Seaweed attacks DDT

An international research team funded by the Royal Thai government has found that applying powdered seaweed to soil contaminated with the pesticide DDT can accelerate the breakdown of the contaminant. DDT was widely used from its introduction in the 1940s until it was banned in the United States in 1972.

It is still used for mosquito control in some countries where malaria is prevalent. The researchers, whose work appeared in the June 2004 issue of the Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, found that the optimal proportion of 0.5% seaweed by weight resulted in 80% of the DDT degrading within six weeks. The sodium in the seaweed loosens the soil, allowing microorganisms to reach and attack the DDT.

COPYRIGHT 2004 National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
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Brown seaweed found remarkably effective at breaking down fat cells, treating diabetes

(NaturalNews) At the 232nd American Chemical Society National Meeting held in San Francisco today, Dr. Kazuo Miyashita from Hokkaido University reported on animal studies that suggest wakame -- a brown seaweed often used to flavor Asian soups and salads -- can promote weight loss and fight diabetes.

Miyashita and colleagues theorize the compound fucoxanthin is primarily responsible for the food's beneficial effects. When laboratory rats and mice were fed wakame, it induced expression of the fat-burning protein known as UCP1. The protein builds up in fatty tissue around internal organs, and the study results suggested that when UCP1 expression is induced by fucoxanthin, it helps with the oxidation of fatty acids and production of heat energy in fat tissue mitochondria. Mitochondria are found in every cell and create energy from sugar and fatty acids, and regulate metabolism.

Wakame's anti-diabetes effect, the researchers hypothesize, is probably due to fucoxanthin's promotion of the synthesis of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) -- a fatty acid that can be found in fish oil -- in the liver. When the animals were fed fucoxanthin and soybean oil, their DHA levels reached a level comparable to that achieved by fish oil supplementation, according to the researchers.

These results, combined with previous studies by Miyashita and colleagues that found fucoxanthin can kill prostate cancer cells in culture, lead the team to propose the compound could be a great preventative agent for many diseases.

Health advocate Mike Adams is a proponent of wakame for its health benefits, and recommends Modifilan.com as a source for brown seaweed, although he receives no money or kickbacks of any kind for promoting the company or its products. "The natural medicinal effects of this ocean plant are simply astounding," Adams said. "In addition to promoting weight loss and preventing prostate cancer, this plant can treat radiation sickness, improve body mineralization, support healthy thyroid function and even block the growth of breast cancer tumors."

Seaweed Systems Announces Award of Another Contract for its DO-178B Certifiable SeaWind/178-3D Software from Rockwell Collins

Seaweed Systems announces at FI2004 the award of a major contract for its SeaWind/178B-3D product by Rockwell Collins, Cedar Rapids for use on the C-130AMP program

WOODINVILLE, WA - July 21, 2004 /Send2Press Newswire/ -- Seaweed Systems, Inc. (Seaweed), a leading developer and supplier of OpenGL® and X Window System embedded graphics solutions, today announced at Farnborough International 2004 the award of a major contract by Rockwell Collins, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The contract calls for Seaweed to deliver to Rockwell Collins its DO-178B Level A certifiable embedded graphics driver product (Seawind/178-3D).

This product is based upon a certifiable subset of the OpenGL® API and will be used by Rockwell Collins for the Tactical Multi-function Display for the C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (C-130 AMP).

The common software architecture specified for the C-130AMP program is aimed at improving interoperability and supportability across multiple sub-systems and hardware variants. This common architecture will use Wind River Systems' (Wind River) Platform for Safety Critical Systems ARINC 653 (AE653). The graphics sub- systems will make use of Seaweed's SeaWind/178-3D graphics driver ported to run under AE653. Seaweed is one of Wind River's key partners in the aerospace and defense market. The two companies have already cooperated for several years to satisfy the graphics needs of their joint customers.

"Rockwell Collins and Seaweed have developed an excellent working relationship over the past two years and we are delighted to form a part of their winning solution on this latest program. We look forward to completing the effort in conjunction with our partners at Wind River." said Robert Schulman (President, Seaweed Systems). "Cooperation at both business and working levels between Wind River and Seaweed ensures the best possible end result for our customers with the least possible risk. We look forward to delivering the solution to Rockwell Collins and enhancing our long-term working relationship with them on this and other programs."

"We are pleased to work with Seaweed in delivering a certifiable Open GL solution for C-130 AMP that supports the Wind River Platform for Safety Critical Systems - ARINC 653. This solution brings the best tools, operating system, and graphics solution to the market for DO-178B safety certifiable systems" said Steve Blackman, Wind River's Senior Director of Business Development, Aerospace and Defense. "Under the C-130 Avionics Modernization Program, Boeing will develop a modern, common avionics system for the approximately 500 C-130 transport aircraft in Air Force service".

"We are pleased to be able to offer the C-130 AMP program the benefits of our extensive background in providing open system solutions" said Brian Wiebke, Rockwell Collins Program Manager for C-130 AMP. "Application of the Seaweed Systems OpenGL® solution to the C-130 AMP allowed us to leverage the two companies' previous work to provide Boeing with a platform to quickly begin software development. Seaweed Systems continues to be a valued partner in helping Rockwell Collins meet our customers' open systems needs."

About Seaweed Systems, Inc.
Seaweed Systems provides software products and consulting services in the embedded X Window System and OpenGL® markets. Seaweed Systems' customers, which include Boeing, Lockheed Martin, BAE SYSTEMS, EADS, Rockwell Collins, Smiths Aerospace, Elbit Systems, General Dynamics, Honeywell, L-3, NASA, Northrop Grumman, Radstone Technology, Raytheon, Synergy Microsystems, DRS Technology, Ball Aerospace and IS&S, benefit from Seaweed's unmatched price, performance, feature set and implementation schedules in the real-time embedded space.

They also benefit from the strong working relationships established between Seaweed Systems and other leading COTS suppliers in this arena such as 3Dlabs, Wind River Systems and Radstone Technology. These relationships ensure that customers are provided with the most complete and advanced product solution possible for both certifiable and non-certifiable developments. Additional information is available at http://www.seaweed.com

About Wind River
Wind River is the market leader in device software optimization. Wind River enables companies to develop and run software faster, better, less expensively and more reliably. Wind River Platforms tightly integrate a rich set of market-leading operating systems, development tools and middleware with services to provide a complete foundation that meets the specific requirements of a vertical market.

Wind River's products and professional services are used in multiple markets including aerospace and defense, automotive, digital consumer, industrial, and network infrastructure. Companies from around the world turn to Wind River to create the most reliable products and to accelerate their time to market.

Founded in 1981, Wind River is headquartered in Alameda, California, with operations worldwide. To learn more, visit Wind River at http://www.windriver.com or call 1-800-872-4977.

Wind River Systems and the Wind River Systems logo are trademarks of Wind River Systems, Inc., and VxWorks is a registered trademark of Wind River Systems, Inc. All other names mentioned are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective companies.

About Rockwell Collins
Rockwell Collins (NYSE: COL) is a leader in the design, production and support of communications and aviation electronics solutions for government and commercial customers worldwide. Additional company information is available at www.rockwellcollins.com.

Article Editor: Christopher Laird Simmons