Spain, which has adopted GM maize, the seed market was more concentrated with fewer differentiated cultivars on offer. In Spain, overall numbers of maize cultivars declined, with an increasing number of non-GM cultivars being replaced by GM cultivars.”
The study also found “no detectable yield advantage in GM-adopting countries”, even when the analysis was extended to the United States.
Farmer’s choice of seeds in four EU countries under different levels of GM crop adoption
Authors: Angelika Hilbeck , Tamara Lebrecht, Raphaela Vogel, Jack A Heinemann, Rosa Binimelis
Germany Dead Cows – GM Corn
Between 2000 and 2002 Gottfried Gloeckner, whose dairy farm was then in North Hessen near Frankfurt, witnessed the mysterious death of 65 of his cows after he had fed them genetically manipulated Bt176 corn from the Swiss company, Syngenta.
Source: Institute of Science in Society
Bavarian Agriculture Institute: Bt Maize Harms Swallowtail Butterflies
In this European study uptake of Bt maize pollen by European common swallowtail butterflies led to a reduced plant consumption, to a lower body weight, and to a longer development time of larvae. Effects on pupal weight and duration of the pupal period were present but less pronounced and smaller than effects on larvae. Larvae having consumed Bt-maize pollen as first instars had a lower body weight as adult females and smaller forewings as adult males.
Source: stopogm.net
Dr. Hans-Wolfgang Hoppe: Glyphosate Found in Human Urine Across Europe People in 18 countries across Europe have been found to have traces of the weed killer glyphosate in their urine, show the results of tests commissioned by Friends of the Earth Europe.
Authors: Dr. Hans-Wolfgang Hoppe
Danish Pig Birth Defects – GM Soy
New revelations from Denmark have undermined the myth that GM soy and Roundup residues are essentially harmless components in the European animal feed supply chain.
An extended analysis of the connections made by pig farmer Ib Borup Pedersen between GM soy and health problems in his herd of breeding sows was published recently in Danish farming newspaper Effektivt Landbrug.
Source: GM Free Cymru
Prof Ashild Krogdahl: GM Corn Leads to Obesity
Norwegian Veterinary Science College feeding trials on rats, mice, pig and salmon have found that GM feed produces significant changes. Rats and fish fed Bt corn grew fatter than the control groups fed non-GM corn. Salmon fed on GM corn were slightly larger and ate slightly more. Their intestines had a different microstructure, they were less able to digest proteins, and there were changes to their immune system and blood.
Prof Ashild Krogdahl of the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, one of the research team, commented on another worrying finding: “A frequent claim has been that new genes introduced in GM food are harmless since all genes are broken up in the intestines. But our findings show that genes can be transferred through the intestinal wall into the blood; they have been found in blood, muscle tissue and liver in sufficiently large segments to be identified.”
Source: gmwatch.eu
EFSA: Hidden Viral Gene VI Discovered in GM Crops
A hidden viral gene, Gene VI, from cauliflower mosaic virus, has been discovered by EFSA (the European Food Safety Authority) and Patrick du Jardin of Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech at the University of Liege, in GMO crops.
Source: es.landesbioscience.com
Authors
Nancy Podevin and Patrick du Jardin, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech; Plant Biology Unit; University of Liège; Gembloux, Belgium
The Royal Society: Winter GM Canola Damages Bee, Butterfly Populations
Butterfly numbers were cut by up to two-thirds and bee populations by half in fields of transgenic winter oilseed rape (canola), according to the final results of a three-year study commissioned by the UK government. Researchers behind the £6-million (US$11-million) study said that the project’s weed-control system is to blame.
Source: rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org
Authors
David A. Bohan, Caroline W. H. Boffey, David R. Brooks, Suzanne J. Clark, Alan M. Dewar, Les G. Firbank, Alison J. Haughton, Cathy Hawes, Matthew S. Heard, Mike J. May, Juliet L. Osborne, Joe N. Perry, Peter Rothery, David B. Roy, Rod J. Scott, Geoff R. Squire, Ian P. Woiwod and Gillian T. Champion.
Gilles-Eric Seralini: 3 GM Maize Varieties ‘Negatively Impact’ Organs
In the three GM maize varieties that formed the basis of this investigation, new side effects linked to the consumption of these cereals were revealed, which were sex- and often dose-dependent. Effects were mostly concentrated in kidney and liver function, the two major diet detoxification organs, but in detail differed with each GM type. In addition, some effects on heart, adrenal, spleen and blood cells were also frequently noted.
Source: www.biolsci.org
Authors
Joël Spiroux de Vendômois, François Roullier, Dominique Cellier, Gilles-Eric Séralini
Dr Mason: Glyphosate Is Destructor of Human Health and Biodiversity
This review paper is a comprehensive document prepared by Dr. Rosemary Mason which succinctly summarizes many of the findings regarding glyphosate’s toxicity to human health. It was prepared to send to the Scottish Parliament.
Author: Dr. Rosemary Mason
CRIIGEN: GM Maize and Roundup can Cause Tumours, Multiple Organ Damage and Premature Death
In a study published in “Food and Chemical Toxicology” researchers led by Gilles-Eric Seralini from CRIIGEN have found that rats fed on a diet containing NK603 Roundup tolerant GM maize or given water containing Roundup, at levels permitted in drinking water and GM crops in the US, developed cancers faster and died earlier than rats fed on a standard diet. They suffered breast cancer and severe liver and kidney damage.
Authors
Gilles-Eric Séralini, Emilie Clair, Robin Mesnage, Steeve Gress, Nicolas Defarge, Manuela Malatesta, Didier Hennequin, Joël Spiroux de Vendômois
Only ten years ago, genetically modified cotton grew on 12% of all fields – today it is cultivated on over 80% of all cotton fields around the world
Dr Abdo: Bt Corn Not Substantially Equivalent to Non-GM Parent
This study by scientists from Alexandria University showed that the GM corn was not substantially equivalent to the non-GM parent.
Full Study Here: www.academia.edu
Chemical Analysis of BT corn “Mon-810: Ajeeb-YG®” and its counterpart non-Bt corn “Ajeeb”
Authors: Abdo E.M., Barbary O.M., Shaltout O.E.
Dr Malatesta: GM Soy Increases Liver Ageing Process in Mice
This University of Verona study demonstrates that GM soybean intake can influence some liver features during ageing and, although the mechanisms remain unknown, underlines the importance to investigate the long-term consequences of GM-diets and the potential synergistic effects with ageing, xenobiotics and/or stress conditions.
Source: US National Library of Medicine
Authors
Malatesta M, Boraldi F, Annovi G, Baldelli B, Battistelli S, Biggiogera M, Quaglino D.
Dr Aysun Kılıc: Rats Fed GM Maize Suffer Liver, Kidney Damage
In this Turkish study from Hacettepe University the Rats fed GM insecticide-producing maize over three generations suffered damage to liver and kidneys and showed alterations in blood biochemistry.
Find the paper here: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Authors
Aysun Kılıc , M. Turan Akay
Dr Tudisco: Heart Changes in Rabbits from GM Soy
The presence of DNA fragments in tissues from rabbits given genetically modified (GM) soya-bean meal was investigated in this University of Naples study by using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) approach.
No differences in enzyme levels were detected in serum, but a significant increase of lactic dehydrogenase, mainly concerning the LDH1 isoenzyme was found in particular in kidney and heart but not in the muscle, thus suggesting a potential alteration in the local production of the enzyme.
Authors
R. Tudisco, P. Lombardi, F. Bovera, D. d’Angelo, M. I. Cutrignelli, V. Mastellone, V. Terzi, L. Avallone and F. Infascelli
Dr Antonella Agodi: GM DNA Found in Milk on Italian Market
University of Catania results from the screening of 60 samples of 12 different milk brands in Italy demonstrated the presence of GM maize sequences in 15 (25%) and of GM soybean sequences in 7 samples (11.7%). The detection of GM DNA in milk can be interpreted as an indicator of fecal or airborne contamination, respectively, with feed DNA or feed particles, although an alternative source of contamination, possibly recognizable in the natural environment can be suggested. Further studies, performed on a larger number of milk samples, are needed to understand the likely source of contamination of milk collected from the Italian market.
Authors
Antonella Agodi, Martina Barchitta, Agata Grillo, Salvatore Sciacca
Dr Hussein Kaoud: Organ Damage in Rats Fed on GMOs
In a recent study by Egyptian scientist Hussein Kaoud of Cairo University’s Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene, nine groups of rats and mice were fed different genetically modified foods (potatoes, corn, grapes and tomatoes).
After a 2 month study an alteration of different organs, shrinkage of kidneys, change in the liver and spleen, appearance of malignant parts in the tissues, kidney failure and hemorrhages in the intestine were discovered in the animals that were fed GMOs. The brain functions were touched as well, and the rats’ learning and memory abilities were seriously altered. The death rate of baby rats raised by mothers on a diet of genetically modified corn also increased by 35%.
Source: egyptindependent.com
Russian Government Institute: Infertility in Hamsters from GM Soy
The experiment carried out jointly by the Russian National Association for Gene Security and the Institute of Ecological and Evolutional Problems showed that Campbell Hamsters lost the ability to reproduce after being fed GM soy for 2 years.
Source: The Voice of Russia
India Dead Sheep – GM Cotton
At least 1 820 sheep were reported dead in 2006 after grazing on post-harvest Bt cotton crops; the symptoms and post-mortem findings strongly suggest they died from severe toxicity.
This was uncovered in a preliminary investigation conducted by civil society organisations in just four villages in the Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh in India. The actual problem is likely to be much greater....India – Allergic Reactions from GM Cotton
Indian investigators found that farmers who had a direct contact with genetically modified Bt cotton suffered allergic reactions in various body parts which included hands, feet, face, eyes and nose, with some having fallen seriously ill.
Source: Third World Network
Dr. Thongprakaisang: Glyphosate Induces Growth in Human Breast Cancer Cells
This study shows that Glyphosate exerted proliferative effects only in human hormone-dependent breast cancer, T47D cells, but not in hormoneindependent breast cancer, MDA-MB231 cells, at 10-12 to 10-6 M in estrogen withdrawal condition.
Find Paper Here: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Glyphosate induces human breast cancer cells growth via estrogen receptors
Authors: Thongprakaisang S, Thiantanawat A, Rangkadilok N, Suriyo T, Satayavivad J.
Dr. Jian Chen: Transgenic DNA from GMOs in all rivers tested in China
A novel method was used in this research, to select and isolate those bacteria from the Chinese river water which contained DNA suspected to derive from GMOs. These were then carefully studied to demonstrate that the DNA could not have come from other sources (e.g. mutation/natural selection).
Source: lib.bioinfo.pl
‘A Survey of Drug Resistance bla Genes Originating from Synthetic Plasmid Vectors in Six Chinese Rivers.’
Authors
Chen J, Jin M, Qiu ZG, Guo C, Chen ZL, Shen ZQ, Wang XW, Li JW
Dr. George: Roundup Possesses Tumor Promoting Potential
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research have confirmed the carcinogenic potential of Roundup herbicide using human skin cells (HaCaT ) exposed to extremely low concentrations of the world’s best selling herbicide.
Emptying of Intracellular Calcium Pool and Oxidative Stress Imbalance Are Associated with the Glyphosate-Induced Proliferation in Human Skin Keratinocytes HaCaT Cells
Authors: Jasmine George and Yogeshwer Shukla
Philippines 5 Deaths, Many Ill – GM Maize Pollen
In 2003, at least ninety residents of Sitio Kalyong in the Philippines became seriously ill. They all lived within 100 m of a field planted with GM maize, and their illnesses coincided with the GM maize flowering time.
Many if not all of the villagers exposed to GM-maize pollen in 2003 have remained ill to this day. Furthermore, there have been five unexplained deaths in the village.
Source: Institute of Science in Society
Dr Mercurio: Glyphosate is Most Resistant to Biodegredation in Sea Water
In this unique study in Australia scientists have shown that Glyphosate (Roundup) primarily in GM agriculture, is particularly resistant to biodegradation in sea water, and could therefore be a major contributor to the decline of marine coral reef systems such as the Great Barrier Reef.
Full article http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X14000228
Authors
Philip Mercurio, Florita Flores, Jochen F. Mueller, Steve Carter, Andrew P. Negri
Infomatic Films Releases GMO A Go Go!
As more and more research emerges about the unparalleled dangers to planet Earth posed by genetically modified crops (GMOs), the team at Infomatic Films have labored for the past year to create a sumptuous feast of facts, in an easily digestible animated format. Result? “GMO A Go Go!” http://sustainablepulse.com/2013/01/31/igmo-go-watch/#.U_Kqb6jGxpC
GMO OMG director and concerned father Jeremy Seifert is in search of answers. How do GMOs affect our children, the health of our planet, and our freedom of choice? And perhaps the ultimate question, which Seifert tests himself: is it even possible to reject the food system currently in place, or have we lost something we can’t gain back? These and other questions take Seifert on a journey from his family’s table to Haiti, Paris, Norway, and the lobby of agra-giant Monsanto, from which he is unceremoniously ejected. Along the way we gain insight into a question that is of growing concern to citizens the world over: what's on your plate? http://www.gmofilm.com
