LAS VEGAS, Aug. 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Healthy Extracts Inc. (OTCQB: HYEX), a leading innovator of clinically proven plant-based products for heart and brain health, has begun the launch of its premium Citrus Bergamot SuperFruit heart health supplement, BergaMet PRO+, on Fullscript.com, the nations leading care delivery platform for integrative medicine.

The launch, which is expected to be completed by the third quarter, will make BergaMet PRO+ available to the more than 70,000 healthcare professionals and their more than 5 million patients on the Fullscript care platform. It follows the recent entry of Healthy Extracts natural formulations for brain health into the retail marketplace through Natural Grocers stores nationwide.

Our launch on Fullscript dramatically expands our reach to healthcare practitioners and their millions of patients across the country, stated Duke Pitts, president of Healthy Extracts. Thousands of physicians trust Fullscript to provide the best health and wellness supplements on the market today, making this another strong validation of the clinically proven benefits of our BergaMet PRO+ for heart health.

As the result of more than 17 published clinical trials, Citrus Bergamot has been shown to improve heart health, support immune response and address metabolic syndrome. Healthy Extracts Citrus Bergamot has also been clinically shown to naturally reduce cholesterol by lowering LDL and increasing HDL.

According to the CDC, nearly 94 million U.S. adults aged 20 years or older have high cholesterol levels that puts them at risk of heart disease. Every year an estimated 35 million are prescribed statins to lower cholesterol, but these drugs can cause numerous negative side effects.

A peer-reviewed clinical study demonstrated that the naturally-derived, bergamot polyphenolic fraction (BPF) contained in Healthy Extracts Citrus Bergamot can significantly enhance the beneficial effects of rosuvastatin, one of the most prescribed drugs for reducing cardiometabolic risk.

Healthy Extracts is the exclusive U.S. and Canadian provider of the worlds highest strength Citrus Bergamot SuperFruit. BergaMet PRO+ has 47% BPF Gold potency as compared to the closest competitor at only 38% BPF.

PRO+ is organic, vegan friendly, non-GMO and gluten-free, and produced and tested by certified U.S. facilities.

Healthy Extracts full line of natural heath health formulations addresses the fast-growing, multi-billion dollar heart-health supplement market which is projected to grow at 5.9% CAGR to reach $24.8 billion by 2027, according to ResearchAndMarkets.

To learn more about and Healthy Extracts full line of clinically-backed, natural brain and hearth health products, go to bergametna.com or tryubn.com.

About FullscriptFullscript is a powerful care delivery platform for integrative medicine practitioners offering access to personalized treatment planning, ongoing wellness education, and healthcares best supplements and wellness products. With over a decade of development and used by more than 70,000 healthcare professionals serving over 5 million patients, Fullscript delivers the scale, technology and expertise to support the growth of integrative medicine and delivery of high-quality care. For more information, visitwww.fullscript.com.

About Healthy Extracts Live Life Young AgainHealthy Extracts Inc. is a platform for developing or acquiring science-forward, clinically proven, plant-based proprietary products in select high-growth categories within the multibillion-dollar nutraceuticals market.

The companys subsidiaries, BergametNA and Ultimate Brain Nutrients (UBN), offer nutraceutical natural heart and brain health supplements. This includes the only heart health supplement containing Citrus Bergamot SuperFruit. This superfruit is known to have the highest quality and concentration of polyphenols and flavonoids, and with healthy heart benefits backed by more than 17 clinical studies.

UBN KETONOMICS proprietary formulations have been clinically shown to support brain health, including memory, cognition, focus and neuro-energy. UBN is pursuing intellectual property license opportunities for monetizing its IP portfolio of multiple issued and pending patents.

For more information visit: healthyextractsinc.com, bergametna.com or tryubn.com.

Forward-Looking Statements and Safe Harbor Notice

All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release are "forward-looking statements" (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Such forward-looking statements include our expectations and those statements that use forward-looking words such as "projected," "expect," "possibility" and "anticipate." The achievement or success of the matters covered by such forward-looking statements involve significant risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Actual results could differ materially from current projections or implied results. Investors should read the risk factors set forth in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 1, 2022, and future periodic reports filed with the SEC. All of the Company's forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by all such risk factors and other cautionary statements.

The Company cautions that statements and assumptions made in this news release constitute forward-looking statements and make no guarantee of future performance. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the time statements are made. The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date hereof. The Company and its management undertake no obligation to revise these statements following the date of this news release.

Food and Drug Administration Disclosure

The product and formulation featured in this release is not for use by or sale to persons under the age of 12. This product should be used only as directed on the label. Consult with a physician before use if you have a serious medical condition or use prescription medications. A doctors advice should be sought before using this and any supplemental dietary product. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

BergametNA, Ultimate Brain Nutrients, UBN, Citrus Bergamot SuperFruit and F4T are registered trademarks of Healthy Extracts Inc.

Healthy Extracts Company ContactDuke Pitts, PresidentHealthy Extracts Inc.Tel (720) 463-1004Email contact

Investor & Media ContactRonald Both or Justin LumleyCMA Investor & Media RelationsTel (949) 432-7566Email contact

Media Contact:Tim RandallCMATel (949) 432-7572Email Contact

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d7a2b2d9-baa2-4e62-b1f6-dbe625eef883

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Healthy Extracts to Launch on Fullscript, the Leading Integrative Medicine Platform for 70000 Healthcare Providers and 5 Million Patients -...

The addition of two key leaders will further enhance the company's business goals

PHOENIX, Aug. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Fullscript, the leading care delivery platform for integrative medicine, has appointed Ninan Chacko, chief executive officer of Monotype, and Solmaz Shahalizadeh, founding partner of Backbone Angels, to the company's board of directors. As the first independent board members to join Fullscript, these two highly experienced leaders offer a wealth of knowledge and a dynamic background to advance the organization's growth strategy. This brings the total number of Fullscript board members to eight.

"It's an honor to have Ninan and Solmaz on our board," said Kyle Braatz, chief executive officer of Fullscript. "We were looking for individuals who had diverse perspectives, great leadership abilities, strong data and software experience, and vast knowledge of business development to strengthen our growth initiatives. We've more than succeeded in reaching this criteria."

Ninan has more than 20 years of global technology leadership experience. He has held executive positions at Travel Leaders Group, one of the largest retail, corporate, and entertainment travel companies in North America and the UK, along with PR Newswire, and Worldspan. Ninan brings his experience in digital acceleration and revenue generation to Fullscript.

"I am delighted to join Kyle and the talented team at Fullscript as they pioneer this innovative approach to integrative medicine," Ninan said. "I look forward to working with my board colleagues and the management team, drawing on my background in global technology leadership and strategic operations to support Fullscript's business goals."

As an executive, investor, and advisor in the technology and data space, Solmaz is well-versed in building companies and scaling businesses. She previously spent more than eight years as vice president and head of data at Shopify, building their entire portfolio of data and machine learning products, and overseeing a team of more than 500. Her extensive career also includes previous positions at Morgan Stanley and McGill University.

"Throughout my career, I have used technology to solve challenging problems and create new opportunities across multiple industries including healthcare and commerce," Solmaz said. "I'm thrilled to join Kyle and the Fullscript team and support them in their mission as they scale integrative medicine for everyone and tap into the power of data and machine learning to make it a reality."

To learn more about Fullscript, visit Fullscript.com.

About Fullscript

Fullscript is a powerful care delivery platform for integrative medicine practitioners offering access to personalized treatment planning, ongoing wellness education, and healthcare's best supplements and wellness products. With over a decade of development and used by more than 70,000 healthcare professionals serving over 5 million patients, Fullscript delivers the scale, technology and expertise to support the growth of integrative medicine and delivery of high-quality care. For more information, visit Fullscript.com or follow Fullscript on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

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Fullscript Appoints New Members to its Board of Directors - PR Newswire

Today, Im going to discuss nutrients, herbs and amino acids that I have found helpful for my patients when they are stressed.

You may recall, Ive written about how to handle stress from a dietary and lifestyle standpoint. Today, Im going to discuss nutrients, herbs and amino acids that I have found helpful for my patients when they are stressed. Many of these supplements are focused on supporting the adrenal glands, which are responsible for producing stress hormones. Other supplements are focused simply on managing the stress load.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is usually thought of as an immune support nutrient, but, when under stress, our adrenal glands use a lot of vitamin C. In fact, the adrenal glands are one of the organs with the highest concentration of Vitamin C in our bodies! To correctly produce one of our main stress hormones, cortisol, vitamin C is necessary. This vitamin is also important for proper balance of another stress hormone, adrenaline.

Vitamin B5 (dexpanthenol)

Dexpanthenol is another vitamin that the adrenal glands utilize heavily when under stress to produce adequate cortisol. Without B5, cortisol output may not be able to meet the needs of the person who is under stress.

Ashwaganda

Ashwaganda, also known as withania, is an herb that I love to use to help with modulation of stress hormones. What modulation means is that the herb doesnt push the adrenals to produce more or less hormone but, instead, gently promotes balance and healthy function of the adrenal glands. Ashwaganda is also useful for balancing other hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone.

Rhodiola

Much like ashwaganda, rhodiola is an adaptogenic herb that helps us modulate our stress response. Rhodiola can increase the capacity to handle stress and help prevent the exhaustion that long-term stress can bring.

Magnolia bark

Magnolia bark has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine and I see it work very well as an anxiety and stress reliever. It can have a somewhat sedative effect, so it can be particularly useful for the type of stress that causes insomnia, which, of course, happens a lot!

L-theanine

Stress can often leave us tired, wired, unfocused, anxious and irritable. L-theanine is an amino acid that helps to calm and focus the mind. This amino acid helps with the production of dopamine and serotonin, which helps to improve mood. L-theanine also helps to maintain sleep and can promote alpha wave brain activity. Alpha waves are the prevalent brain waves we produce with meditation.

GABA

GABA is another amino acid that I utilize with my stressed patients. We make GABA naturally and it plays a big role in controlling stress, anxiety and fear. This amino acid works by decreasing activity in the nervous system, which results in a calming effect. Generally, the nervous system is overactive during a high stress time.

I hope you have found this list of supplements helpful. However, remember that this article should not be a substitute for medical advice. Its always best to get your medical advice from a practitioner who knows your health history, your current medications and a whole host of other facts about you as an individual. And, for expertise in herbs and amino acids for stress, your best bet is to see your friendly neighborhood naturopathic physician! FBN

By Amber Belt, N.D.

Amber Belt, N.D. is a naturopathic physician and co-owner of Aspen Integrative MedicalCenter where she helps patients get healthy from the inside out. She is also co-owner of Sage Sirona, which focuses on natural first aid and education. Dr. Belt has been practicing naturopathic medicine for more than 15 years and can be contacted viaaspenmedcenter.comorsagesirona.com. You can also call her office at 928-213-5828.

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Identifying the Top Five Supplements to Help Handle Stress - Flagstaff Business News

This podcast was produced for the AstraZeneca YOUR Cancer program by Scientific American Custom Media, a division separate from the magazines board of editors.

Transcript:

Megan Hall: Every year, the Cancer Community Awards, sponsored by AstraZeneca, presents an individual or organization with a Catalyst for Care Award. This award celebrates those who are making a patients experience as easy as possible during an extraordinarily difficult time. In 2021, the non-profit Unite for HER received the award for its work funding integrative therapies like acupuncture, massage and nutrition support for women whove been diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer. As we prepared for this years awards, we reconnected with Unite for HERs founder and CEO, Sue Weldon, to hear more about whats happened since her organization received the award. Sue Weldon, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me today. Im really excited to hear more about what youve been doing in the past year.

Sue Weldon: Aw, thank you for having us. Its been quite a year. You guys really springboarded us on this wonderful nationwide expansion as well. So Im happy to share.

Hall: Do you mind, for people who dont know your story, just giving us a brief summary of your own cancer journey?

Weldon: Yeah, absolutely. So in 2004, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was at a time where I had three small children and definitely felt they had the wrong girl, like a lot of people diagnosed. There was a lot of side effects and symptoms that occur during cancer treatment. As a young woman, when youre going through chemotherapy, youre sort of forced into this menopause. So I was having hot flashes every hour, on the hour. I wanted to have more children. I was emotionally depressed. I was in bone pain, neuropathy, all the things that come along with treatment itself.

Thats where I was learning how to treat the patient who was myself, and that whole woman, to get through. It was life changing for me. It just allowed me to really dive in and educate myself about integrative care, acupuncture, oncology massage, reiki, yoga. Nutrition was huge for me. Food became my medicine and something I could control. These were things I could control. The diagnosis, the treatment, I couldnt control any of that. Thats really how it all came about.

I remember being about a year out and feeling better. Six months of chemotherapy, bilateral mastectomy. It was a rough go. Lost a lot of weight. I was just getting myself back. Hairs coming back and I went to this event. It was Yoga on the Steps down in Philadelphia. I saw this young woman out the corner of my eye and I can see her face because she reminded me of myself. Her hair was gone and the yellowish skin and the hollow eyes. We all know that feeling.

I remember that feeling, that blank stare that I had when I couldnt believe it was me. So I went up to her and I shared. She asked how I looked so good and what did I do. We just had this connection. And when I share with her about the acupuncture and the yoga, meditation, the whole-food nutrition and plant-based diet, she started crying. Shes like, Oh, well good for you. I could never afford all that. That was my moment. That was the moment where I was like, oh my gosh, shame on me.

This is where we can make an impact. How can we get these types of therapies to everyone to get access? So I went home and said, Honey, all right. Were going to start a non-profit. Im not quite sure what it looks like, were all going to work for free for a while. But I want to make sure that we could be able to give and fund and deliver these types of integrative services. It started with 23 women in 2010, 2009, 2010. Had to have a fundraiser. Now were serving over 3,500 women all across the nation.

Hall: Lets say I am a woman who was just diagnosed with cancer and Im coming to you. Im coming to Unite for HER. What would you tell me about how you might be able to help me, what Im going to experience if I work with your non-profit or benefit from your services?

Weldon: Yeah. So I would welcome you into our community first, and just applaud you for making that step, right? To make the step, to reach out and get your resources, sometimes as women, we feel like weve got to do it all, right, and that we can handle it and we can stay strong. Then we just sort of talk through where they are with our wellness-program management team. Theyre extraordinary, our registered dieticians. Then we meet them there and say, Okay, this is how we can help you with these side effects and symptoms. By the way, youre not going to have any financial burden. Were going to offer you a wellness program with a passport. We call it a wellness passport of two thousand dollars worth of treatments.

Those two thousand dollars worth of treatments, you get to choose, right? You get to choose how its going to work for you. Some women may have sleep deprivation or depression and they might approach it differently. But the outcome may be the same, right? Some may dive into nutrition. Our cooking classes alone, our registered dietician team, theyre so dynamic and just so fun. To have a cooking class where youre with these women and youre taking your mind off of it, but youre learning whole-food nutrition and learning how this food is going to help with the metallic taste in your mouth or digestion, it just allows you to take control. Thats where we let them know that were going to, one step at a time, give you a little bit of that control and confidence back, and were with them for life.

Hall: What do you say to skeptics? People who say, what does acupuncture do? What do these things do? Really, they need chemotherapy. They need medical treatments. Does this really make a difference?

Weldon: Yeah. So lets make sure were correct in this. We are not an either or. We are in addition to. Yes, youre getting your chemotherapy. Youre getting your medical treatments. Youre getting your surgery. We are not preaching anything different than that. We are saying, in addition to that, were going to help you with your side effects and symptoms. When you have chemotherapy, you have stomach issues, you have bone pain, you have headaches, you have depression, you have neuropathy, you have hot flashes, this is all science and research based. This is in the journals, right, of the medical journals that talk about acupuncture helping with cancer patients.

Massage helping to alleviate stress. Whole-food nutrition, I mean, theres so much science and data. Everything we do is backed by science and data. But rest assured, this is not an either or. This is in compliment with the standard of care. So we do it in line with your medical team. We are talking with them. We are connecting the different physicians together so that way we have this whole-patient care.

Hall: Sounds like youre just doing what the doctors dont have time to do or the training to do.

Weldon: Yeah. Both. I mean, they have such a big job to do and I am so in awe of our medical community and the strides that they have made. So much has changed since I was diagnosed. But what we talk about is that they treat the cancer, we treat the woman. We treat the physical, emotional part of that healing process, which actually makes them do better on treatment.

Hall: So lets move on and talk about the award that you received. So what did it mean to you to be nominated and then eventually win this Catalyst for Care Award?

Weldon: We were just so honored. I always put the we in there because Unite for HER just was able to now finally be looked at on the national stage. This award helped us with that, right? To be recognized for the work that we did. We were in the Philadelphia, New Jersey, Delaware area. When COVID hit, we expanded because we did our programming differently. We did a virtual. That means we could go anywhere. We mailed it right to their home. The award just came at that perfect time where people were recognizing the work that we did. Theres not many people doing integrative care and meeting them at their home, or right in their home community in such an impactful way.

So for us to be able to get that message out, and what an incredible team to work with, both Scientific American and AstraZeneca put us on this platform that allowed our story to be heard, came in and interviewed us and had this staff there and shared and interviewed our patients to tell this beautiful story. Thats powerful. That exposure is one area, but then the beautiful grant, such a generous grant on top of that that served another 100 women. Thats just extraordinary.

Hall: I understand that youre a judge this year. Can you give me a sense of what the nominees were like and what that experience was like?

Weldon: Oh my gosh. Wow. Extraordinary. To be on the other side of it and to be able to look at all those different non-profits or movers and shakers in the cancer community that really are all about whole-patient care. Theyre all doing it in different ways. But together, we have this collaborative approach, right? So yeah, it gave me a whole new respect on the whole judging process and what it took for us to be there. I cant wait to see this next person come up and feel all the goodness that we did.

Hall: What are you looking forward to in the next year? What gives you hope? How are you growing and changing?

Weldon: Were serving a lot of women now. So for us, its making sure our infrastructures strong so we can maintain it. We want to maintain our hands-on, engaged approach. We never want to lose that. Thats what made us who we are. So for us, we want to focus on making sure that all those services that were putting out there, that they get used, that theyre understood, that the education is put in front of them. How do we do that in a way that transcends across the nation like it did locally? We dont want to lose that high-touch feel that Unite for HER was known for. We dont want that to change, right? Even though were growing very quickly, our roots, were a hands-on experience. We have to work on that and continue to serve.

Our biggest priority is to make sure that we get to the ones that needs the most and prioritize a lot of those underserved communities. We developed a Spanish-speaking-only wellness program because we wanted to make sure we were embedded in the culture. Were leaning into making sure our women of color, our Black and brown women dont have this health-equity gap that is just so devastating. What can we do to do our part? So for us, were making sure that were getting into those communities and understanding and recruiting in a way that is so impactful.

Hall: Well, Sue Weldon, it was such a pleasure talking to you. Thank you so much for taking the time.

Weldon: Yeah. Well, thank you. It was great. I appreciate it.

Hall: Sue Weldon is the founder and CEO of Unite for HER. In 2021, the non-profit received the Catalyst for Care Award from the Cancer Community Awards, part of the AstraZeneca YOUR Cancer program. YOUR Cancer brings together the community that is working to drive meaningful change in cancer care. Visit YourCancer.org to learn more about the C2 award winners and the YOUR Cancer program.

This podcast was produced by Scientific American Custom Media and made possible through the support of the AstraZeneca YOUR Cancer program.

For more remarkable stories from the 2021 Winners of the Cancer Community Awards, visit our Heroes of Cancer Care collection.

[The above text is a transcript of this podcast.]

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A Source of Integrative Support for Breast and Ovarian Cancer Patients [Sponsored] - Scientific American

PAINWeek is committed to providing advanced pain education to APPs at all stages of their careers, and 2022 promises to be the best conference yet.."

MONTCLAIR, N.J. (PRWEB) August 04, 2022

Advanced Practice Providers are making a difference in pain management. Recent articles have asked, can advanced practice providers be the answer to the nursing crisis? [1] and noted that NPs and PAs are/will be 67.3% of the practitioners added to the workforce between 2016 and 2030, outpacing physicians. [2]

Presenter Theresa (Tracey) Mallick-Searle, MS, PMGT-BC, ANP-BC, of the Stanford Outpatient Medical Center, Division Pain Medicine, in Redwood City, California, commented, as APP attendance at PAINWeek continues to grow, so does the quality of its APP track offerings. PAINWeek is committed to providing advanced pain education to APPs at all stages of their careers, and 2022 promises to be the best conference yet. My session, Green Acres: Pregnancy & Pain in Rural Communities, will highlight the importance of adequate pain management during pregnancy.

Jeremy Adler, DMSc, PA-C, will discuss his trials, tribulations, and successes in the PA Perspective on Owning Your Own Practice. He commented, managing the complexity of patients with chronic pain generally requires a skilled and dedicated team. We have found that our team has thrived through joint ownership of the practice between PAs and physicians. This session will introduce some of the ways PAs can be either as owners, shareholders, or entrepreneurial in meeting the needs of patients. Dr. Adler is Senior Pain Management PA and Chief Operating Officer at Pacific Pain Medicine Consultants in California.

Lo and Behold: The Clinical Nurse Anesthetist Experience in Pain Management will be presented by Jackie Rowles, DNP, CRNA, ANP-BC, NSPM-C. Ms. Rowles stated, PAINWeek is the largest gathering of pain clinicians from across the nation and provides an avenue for all disciplines to come together to network and learn from one another. My lecture details the pathway, subspecialty education, and typical clinical practice day of a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Pain Practitioner. Ms. Rowles is an associate professor of professional practice and director of the advanced pain management fellowship at Texas Christian University.

Other courses in the APP Track include:

PAINWeek will present over 75 CME/CE credit hours in tracks such as Behavioral Pain Management, Chronic Pain Syndromes, Health Coaching, Interventional and Integrative Pain Management, Medical/Legal, Neurology, Physical Therapy, Pharmacotherapy, and Psychedelics. Master Classes, Special Interest Sessions, and sponsored courses complement the agenda, along with tracks presented by the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians and the International Pelvic Pain Society.

For more information, click here, or visit painweek.org.

PAINWeek accreditation provided by Global Education Group:

Global Education Group focuses on producing partnership-based CME for healthcare practitioners. The Global team works with a select group of medical education companies, associations, academic institutions, and healthcare facilities to develop and accredit live healthcare conferences and workshops as well as online activities. With each partnership or joint providership, Global brings accreditation expertise, project management excellence and grant funding intelligence. Based in Littleton, Colo., Global has accreditation with commendation from the ACCME and accredited with distinction from the ANCC. Global also holds accreditations to offer continuing education for nurse practitioners, pharmacists, dietitians, dentists, and psychologists. Global is a division of Ultimate Medical Academy.

1. https://www.mgma.com/resources/human-resources/can-advanced-practice-providers-be-the-answer-to-t2. https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/practices/growth-advanced-practice-clinicians-will-outpace-physicians-projections-predict

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The PAINWeek 2022 National Conference Presents the Advanced Practice Providers Track on Wednesday, September 7 - PR Web

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Data science researchers will build cloud-based learning modules for biomedical research.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. With supplemental funding from the National Institutes of Health, a team of researchers led by Justin Zhan, professor of data science at the University of Arkansas, will collaborate with NIH and Google software engineers to build cloud-based learning modules for biomedical research.

These modules will help educate biomedical researchers on the ways that artificial intelligence and machine learning, both rapidly becoming important tools in biomedical research, can enhance and streamline data analysis for different types of medical and scientific images.

The new funding, $140,135, has been awarded through the National Institute of General Medical Sciences Institutional Development Award Program. Zhan partnered with Kyle Quinn, associate professor of biomedical engineering, and Larry Cornett, director of the Arkansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, which is administering the grant.

In addition to the Arkansas IDeA Networks support, case studies for the learning modules will be developed with support from the data science and the imaging and spectroscopy cores of the Arkansas Integrative Metabolic Research Center.

Big data is transforming health and biomedical science, Zhan said. The new technology is rapidly expanding the quantity and variety of imaging modalities, for example, which can tell doctors so much more about their patients. But this transformation has created challenges, particularly with storing and managing massive data sets. Also, while the big data revolution transforms biology and medicine into data-driven sciences, traditional education is responding slowly. Addressing this shortcoming is part of what were trying to do.

The researchers will secure the technical expertise and resources needed to provide training to students and health-care professionals on the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, as they apply to biomedical research.

Artificial intelligence is the ability of computer systems to perform tasks that have traditionally required human intelligence. One example of artificial intelligence is machine learning, in which algorithms and computations become more accurate than humans at predicting outcomes. This process demands tremendous computational power, more than standard computer clusters can handle.

The Arkansas researchers will parter with software engineers at Google and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences to address the computational requirements of artificial intellegence-driven research through the use of cloud computing. Cloud computing provides access to computing services over the internet, allowing faster and more flexible solutions in biomedical research.

The cloud computing modules developed by Zhans team will help researchers understand how artificial intelligence can be used in biomedical sciences to analyze big data. Case studies involving the identification of unique features in large biomedical image sets and the prediction of disease states is expected to help scientists, researchers and clinicians understand how to implement these powerful tools in their work.

About the Arkansas Integrative Metabolic Research Center: Established by a $10.8 million NIH grant in 2021, the Arkansas Integrative Metabolic Research Center focuses on the role of cell and tissue metabolism in disease, development, and repair through research involving advanced imaging, bioenergetics and data science. Quinn is the center director, and Zhan directs centers Data Science Core.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the UofA provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the UofA contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the UofA among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the UofA among the top public universities in the nation. See how the UofA works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.

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Researchers Partner With NIH and Google to Develop AI Learning Modules - University of Arkansas Newswire

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Boron is not an element often considered in lists of essential ingredients for life. It is not incorporated into any animal enzymes, fats, proteins, or nucleic acids, and few of us look at boron content in our food labels.Arizona State Universitys listdoes not even include boron making up any minute fraction of body weight. And yet, surprisingly, there would be no life without boron: no plants,no bones, and no brains. Why do we need it? And where does it come from?

The roles of elements Michael Denton describes in his Privileged Species series of books and videos, particularly inThe Miracle of the Cell(2020) andThe Miracle of Man(2022), are truly fascinating: especially the metalloenzymes like iron, copper, and magnesium, to say nothing of the exacting requirements for the common elements like oxygen, nitrogen, and (of course) carbon. It was never his intent, though, to discuss every element in the periodic table. His work can prompt others to help augment the case for the prior fitness of the universe for complex life. Recently we discussedone other element he passed over phosphorus that adds to the argument. Boron has a similar story to tell.

Boron, element 5 in the periodic table, is called a metalloid because, standing between metals and non-metals, it shares some properties with both. Containing 5 protons and 3 to 9 neutrons (with boron-10 and boron-11 being the most common isotopes in nature), boron has three valence electrons in its outer shell that can give rise to many compounds. It is never found in its elemental form naturally, but over 100 boron-containing compounds with hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, sodium, chlorine, and even aluminum are known. Many boron compounds, like boric acid, are water soluble. In its amorphous elemental form, boron is a brown powder that burns green in flame (see a demonstration video below). In fact, the green color in many fireworks displays comes from boron. Boron compounds have long been used to ignite rocket fuels from the days of Apollo up through todays SpaceX missions.

Before getting into its roles in biology, you might be interested to know that boron compounds have many uses in everyday life: in hand soap (Boraxo), roofing tile, charcoal, glass, ceramics, nuclear shielding, makeup, semiconductors, magnets, and much more, as theU.S. Borax Companylikes to boast. Many have heard about the historic20-Mule Teams that hauled borax in Death Valley and delivered it to Mojave, 165 miles away, a ten-day ordeal for intrepid miners and their mules in the 1880s. Farther southwest, theres a small town named Boron in the Mojave Desert that is the site of the worlds largest borax mine. It supplies half the worlds borates and boric acid. The other half is supplied by Turkey, where even larger deposits may exist untapped.

For such a simple atom, boron is surprisingly rare in the universe. Atomic physicists believe it is produced in small amounts by spallation reactions with cosmic rays or in supernova explosions, but not by stellar nucleosynthesis. This raises questions about how Earth got its supply a subject we will return to shortly. Natural boron minerals called borates can be found throughout Earths crust, on the ocean floor, and in volcanic deposits. If its depleted in soil, leaves turn yellow, but too much is toxic to plants. Farmers know that supplemental boron in fertilizer can increase crop yields to a point. In general, biology does not appear starved for boron.

So why is boron not incorporated into biomolecules? It stands right next to carbon in the periodic table but is extremely different in its actions.Like bromine, boron takes part in the synthesis of important compounds without residing in them. An essential trace element, boron acts as a regulator and facilitator of important biochemical pathways; for instance, it can extend the half-life of vitamin D and thereby increase its bioavailability. It plays essential roles in hormone production. Plants depend on boron for construction of their cell walls, and animals depend on it during bone formation. U.S. Borax explains its many roles in plant life:

Boron isan essential micronutrient, integral to a plants life cycle.Required only in small amounts, boron is necessary in plants tocontrol flowering, pollen production, germination, and seed and fruit development.Boron also ensures thehealthy transport of water, nutrients, and organic compoundsto growing portions of the plant.

As plants draw borates from the soil, the boron is distributed throughout the stems, leaves, roots, and other structures. When people eat plant-derived foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes they routinely absorb small amounts of boron. [Emphasis added.]

Most people get sufficient boron from plant sources like apples, coffee, legumes, and potatoes. We only need about 1.2 to 3 mg of boron per day, but there is nothing boring about boron, wrote Lara Pizzorno in theJournal of Integrative Medicine. Consider her astonishing list of benefits we get from the tiny amounts of this element that we ingest:

Boron has been proven to be an important trace mineral because it (1) is essential for the growth and maintenance ofbone; (2) greatly improveswound healing; (3) beneficially impacts the bodys use ofestrogen, testosterone, and vitamin D; (4) boostsmagnesiumabsorption; (5)reduces levels of inflammatory biomarkers, such as hs-CRP and TNF-; (6)raises levels of antioxidantenzymes, such as SOD, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase; (7)protects against pesticide-induced oxidative stressandheavy-metal toxicity; (8)improves brain electrical activity, cognitive performance, and short-term memory in elders; (9) influences the formation and activity ofkey biomolecules, such as SAM-e and NAD+; (10) has demonstratedpreventive and therapeutic effects in a number of cancers, such as prostate, cervical, and lung cancers and multiple and non-Hodgkins lymphoma; and (11) may helpameliorate the adverse effectsof traditionalchemotherapeuticagents.

Now that we are convinced of borons benefits, some may wish to monitor their boron intake or even ask their doctors about supplementation if they are at risk. But where did Earths boron come from? As stated earlier, it is relatively rare in nature, and so there should not have been large amounts in the solar nebula from which the rocky planets are believed to have accreted. This has led some to speculate that boron was delivered to earth in a late veneer of chondrites. That seems odd, though, because one could ask where those objects got it if not from the solar nebula. However the Earth got its boron, its here now. One might assume that plate tectonics would recycle it, as happens in other elemental cycles (e.g., carbon, nitrogen).

Even taking Earths current boron budget as a given, though, another issue was raised in a recent paper by Liang Yuan and Gerd Steinle-Neumann inGeophysical Research Letters. According to their models and computations, most boron should have sunk to the Earths core, because at high temperatures and pressures, it clings to iron.

Plate tectonics promotes the transport of surface rocks into the mantle, producing much of its chemical heterogeneity.Boron, a quintessential crustal element, is often used as a proxy for crustal contributions when found in mantle rocks and is, therefore, one of the central tools in geochemistry to trace recycling/mixing in the mantle. Using quantum mechanical calculations,we find that the chemical behavior of boron changes from lithophile (rock-loving) to siderophile (iron-loving) under pressuretemperature conditionsrelevant to core formation.Thus, much boron may have been transported to the core, and the core may be Earths largest boron reservoir, rather than the crust.

In other words, molten iron as it sank to the core should have carried most of this scarce element with it. Indeed, the two researchers believe that half of Earths boron budget is stored in the core now. How can it get up into the crust where plants and animals depend on it?

This opens a question that might interest design advocates looking for more evidence of Dentons prior fitness argument. Does the circumference and mass of our planet determine the availability of boron? Was there an issue of timing that prevented a runaway depletion of boron to the core? As the authors state, As metallic iron is present predominantly in the core and likely at percent level throughout the mantle, its impact on Earths boron budget merits consideration. Equal consideration must be given to requirements for any habitable planet capable of supporting complex life. I have not seen boron availability discussed by Denton or inThe Privileged Planetby Gonzalez and Richards (2004).

The authors mention that certain diamonds (Type IIb) contain excess boron. Other geochemists have taken that to be a proxy for tectonic recycling, but these authors challenge that interpretation. Rather than boron in Type IIb diamonds representing crustal recycling, its predicted siderophile nature suggests the fingerprint of a metallic reservoir. The reservoir cannot be in the core, though:

The hypothesis of a core contribution to the boron signature of Type IIb ishighly conjecturalas itrequires more than 2,000 km of vertical migrationof dense core componentswith minimal dilution of boronsignatures.

They suggest that molten iron moved into the mantle, carrying boron with it, and that the diamonds were erupted from there. (Diamonds can arrive suddenly at the surface from the mantle in rapid volcanic explosions called kimberlite eruptions.) Although they suggest some isotopic evidence for mantle reservoirs, their solution seems highly conjectural as well. Unless evidence for a self-sustaining boron cycle can be established, one might have to surmise that complex life appeared on Earth at a special time due to the limiting factor of boron availability.

The fact remains that Earths surface now seems to have plentiful boron for living organisms, even if industrial demand requires mining as much as can be found in isolated locations like California deserts and certain provinces in Turkey. In that regard, the boron budget resembles the phosphorus budget as support for Dentons prior fitness argument.

Original post:
Prior Fitness for Life: The Problem of Boron - Discovery Institute