http://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. (Phys.org)—A tiny fruit fly, native to Asia, has become big trouble for raspberries, strawberries, cherries and blueberries coast to coast in the U.S. So Cornell researchers are zeroing in on ways to combat the invasive spotted wing drosophila—SWD for short. SWD is poorly understood and highly destructive. http://phys.org/news276762267.html Biology Mon, 07 Jan 2013 06:24:36 EST news276762267 As a plant geneticist with USDA's Agricultural Research Service, Mark K. Ehlenfeldt has either developed, or helped develop, a dozen new varieties of blueberries, including "Pink Lemonade." Although not a first of its kind, "Pink Lemonade" is likely America's most popular pink blueberry. It's one of several new blueberries developed by ARS scientists. http://phys.org/news266759363.html Biology Thu, 13 Sep 2012 12:49:29 EST news266759363 In evaluating the bioactive compounds of Illinois blueberry and blackberry wines, University of Illinois scientists have found compounds that inhibit enzymes responsible for carbohydrate absorption and assimilation. And that could mean a tasty way to help people with diabetes decrease their blood sugar. http://phys.org/news264688250.html Chemistry Mon, 20 Aug 2012 13:31:06 EST news264688250 The palms that Vietnamese villagers weave into hats, many varieties of lichens that depend on the pristine environment of the Great Smoky Mountains, and small, shrub-like trees that are threatened by development and deforestation in Brazil were among the scores of plant and fungus species that scientists at The New York Botanical Garden discovered and described in the course of one year. http://phys.org/news258136727.html Biology Tue, 05 Jun 2012 17:39:49 EST news258136727 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-funded studies of mammary gland development in laboratory rats fed blueberries or other foods of interest may aid breast cancer research. http://phys.org/news226662535.html Chemistry Tue, 07 Jun 2011 10:49:07 EST news226662535 The recent cool, wet conditions in Maine may delay the state’s blueberry crop for about a week, according to David Yarborough, University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s blueberry specialist and UMaine professor of horticulture. http://phys.org/news226125921.html Biology Wed, 01 Jun 2011 05:45:35 EST news226125921 Blueberries may be nutritional powerhouses, but some types are no match for the fungus Monilinia vaccinii-corymbosi, which causes "mummy berry" disease. http://phys.org/news224849305.html Biology Tue, 17 May 2011 11:08:43 EST news224849305 Familiar blueberries and their lesser-known wild relatives are safeguarded by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists and curators at America's official blueberry genebank. The plants, collected from throughout the United States and more than two dozen foreign countries, are growing at the USDA Agricultural Research Service National Clonal Germplasm Repository in Corvallis, Ore. http://phys.org/news223811612.html Biology Thu, 05 May 2011 10:53:50 EST news223811612 Blueberries may help fight atherosclerosis, also known as hardening of the arteries, according to results of a preliminary U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-funded study with laboratory mice. The research provides the first direct evidence that blueberries can help prevent harmful plaques or lesions, symptomatic of atherosclerosis, from increasing in size in arteries. http://phys.org/news204978587.html Medicine & Health Wed, 29 Sep 2010 11:42:12 EST news204978587 It is already known that blueberries are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. New research from the Lund University Faculty of Engineering in Sweden shows that blueberry fibre are important and can alleviate and protect against intestinal inflammations, such as ulcerative colitis. The protective effect is even better if the blueberries are eaten together with probiotics. http://phys.org/news184943500.html Medicine & Health Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:30:03 EST news184943500 Scientists are reporting the first evidence from human research that blueberries — one of the richest sources of healthful antioxidants and other so-called phytochemicals — improve memory. They said the study establishes a basis for comprehensive human clinical trials to determine whether blueberries really deserve their growing reputation as a memory enhancer. A report on the study appears in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. http://phys.org/news183213848.html Chemistry Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:00:33 EST news183213848 Research scientists at Nova Scotia Agricultural College have been working steadily to find effective organic methods to control weeds in cultivated blueberry crops. One resulting study, published in a recent issue of the ASHS journal HortScience, reported on the efficacy of three organic mulches used on highbush blueberry (HBB) produced under organic production practices. The research team determined that the major factor influencing weed suppression by compost mulches (for certain weed species) was likely mulch thickness and bulk density, which provide a barrier to weed growth and prevents light penetration to the soil surface. http://phys.org/news176565121.html Biology Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:00:02 EST news176565121 Juice extracted from North American lowbush blueberries, biotransformed with bacteria from the skin of the fruit, holds great promise as an anti-obesity and anti-diabetic agent. The study, published in the International Journal of Obesity, was conducted by researchers from the Université de Montréal, the Institut Armand-Frappier and the Université de Moncton who tested the effects of biotransformed juices compared to regular blueberry drinks on mice. http://phys.org/news171049181.html Medicine & Health Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:50:01 EST news171049181 A chemical found in blueberry leaves has shown a strong effect in blocking the replication of the Hepatitis C virus, opening up a new avenue for treating chronic HCV infections, which affect 200 million people worldwide and can eventually lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. http://phys.org/news168864255.html Medicine & Health Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:44:49 EST news168864255 Over the past few years, honey bee keepers have experienced problems due to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), which has hurt honey bee populations, causing some growers of fruits, nuts and vegetables to wonder how their crops will be pollinated in the future. A new study published in the Annals of the Entomological Society of America shows that wild bees, which are not affected by CCD, may serve as a pollination alternative. http://phys.org/news157125509.html Biology Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:59:01 EST news157125509 Southern highbush blueberries are emerging as an important fruit crop in Georgia, but experienced farmers say the fruit can be a challenge to grow. To determine if the blueberry shows true promise as a profitable crop, researchers at the University of Georgia recently studied the economics of these tiny berries. http://phys.org/news134053097.html Other Sciences Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:58:17 EST news134053097