Category Archives: Maine Stem Cells

Billy Hix of Motlow State Community College, the founder of the colleges STEM outreach program, gave a presentation on the total solar eclipse Thursday to Cascade Elementary School students. The upcoming total eclipse will be Monday, Aug. 21. People who miss the upcoming event will have to travel to see the next eclipse, which will move on a path from Texas to Maine in 2024. The next total eclipse taking place in the Nashville area will be 2562, he said. Here, Hix uses a flashlight to simulate a total solar eclipse. One girl, second from left, holds a ball representing Earth, while the girl to her right holds the Moon. The shadow representing the total eclipse appears on the projection screen next to the photo of a past eclipse.

T-G Photo by Jason M. Reynolds

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- With the total solar eclipse right around the cosmic corner, eye doctors are going into nagging overdrive.

They say mom was right: You can damage your eyes staring at the sun, even the slimmest sliver of it.

So it's time to rustle up special eclipse eyewear to use Aug. 21, when the U.S. has its first full solar eclipse spanning coast to coast in 99 years.

Hix talks about the proper way to use eclipse glasses.

T-G Photo by Jason M. Reynolds

"We have an opportunity to experience a spectacular natural phenomenon, and we can enjoy it with some simple protection. But if you don't use that protection, you'll be paying for it for the rest of your life," says Dr. Paul Sternberg, director of the Vanderbilt Eye Institute in Nashville, smack dab in the middle of the total eclipse path.

Don't peek

No peeking, for example, without eclipse glasses or other certified filters except during the two minutes or so when the moon completely blots out the sun, called totality. That's the only time it's safe to view the eclipse without protection. When totality is ending, then it's time to put them back on.

To be clear, totality means 100 percent of the sun is covered. That will occur only along a narrow strip stretching from Oregon, through the Midwestern plains, down to South Carolina. The rest of the U.S. gets a partial eclipse that extends into Canada and to the top of South America.

So it's important to know exactly where you are on eclipse day in relation to that path of totality, advises Dr. B. Ralph Chou, a retired professor of optometry at the University of Waterloo in Ontario who is also an astronomer and eclipse chaser. He'll be in Oregon for his 19th total solar eclipse.

"Unfortunately, when it comes to safety with a solar eclipse, 99.9 percent coverage means a 0.1 percent area of the sun that is still uncovered and is every bit as dangerous," Chou said.

For example, Boise, Idaho, will see 99 percent sun coverage; Omaha, Nebraska, 98 percent; Savannah, Georgia, 97 percent; and Memphis 94 percent. So for those cities -- and anywhere else with a partial eclipse -- you need to keep those solar specs on the whole time.

Dangerous look

What can happen when you look directly at the sun? You're essentially cooking your retina, the delicate, light-sensitive tissue deep inside the eyeball. Solar radiation can kill those cells. Hours can pass before you realize the extent of the damage.

It's known in the trade as solar blindness or solar retinopathy -- not total blindness, rather more like age-related macular degeneration, where you have trouble reading or recognizing faces, or lose those abilities altogether.

Seconds are enough for retinal sunburn. And unlike with the skin, you can't feel it. The damage can be temporary or permanent.

"It's really important to resist the urge to look even momentarily, directly in the sun because you have no real sense of time," says Dr. Christopher Quinn, president of the American Optometric Association. "What you think may be a glancing look could be a more substantial amount of time, and that can result in permanent damage."

Certified safe

Forget sunglasses. Certified eclipse glasses or hand-held viewers are a must for direct viewing. Or you can look indirectly with a pinhole projector -- homemade will do, crafted from a shoebox, or grab a kitchen colander -- that casts images of the eclipsed sun onto a screen at least 3 feet away.

When it comes to eyewear, though, the emphasis is on certified.

Worried about potentially dangerous knockoffs, NASA, the American Astronomical Society and others are urging eclipse watchers to stick with reputable makers of sun-gazing devices. The society's solar eclipse task force has put out a list of approved manufacturers.

Don't use eclipse glasses with filters that are crumpled, scratched or torn. If you can see any light besides the sun, it's time for new solar specs. Also beware if the eclipse glasses are older than 2015, when international safety standards were adopted.

Eclipse glasses can be worn directly over your prescription glasses or with contacts. As for binoculars, telescopes and cameras, high-quality solar filters are essential and must be mounted at the front end.

Age matters

Chou collected and studied 20 reports of temporary eye injuries following a 1979 total solar eclipse that included Canada. Males under age 20 were found to be particularly susceptible; they tended to ignore safety warnings, he said.

In 1999, British doctors reported 70 cases of temporary eye damage following a full solar eclipse. Most cases involved no or inadequate eye protection and many were from spots with a partial eclipse, just shy of a full one.

Chou stresses that outside the path of totality, where there's only a partial eclipse, "it's never safe to take the filters off."

-- This Associated Press series was produced in partnership with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.Billy Hix of Motlow State Community College, the founder of the college's STEM outreach program, gave a presentation on the total solar eclipse Thursday to Cascade Elementary School students. The upcoming total eclipse will be Monday, Aug. 21. Billy Hix uses a flashlight to simulate a total solar eclipse. One girl, second from left, holds a ball representing Earth, while the girl to her right holds the Moon. The shadow representing the total eclipse appears on the projection screen next to the photo of a past eclipse. BELOW: Hix talks about the proper way to use eclipse glasses.

Go here to see the original:
Keep an eye on safety - Shelbyville Times-Gazette

Fact Sheet No. 629, UMaine Extension No. 2079

Replaces Honey Bees and Blueberry Pollination Cooperative Extension Bulletin 629. Frank Drummond Professor, University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Department of Biological Sciences. April 2002

The Honey Bee

Introduction Many species of insects visit flowers in search of nectar and pollen. In return for these foods, the insects inadvertently pollinate the flowers. The major groups of insect pollinators are the bees, moths, butterflies, flies, and beetles. Some of the common minor groups of insect pollinators are ants, wasps, thrips, and true bugs. Many native insect species are important pollinators of commercial food crops, especially the bees. About 25,000 species of bees are known throughout the world, and 2,000 species are native to the U.S.

In Maine, there are more than 50 species of native bees that are associated with lowbush blueberry. However, because of the alarming decline in native bee numbers over the past several decades (due to bee habitat loss, fragmentation, and pesticide use, farmers have relied more and more on managed bees (see the blueberry fact sheets onM anagement of the Alfalfa Leafcutting Bee, # 300; and Commercial Bumble Bees, # 302) for pollination of lowbush blueberry. Honey bees are the work horses of managed bees and some estimates suggest that honey bees account for 80% of the insect pollination in agricultural crops. The use of the honey bee in lowbush blueberry has increased tremendously over the past 40 years. In 1965, almost 500 honey bee colonies were brought into Maine for lowbush blueberry pollination. By 1985 about 25,000 honey bee colonies were brought into Maine for lowbush blueberry pollination, but by the year 2000, more than 60,000 colonies were brought into Maine for pollination of this crop.

The honey bee is the common name of the bee species, Apis mellifera L. This species, native to Mediterranean Europe, Asia, and Africa, was introduced into North America about 400 years ago for honey and wax production and crop pollination. This bee is different from many of our native bees in that it is social and lives in large colonies consisting of tens of thousands of sterile female worker bees, hundreds of male reproductives (drones), and usually a single female reproductive or queen. Most native bees are solitary (where individual female adult bees nest alone in the soil or in twigs), or primitively social (where female bees of the same species may share nests or even defense of the nest). There are some native bees that are social associated with lowbush blueberry in Maine. These species are represented by the bumble bees that live in small colonies, usually less than 100 individuals with a single reproductive queen.

While some native bees are specialists that have evolved as highly efficient pollinators of only one or two species of flowering plants, most are generalists that are capable of pollinating a number of native and introduced plant species. One of the strengths of the honey bee as a pollinator is that it is a very broad generalist and so it can be used for pollination of many different food crops. Other positive attributes of this bee for pollination are that: 1) it can be easily managed in artificial hives; 2) it can be moved into and out of crop fields during and after bloom; 3) it has excellent spatial memory capabilities and this in combination with its ability to communicate the location of nectar rich floral resources among worker bees, means that large numbers of honey bees can quickly take advantage of floral resources and pollinate crops that only flower for a short period; and 4) it can learn how to manipulate and thereby pollinate complex flowers that are not accessible to many species of generalists bees (although, see discussion of honey bees and blueberry flowers below). Some of the drawbacks of honey bees are that: 1) they are defensive around their colony and may sting; 2) having evolved in warmer climates, they usually do not fly on days where the air temperature is below 50 F; and 3) being broad generalists capable of learning and communicating, they can switch from foraging on the intended crop to other more rewarding resource-rich wild flowers.

Figure 1

What do honey bees look like? You are most likely to see an adult sterile female worker bee as it comes and goes from a hive or forages for nectar or pollen on a flower. Figure 1 shows a honey bee worker and a queen (larger bee).

The worker is about 1/2 inch in length and its color ranges from light brown to dark brown to almost black (there are various races and/or subspecies of honey bees in the U.S. such as Italians, Caucasians, Carniolans, and Africans with differing pigmentation). The large eyes are usually shiny black and the thorax (where the six legs and two pairs of wings are attached) is covered with a dense mat of brown hairs. The abdomen is long and quite often characterized by alternating light and dark bands or rings. There are very few species of large brown bees in lowbush blueberry fields in Maine and so there is little chance for confusion. However, there is a syrphid fly (flower or hover fly) that is a bee mimic and is a similar size and color to the honey bee. Close inspection reveals that this fly has only one pair of wings and that the wings at rest are held in a delta pattern, unlike honey bees that hold their two pairs of wings parallel to their body.

Aggressiveness is a variable trait in the honey bee that we normally use in Maine for pollination of lowbush blueberry. The arrival of Africanized honey bees in the U.S. in 1990 means that growers and beekeepers should realize that these more aggressive bees could make their way into Maine during the pollination season. It is not considered likely that Africanized bees can survive the winters in Maine. The African subspecies was introduced into Brazil in 1956, hybridized with the gentler European races and spread rapidly throughout northern South America, Central America, and into the U.S. The Africanized bees are now established in some southern regions of the U.S. including: Texas, California, New Mexico, Arizona, Puerto Rico and St. Croix. These bees can be extremely defensive, stinging farm workers, passers-by, and livestock, especially after hives have been disturbed or managed. Growers are being warned of the potential for Africanized bees to end up in their fields and should inspect the defensive nature of all rented hives by walking around the hives (once settled in the location) and observe the bees during pollination. Any questions regarding the possibility of Africanized bees on Maine blueberry land should be forwarded to the state apiary inspector, Maine Department of Agriculture, Augusta, ME.

The Honey Bee Colony

The honey bee colony is usually composed of one queen, several thousand (5,000-75,000) workers, and several hundred drones. The wax that comprises the combs over which the bees cluster is secreted by the worker bees and comprised of adjacent six-sided cells for storing food and brood rearing. Brood refers to the immature stages of the honey bee.

Figure 2

The queen deposits a single, small, white egg in the bottom of a cell in a wax comb. She can be very fertile laying about 1,500 eggs per day. After three days, the egg hatches into a larva which is fed a mixture of pollen, nectar, and a rich protein secretion called royal jelly by worker bees for five to six days. Figure 2 shows both uncapped and capped (sealed) brood on a comb.

The cell is then sealed by the workers and the larva develops into a pupa (a non-feeding resting stage), and then develops into an adult bee. The adult sterile worker bee emerges from the cell as an adult bee 21 days after the egg is laid. Queen bees require about 16 days and drone bees about 24 days to develop to adult maturity.

Colony population buildup occurs through the reproductive efforts of a single queen and the nursing, feeding, foraging, and defensive efforts of the sterile workers. During lowbush blueberry bloom most honey bee colonies are in a phase of rapid population growth and so pollen and nectar foraging should be at a maximum (given that the colony has a strong and healthy foraging force of workers).

Swarming is a process of colony reproduction in which the colony splits. When a colony is crowded or if an old queen is failing, the workers will begin to raise a new queen. Just prior to emergence of the new adult queen, the majority of workers will issue from the hive with the old queen in search of a new location for the colony. First, this part of the colony will usually cluster in a large mass surrounding the old queen, typically, on a branch in a tree. Scout bees will leave the swarming colony and search for a protected nesting site (usually dark and dry, often a tree cavity). When scouts find a nest site they return to the swarm and direct the mass of bees and the queen to the new nest site. The part of the colony that remains in the hive will support the new queen that emerges. If one queen emerges before any other queens she will sting and kill the others so that only one queen usually heads the colony.

Workers visit flowers to collect both pollen and nectar (about 5-30% of flying honey bees are collecting pollen). Pollen is collected when it becomes entangled with the dense branched hair on the bee body. The bee combs the pollen from the body hair and packs it into pellets on specialized curved spines on the hind legs (pollen baskets) for transport to the hive. About 50-350 flowers are visited per pollen load brought back to the hive and a given bee will make between 1 and 50 pollen collecting trips per day. Pollen is necessary food (protein and lipid source) as is the honey made from nectar (carbohydrate source), for rearing brood. Pollen and honey are stored in the wax comb for the colonys use. The amount of food material collected and stored depends upon many factors, including: the available flora, colony strength, bee race or subspecies, weather, and available comb space.

Water is also essential for the welfare of the colony and is collected to dilute honey consumed by the bees and to regulate the colony temperature and humidity. On hot days colonies may be stressed and suffer if deprived of water even for only a few hours. Much energy is expended by honey bee workers when transporting food and water to the hive. A grower, using honey bees for pollination, will profit by placing the hives inside the field, but close to a water source. Colonies should be placed in a sunny location, near water (or supplied with artificial pools of water), and also placed in a location that is protected, as much as possible, from the wind since high winds reduce the frequency with which bees will leave the hive to forage.

Pollination of Lowbush Blueberry

Figure 3

The Blueberry Flower and Fruit Lowbush blueberry flowers grow in clusters on the last several inches of the stem. The white, greenish, or pink petals of the flower are united to form a tubular or bell shaped corolla, which hangs open-end downward. Ten stamens (stalks bearing the anthers containing the male germ cells or pollen) are inserted at the base of the corolla, around the style (female organ containing the female germ cells or ovules). The style extends beyond the stamens, out of the corolla and is receptive only on its tip, the stigma. Figure 3 shows a picture of a lowbush blueberry flower with petals removed to show the style and stigma (in green) and stamens surrounding style (in brown). The ovary is at the base of the style.

During the period of stigma receptivity, pollen is released through pores on the end of the anther (these unusual anthers are called poricidal and can be envisioned as a salt shaker; when the anthers are shaken or agitated by a bee they release pollen). Nectar is produced in nectaries at the base of the corolla. The amount and concentration of nectar increases from 0 to 48 hours after anthesis (onset of pollen release). Because the anthers are protected by the bell-shaped corolla and the pollen is relatively heavy and sticky, wind does not aid in the pollination process. Stigma receptivity may last five to eight days depending on the weather and clone genetics, among other factors (for instance, the plant micro-nutrient is believed to extend the period of stigma receptivity in blueberries). However, if pollination does not occur within two to three days after the flower opens, fruit set is less likely and by 7-8 days becomes improbable. As soon as fertilization occurs (fusion of pollen and ovule germ cells), the flower begins to lose its attractiveness and development of the ovary (fruit) begins.

The ovary matures into the many seeded (fertilized ovules) berry that ripens two to three months after flowering. The berry may contain as many as 65 small seeds which do not interfere with fruit palatability. The number of developing seeds per berry influences the size and rate of ripening of the fruit. More seeds result in larger and earlier maturing berries.

There is considerable variation between genetic clones, geographic regions, and between years (i.e.. weather) in the pollination of lowbush blueberry in the field. Many lowbush blueberry clones growing under favorable conditions are, typically, capable of setting up to 80-90 percent of their blossoms. Some may even reach 100 percent. However, in June there is often a drop of fruit by the plants. This June drop may range from slightly greater than 0% to 60% of the set fruit, depending upon weather and probably clone genotype. There is, however, considerable self-sterility (3-90% self-sterility reported in some studies) and some cross-sterility in lowbush blueberries (some of this might be due to clones that are completely male sterile, but some of this is due to inter-specific incompatibility). This sterility results in failure of fertilization or early abortion of fruits. There can be multiple species of Vaccinium, generally referred to as lowbush blueberry, as many as five species in some fields. In addition, in some fields, 45% of the lowbush blueberry clones produce scarce amounts of pollen. With so much self-sterility and pollen scarcity, free transfer of pollen between clones is essential to maximize fruit production. Therefore, it is critical that bees be locally abundant or be brought into fields to insure cross-pollination between clones. Since insect pollination is essential for maximum blueberry production, failure to produce good crops is frequently the result of poor pollination. The lowbush blueberry plant species diversity will be a major consideration in determining whether the additional expense of bringing in honey bees to maximize pollination is cost effective. This is discussed next.

Incompatibility Among Lowbush Blueberry Species As briefly mentioned above, some fields have many species that are commonly referred to as wild lowbush blueberries. These include, but are not limited to, the common lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium), sour top blueberry (V. myrtilloides), dryland blueberry (V. pallidium) and huckleberry (Gaylussacia buccata). It is suspected that many of these species overlap in some of their flowering times and that in general, crosses between some species do not result in fruit. For instance, it has been found that pollen from sour top can pollinate and fertilize flowers of common lowbush blueberry, but several days after fertilization the ovary aborts and the berries drop off the plant. Because sour top pollen can fertilize V. angustifolium ovules causing them to abort, these ovules are prevented from being fertilized by compatible pollen, thus lowering fruit set in a field containing these incompatible species. This fact is believed to be the root of the controversy regarding the advantages of using honey bees for pollination. Some fields show a tremendous increase in yields when honey bees are placed in blueberry fields (sometimes as great as 1,000 lbs / acre increase in yield for every hive, up to five hives per acre, added in a field), whereas other fields show little, if any, increase in yield with an increase in honey bee stocking rate. It has been shown that fields with a large proportion of sour top (about 50% of the lowbush blueberry plants) have an expected fruit set, at best, of 50% no matter how many honey bees are placed in the field. Therefore, the decision to place honey bees in a lowbush blueberry field is a complex one that starts with knowledge of the composition of lowbush blueberry species that make up a given field. Ideally, it seems that it would be most desirable to manage fields that have few blueberry species, preferably only V. angustifolium, with a high diversity of cross-fertile clones. Another important criteria in determining whether one should use honey bees for pollination is the extent of the native bee pollinator force in a field. This is discussed next.

Insect Pollination of Lowbush Blueberry Growers may fertilize, prune, control insects, diseases and weeds, irrigate, and follow other cultural practices, yet without the insect pollinators, first among which are native bees, their crops may fail. No other cultural practice will cause blueberry fruit to set if its pollination is neglected. If native bees are not in adequate abundance then management practices should be implemented to conserve and increase native bee populations (see fact sheet # 301). Until native bee populations increase in size, commercial pollinators such as honey bees (see fact sheet #224), alfalfa leaf cutting bees (see fact sheet # 300), or commercially available bumble bees (see fact sheet # 302) MUST be used.

Blueberry pollination is performed naturally by native bumble bees and solitary bees. Fifty-nine species of native bees have been observed in native lowbush blueberry fields. Bumble bees, when present, play a major role in blueberry pollination. The bumble bee works a few blossoms in one spot, then flies and works another spot, thus facilitating cross-pollination between clones. Bumble bee queens forage up to 400 yards from their nest site. Because of their size, they can shake out and distribute a large quantity of pollen from blueberry flowers. What makes bumble bees especially efficient pollinators is that they work the bloom at a very high speed (10-20 flowers / minute vs. 5-9 flowers / minute for honey bees), in addition, bumble bees are buzz pollinators (i.e.. they vibrate the flower shaking the pollen from the poricidal anthers) unlike honey bees. Bumble bees can place more than 50 pollen grains upon a lowbush blueberry stigma in a single floral visit (0-10 for a honey bee). Another characteristic of bumble bees that make them an efficient pollinator of lowbush blueberry is that they possess long tongues. This allows them to extract nectar from flowers with long corollas such as some clones of lowbush blueberry. It has been observed that honey bees will not visit all clones of lowbush blueberry. Some of the clones with long corollas and narrow corollar openings do not allow honey bees access to the nectar rewards of the flower. However, one disadvantage of the bumble bee is that only over-wintered bumble bee queens are present during the majority of the lowbush blueberry bloom period in Maine. Usually queens are not numerous, although some small blueberry fields that are not managed intensively in Maine have more than adequate populations of queen bumble bees to ensure maximum pollination

Many other native bee species are also natural pollinators of lowbush blueberries. Many of these species are solitary, but some are primitively social living in loose multi-female aggregations. Native bees nest mostly in uncultivated, sparsely vegetated, sandy soils, or they are twig nesters in a variety of shrubs that exhibit soft pith within their branches. Their flight activity is usually confined to their nests (200-800 yards of their nest). These bees are from many families and are quite diverse in size and habits, digger bees (Family: Andrenidae), sweat bees (Family: Halictidae), cellophane bees (Family: Coletidae), and mason and leafcutting bees (Family: Megachilidae). Some of the species such as Osmia atriventris, commonly called the Maine blueberry bee, is very adept at pollinating blueberry. It drums the anthers with its forelegs in order to extract pollen from the lowbush blueberry plant. Many of these species are excellent pollinators of lowbush blueberry, but may be negatively impacted by weather from year to year, parasites and diseases, and many of the common lowbush blueberry production practices (especially insecticide applications). Because of the year to year fluctuations in native bee populations, many blueberry growers use honey bee colonies for pollination in order to reduce the risk of having a year of poor pollination due to low native bee densities. In other areas, native bee numbers are never high enough for adequate levels of pollination. This is often the case in the blueberry barrens in downeast Maine.

So how does one know whether honey bees are a good management option? It is important to not only know the lowbush blueberry plant species structure in your field (discussed above), but also the native bee population strengths in your field.

Determining The Need for Honey Bees native bee densities One rule of thumb for lowbush blueberry states that independent of bee species (native bee or honey bee), at least 1.0 bee per square yard is necessary for adequate pollination (good looking fruit set). A more refined estimate of fruit set suggests that in a period of one minute, 1.0 bee per square yard of blooming lowbush blueberry when it is sunny and calm, and the air temperature is above 65 F. A slightly different estimate (percent berry set) can be derived from a predictive model that Dr. Frank Drummond developed. A knowledge of the number of bees per square yard of lowbush blueberries in bloom will provide an estimate of the average expected percent berries at harvest. This predictor is derived from typical lowbush blueberry fields in Maine. This predictor is based upon the number of honey bees and native bees (recorded separately) counted per square yard of bloom in a one minute period. In all three of the estimates of adequate pollination mentioned above, counts on at least 10 different one square yard, marked quadrants of bloom should be made throughout the field to provide a representative average (for more detail see Fact Sheet # 204). The predictor model is based upon the premise that, on average, a single native bee is 2.3 times more efficient as a pollinator than an individual honey bee (derived from field measurements). The percent berries resulting from the percent of fruits (from pollinated flowers) remaining after June Drop (PB) is a function of the number of native bees (NB) and honey bees (HB) per square yard in a minute of observation:

PB = 14.5 + (7.8 * HB) + (17.7* NB)

Using the above predictive model, if on average 3 native bees are observed per minute in a square yard of bloom, then the expected percent berries (PB) will be 67.5% or ((17.7 * 3) + 14.5). Now, if no native bees are present, and honey bees are used so that an average of 5 honey bees are observed per minute in a square yard of bloom, then the expected percent berries is 53.5% or ((7.8 * 5) + 14.5). It is important to remember that percent berries is less than percent fruit setit is the proportion of berries remaining after June drop, or those fruit that will most likely mature into a harvestable crop. Forty to sixty percent berries (PB) is an average expectancy for a non-irrigated field in a year with adequate soil moisture. If one uses the above predictor, it must be realized that this is a linear model, and so it is possible to have bee densities which will yield greater than 100% PB. If this happens, just assume the prediction to be 100%.

All of the above estimates can be used to determine whether the bee foraging force (native bee or honey bee) is adequate for pollination, given that there are no serious problems with blueberry plant species incompatibility. However, the decision to invest in commercial pollination is more complicated than it appears. First of all, evaluating the native bee densities in a particular field in one year may not be a good index of the bee densities two years from that instance when the field is in bloom again. Native bee populations can fluctuate in lowbush blueberry fields considerably from one year to the next (from 2-10 times). At this point there is no means of accurately predicting the density of native bee populations into the future. Unfortunately, honey bee contracts usually have to be made during the fall or winter before bloom and so there isnt very much lead time for instantaneous decision making. There are two possible benefits to measuring your native bee densities. The first is to assess fields in the early bloom stage immediately before honey bee hives arrive. In this case, judgments can be made regarding the relative strength of native bee populations in each field and then honey bee hives can be apportioned to each field relative to the native bee strength, putting more hives in the fields that have the lowest native bee populations. This practice is only practical if hives are not placed in fields until 20-25% bloom (the recommendation). The second use of estimating native bee populations in a particular field is to gather long-term data on the bee populations for a given field (5-10 years) to establish the risk (1 year in 10 years or 3 years out of 10 years) that poor pollination will result in the absence of honey bees. This would be a good practice in small fields that may have high native bee densities most years.

However, the final analysis of any decision regarding capital expenditures to improve pollination should be based upon what the actual percent of berries on a stem are that have resulted from pollination. This is addressed below.

How to Assess Success of Pollination There are a few ways a blueberry grower can measure the actual effectiveness of crop pollination. Inadequately pollinated blueberry fields have a flower garden appearance, but if the flowers are being pollinated and fertilized about as rapidly as they are receptive, the flowers lose their corolla soon afterward, giving the field a greenish appearance. Other signs of adequate pollination include ease of separation (popping) of the corolla when flowers are brushed by a hand, or stems laden with symmetrical fruit. The best way to go about measuring pollination success is to measure it quantitatively. Measuring yields at harvest is not always indicative of pollination success since other factors such as disease, weed, and insect pressure, and weather conditions such as temperature and rainfall may have significant effects on yield. A good method involves marking stems with embroidery thread or ribbon at loose cluster, just before bloom starts. At this stage flowers can be counted above the thread tie before they open. The stems can then be revisited a week after bloom has ended to assess fruit set (the percent of set fruit relative to the initial number of flowers). Later, by the middle of June (2-3 weeks after bloom) after June drop, the percent of remaining berries held on the plant that should mature can be estimated by counting the fruit and determining the proportion of fruit relative to the initial number of flowers. At least 30 stems, representatively taken from clones throughout a field, should be used in these estimates. In addition, knowledge of any frost damage, and insect or disease damage should be taken into account in determining whether these estimates reflect pollination or whether they might also include other factors.

If honey bees are decided upon for pollination, the grower must decide whether to raise honeybees or to rent hives from a commercial beekeeper.

What a Grower Should Expect from Colonies

The advantage of honey bees as pollinators over other commercial pollinator species is that supplies are usually adequate and affordable. While honey bees may not be the most efficient bee for lowbush blueberry pollination on an individual bee basis, the reason that they are good pollinators is that hundreds of thousands or millions of foraging workers can be brought to a field with a scarcity of bees. The economic benefits of bringing honey bees to a field can be considerable. Although hive rentals can be one of the single most expensive management practices in blueberries, it might also result in a high return. Definitive data on the cost/benefit relationship for renting hives are not available for lowbush blueberry in Maine. Grower survey data suggests that, on average, a correlation exists between honey bee hive stocking density and yield such that for every one hive per acre placed in a field, one thousand pounds of increased yield results (the data only cover the range of 1-5 hives per acre). However, we must be cautious in drawing a definitive conclusion from this data, because it may be that other influences are involved. For example, perhaps those growers that place more hives on their fields also practice more intensive pest management, fertilization, and irrigation, etc. Until we have better data available, the best practice for a grower using honey bee hives is to measure pollination success as the number of hives are increased over time. In this way each grower can find their own cost/benefit ceiling.

Raising Your Own Having your own apiary is certainly a consideration that should be contemplated. The risks are not small (bee diseases, pests, overwintering losses), however, and it takes time to become a competent beekeeper. A grower considering this option is best advised to speak to the Maine State Apiculturist and to join a local chapter of the Maine State Beekeepers Association for expert advise.

Renting Hives Renting hives during the bloom period is the most direct option for securing additional pollination, but it is also maybe the most expensive. Usually, the beekeeper provides transportation, and unloading and loading of the hives. It may or may not be your responsibility to provide bear protection (electric fencing), protection from insecticide exposure, and access to water for the bees. Having a clear written agreement is very important before entering into a commercial pollination arrangement. More information on renting honey bee hives (list of commercial pollinators) can be found in the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet #224. Whenever the renting of honey bee colonies is referred to in this fact sheet, overwintered permanent hives either from Maine or from the southern U.S. are the focus. However, in some localities, disposable pollination units (DPUs) are commercially rented for pollination. These are temporary inexpensive hive units (generally made of polystyrene) with a free or caged queen and 3-6 lbs of bees. The sole purpose of these hives is for pollination of the crop. The hives are destroyed or left to die after bloom. Flight activity has usually been found to be higher in traditional hives, thus researchers recommend that growers use two to three times as many DPUs as traditional hives per acre. In general, DPUs are not a recommended for pollination if traditional hives are available.

Figure 4

Colony Strength Considerations To ensure that a good pollination service is being received, the grower needs to know about differences in colony strength. Colony strength refers to the number of bees in the hive and the population structure of the colony (does the colony have a queen and is the colony rearing brood, necessitating workers foraging for pollen. A strong colony has a minimum of 15,000 bees in each deep section (hive body or story). When the hive is opened, bees should immediately appear to boil over and cover the tops of the frames Figure 4. Beekeepers utilize different types of equipment in migratory operations. The width of the hives generally varies from 8 to 10 frame supers or boxes. Also, some beekeepers transport colonies in one deep and one shallow super. A colony for pollinating blueberry should be housed in at least a two-story hive (preferably two deep hive bodies), containing at least 30,000 bees, and have 6 to 10 full frames of brood in all stages of development. Remember that the physical size of the hive (number of boxes) is not a good indicator of the strength of the colony. It should be stressed that an accurate assessment of the pollinating strength of the colonies cannot be made merely by counting boxes. A hive might consist of several hive bodies, but the bee cluster size inside may fill only a single hive body.Some quick indications of colony strength can be obtained by watching the flight activity of the bees at the entrance. On a bright, warm day (greater than 55 F and winds less than 15 mph), dozens of bees should be constantly coming and going at each entrance as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5

Fewer flying bees in front of some colonies may indicate that the colonies are not strong. Keep in mind that an examination of the colony inside the hive gives the best indication of its strength. To obtain a very crude ball park estimate of the foraging bee strength, count the number of bees RETURNING to the hive in 15 seconds. Then multiply this number by 0.06 (a factor that represents the proportion of an individual foraging bees makeup on a well covered comb in one minute). This product (number of returning bees in 15 seconds x 0.06) will provide a crude estimate of the number of full frames in the hive well covered with bees. So, for example, if you count 125 bees returning to the hive in 15 seconds then 125 x 0.06 = 7.5 or the estimated number of full frames well covered with bees is 7.5, a good strong colony. If the number of bees returning to the hive in 15 seconds is too high to count, then count the bees returning in 10 seconds but multiply the number of bees by 0.09 instead of 0.06.

Determining Colony Strength based upon bees on the comb The best way to determine colony strength is to look inside the hive. Use a veil and gloves when opening the hive. Better yet, have the beekeeper open the hives for your inspection. The beekeeper will be skilled and knowledgeable in handling bees with minimum disturbance.

Figure 6

An additional and important way to estimate colony strength is by estimating the number of square inches of brood. This is because the presence of uncapped brood in a hive stimulates pollen collection the prerequisite to pollination. To get an estimate of the square inches of uncapped brood, count the number of full brood frames and roughly determine the proportion of the brood that is uncapped, then multiply the total number of full brood frames first by the average proportion of uncapped brood and then multiply this product by 100. A strong colony should have 600 to 1,200 square inches of uncapped brood. A blanket of bees should be seen covering the brood. Another measure is: seven frames that are at least 60% covered with brood in all stages and 25% in the egg or younger uncapped brood stage as shown in Figure 6.

Pollination Recommendations and Practices

Evidence indicates that the grower will profit most, in terms of quantity and quality of berries produced, earliness of harvest and concentrated ripening, if the highest possible honey bee populations are maintained during flowering time. Most growers make some attempt at having honey bees near their fields. However, this supply is seldom adequate. There should be sufficient strong colonies to provide at least one foraging honey bee per square yard of field area during good bee weather (at a bare minimum). When the bee population is high, the more attractive blossoms become pollinated and the corollas fall rapidly, forcing the bees to work the less attractive blossoms. Thus, the higher the bee density, the more effective they are in pollinating blueberries.

Number of Colonies to Use The greatest benefit in blueberry pollination is obtained when there are sufficient pollinators to distribute the pollen freely, not only from anthers to stigma of self-fertile flowers, but also between self-sterile clones.

Because of the wide variety of conditions that exist in an area, the exact number of bees that a blueberry grower will need cannot be given. The number of honey bees needed depends on: 1) the number of native pollinators already in the area; 2) the number of other flowering plants that bloom at the same time as lowbush blueberry and thereby compete for the pollinating insects; 3) weather conditions during bloom period; 4) the amount of available blueberry blossoms; 5) the lowbush blueberry plant species composition within a field; and 6) the growers expectation of yield.

The following are rule of thumb recommendations for the amount of honey bees needed:

Scheduling Delivery of Colonies Try to schedule the delivery of honey bee colonies to coincide with 10-25% bloom. Early contact with the beekeeper is helpful for both parties. If the bees arrive too early they may fix upon other flowering plants outside of the field and may not switch back to blueberry once the field comes into bloom. Of course, if the bees come in to a field too late (50% bloom or later), the earlier blooming clones will not be pollinated resulting in potential yield loss.

Distribution of Colonies in the Field Honey bees usually pollinate flowers more thoroughly within 100 yards of their colonies than they do flowers at greater distances. To get the best coverage, therefore, hives should be distributed in groups throughout the field. Distribute the bees in the center of the fields as conveniently as existing field roads allow. Or, place the colonies in the field in groups 0.1 mile (approximately 500 feet) apart in all directions. If it is not desirable to place hives evenly throughout the field (hives are often clustered on pallets and so this constrains distribution of hives), then grouping hives in clusters increases the competition for blueberry bloom in areas close to the hives and forces the foraging force of bees to fly farther out into fields to collect nectar and pollen.

The following table gives the number of colonies a grower could use in each cluster to obtain uniform distribution of bees in fields that are at least 7-10 acres in size.

The natural tendency of a colony is to spread its foraging activity over the full flight range (in excess of one mile) and to forage on flowers that give up plentiful nectar and pollen rewards The grower, however, would prefer honey bees from rented colonies to forage within the confines of a specific field and on blueberry flowers exclusively. A controversial strategy often suggested for improving pollination efficiency is to rotate colonies to restrict the flight range and disrupt any established foraging pattern on flowers other than blueberry.

The premise involved in the periodic moving of colonies from field to field is that the first day or so after a colony is moved, the bees forage only near the hive and on flowers in this localized area (most likely blueberry flowers). Whenever bees are moved to a new location, they go through a period of orientation during which they get used to their new surroundings. Throughout this time, they are most effective as pollinators of the flowers nearest the hive. Once fully oriented, their foraging extends further. According to this strategy, bees should be present for three or four days during the peak of blueberry bloom then moved to later blooming fields for more efficient use of their pollinating service. The moves must be to a new field at least 3-4 miles from the old field to avoid disorientation and loss of foragers. This strategy has been tested in New Jersey on highbush blueberry and resulted in increased numbers of honey bees foraging close to the hive on blueberry immediately after the move. Whether hive rotation is practical for most growers in Maine and whether yield increases result in lowbush blueberry is not known.

Requirements for Colonies The placement of honey bee hives in blueberry fields is important to increase the success of honey bees in pollinating the crop. The following points should be adhered to when possible:

Increasing the Impact of Honey Bee Hives Various management practices directed at honey bees or at the blueberry crop may have either positive or negative effects on the ability of honey bees to efficiently pollinate the blueberry crop. A few are discussed below.

The idea of removing competing bloom is controversial and has not always been shown to improve crop yields. Recent thinking by pollination research biologists is in favor of enhancing, NOT eliminating alternate bee forage since it often results in attracting bees to an area. Alternate forage also may encourage native bees to nest near the crop. This forage may also result in the increase of native pollinator populations. This is especially true for flowering plants that flower before and after blueberry bloom. Of course this has to be balanced with crop loss due to weedy plant species.

The use of attractant sprays has been evaluated for honey bees in a variety of crops. Attractants are designed to increase bee visitation to treated crops with the goal of increasing pollination. Several attractants have been developed and marketed, but most have had a doubtful performance record. One of these attractants, Fruit Boost, is based upon a specific formulation of a synthetic form of the honey bee queen mandibular pheromone. This product has been tested in Maine lowbush blueberry and it did result in the sprayed bloom attracting more foraging honey bees than the non-sprayed bloom. However, there were no significant increases in yield or berry weights due to the Fruit Boost spray. One possible use for this attractant that has not been evaluated is to treat fields in bloom when the associated honey bees are visiting non-crop flowering plants. This tactic would be in an attempt to get the bees to switch back to foraging in blueberry bloom, but it must be evaluated by growers.

Pollen traps attach to the entrances of hives and harvest pollen from bees returning to the hive. It has been thought that pollen traps induce a pollen deficit in the colony and thus increase the proportion of bees that forage for pollen. The results of this management strategy have been inconsistent and have not been evaluated in lowbush blueberry. The use of a pollen trap for the entire bloom period may also be detrimental to brood rearing.

Increased pollen collection is also believed to occur when colonies are fed sugar syrup. This results from a rapid change in the behavior of individual foragers from collecting nectar to collecting pollen. The experiments aimed at documenting this phenomenon are also not consistent and need to be performed in lowbush blueberry fields.

Blueberry production practices with negative impacts on bee foraging and pollination are: 1) exposure of bees to irrigation and 2) exposure of bees to pesticides. Irrigation during the day may prohibit bees from foraging on flowers, irrigation water can knock bees out of the air while flying and wet flowers are not usually visited by honey bees. Irrigation during bloom should be restricted to night applications. Of the pesticides used in lowbush blueberry, the insecticides have the potential for major impacts. Insecticides act as repellents, they can disorient the bee so that it can not find its way back to the hive, and insecticides can lead to outright bee mortality or a more insidious weakening of the colony. The University of Maine Cooperative Extension Wild Blueberry Fact Sheet # 209 lists the relative honey bee toxicity of insecticides that are recommended by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension for lowbush blueberry production.

Honey bees should be removed from fields when flowering has ceased so as to avoid over-exploitation of the wild flora to the detriment of native bees.

Knowing and Understanding the Beekeeper

If growers plan to use honey bees, they should have some basic knowledge about honey bees and beekeeping. A better knowledge by the grower of the beekeepers viewpoint and some of the problems associated with the rental of bees for pollination improves communication between the grower and the beekeeper leading to better pollination service. The grower usually considers only the fee and the potential value of the bees to the crop, along with associated problems of having the beekeeper, extra vehicles, crew, and the bees in the field.

Renting Honey Bee Colonies the beekeepers view

The beekeeper usually sees the deal from an entirely different viewpoint. The advantages of renting hives to the beekeeper include:

However, the beekeeper also must consider such disadvantages as:

Some beekeepers operate their colonies in the same location year after year. Others move their colonies between states. Most beekeepers begin their move after nightfall when all the bees are in the hive. The entrance of the colonies may be closed for the period of the move or left open. The entire load is usually covered with a net to prevent the escape of bees. Most beekeepers attempt to deliver colonies at night so that the bees remain inside the hive while it is being positioned in the field.

Unfamiliarity with the area combined with poor night visibility can prove hazardous for the beekeeper. A simple, safe and fast method of distributing colonies within the field will greatly reduce the problem of delivering bees. Growers are advised to contribute in this regard by clearly marking where they want to place the colonies in the field. Providing a guide for the bee truck or a tractor and a trailer with driver to aid in distributing the colonies is usually appreciated by the beekeeper.

Renting Honey Bee Colonies the contract

Whenever you rent bee colonies for pollination service, obtain a written contract or agreement that covers at least the following points:

An example of a written contract can be found in the book, The Hive and the Honey Bee.

Bee Stings

Some growers hesitate to use honey bees for blueberry pollination because they fear being stung. Some knowledge of the bee and its venom may reduce this fear. The sting is the mechanism of defense for the colony.

Figure 7

The stinger is torn from the body of the bee after it is imbedded in the victim because the stinger has barbs on it similar to a fishing hook Figure 7. The worker bee usually dies within an hour after the stinger is lost. The queen does not lose her stinger (but she is not likely to sting), which is used only to destroy other queens and lay eggs. The drone, the male bee, has no stinger.

Bee venom is a protein that acts as an antigen in your body resulting in your bodys manufacture of specific immunoglobulin E antibodies. If you have been stung before, the bee venom reacts with the antibodies which are attached to tissue cells called mast cells. These mast cells contain numerous vesicles filled with histamine and other substances that promote inflammation, swelling, burning and itching. If you are not allergic to bee stings your bodys reaction is confined to the area of the sting. If you are hypersensitive to bee venom (allergic) or you receive a lethal dose of bee stings (about 10 bee stings per pound of body weight) a systemic reaction can occur in which large amounts of histamine are released from the mast cells and dilation of blood vessels and the constriction of your respiratory passages can result in death unless the victim receives treatment at a hospital (administration of an antihistamine or adrenaline). Hypersensitive people can be desensitized by seeing an allergist.

Preventing Honey Bee Stings There is no practical way to completely avoid bee stings while conducting normal activities on a farm, particularly where numerous colonies are involved. Some steps can be taken to reduce the possibility of being stung.

Removing the Stinger Because venom is forced into the blood stream for some minutes after the sting is received by the involuntary muscles associated with the bees poison gland which is attached to the end of the stinger. The stinger should be removed as quickly as possible. Attempting to pick the stinger out with the fingers is slow, and may press more venom out of the poison sac. Instead, scrape the stinger up and away very quickly with the edge of your thumb nail. Topical applications of the following substances, immediately after being stung, can relieve the pain and itching: raw onions, meat tenderizer (made into a paste), baking soda, ammonia, ice, vinegar, and honey. If you are allergic to bee stings carry an emergency kit, and if you are stung, seek medical attention at once.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank a friend, Vivian Butz Huryn, an experienced commercial beekeeper and queen breeder, for reviewing this fact sheet and making suggestions for its improvement.

Additional Reading

Some additional references that you might be interested in are:

Crop Pollination by Bees, by Keith S. Delaplane and Daniel F. Mayer. 2000, CABI Publishing.

Insect Pollination of Crops, by John B. Free. 1993. Academic Press.

Bees and Crop Pollination Crisis, Crossroads, Conservation, edited by Constance Stubbs and Francis Drummond. 2001, Thomas Say Publications in Entomology.

The Biology of the Honey Bee, by Mark L. Winston. 1987. Harvard University Press.

The Beekeepers Handbook, by Diana Sammataro and Alphonse Avitabile. 1998. Cornell University Press.

The Hive and the Honey Bee, edited by Joe M. Graham. 1992. Dadant & Sons.

Information in this publication is provided purely for educational purposes. No responsibility is assumed for any problems associated with the use of products or services mentioned. No endorsement of products or companies is intended, nor is criticism of unnamed products or companies implied.

2002 Published and distributed in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, by the University of Maine and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. CooperativeExtension and other agencies of the USDA provide equal opportunities in programs and employment. Call800.287.0274or TDD800.287.8957(in Maine), or207.581.3188, for information on publications andprogram offerings from University of Maine Cooperative Extension, or visitextension.umaine.edu.

The University of Maine does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, including transgender status and gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veterans status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director, Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall,207.581.1226.

Read this article:
Honey Bees and Blueberry Pollination - University of Maine

QMB Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Satellite 28-29th August 2016 Rutherford Hotel, Nelson

Programme here

Assoc Prof Alan Davidson (Auckland) - Stem Cells Assoc ProfTim Woodfield (Otago Uni- Chch) - Regen Med

Translational Regenerative Medicine: Global challenges and opportunities. Biofabrication of functional tissues for Regenerative Medicine Pluripotency, ES cells, and iPSCs Adult stem cells Disease modelling in iPSCs

Sir John Gurdon, University of Cambridge Dr Alan Davidson, University of Auckland Prof Duanqing Pei, Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health Prof Nadia Rosenthal, The Jackson Lab, Maine Prof Yinxiong Li, Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health Prof Ernst Wolvetang, University of Queensland Prof Richard Oreffo, University of Southampton, UK Assoc Prof Xuebin Yang, University of Leeds, UK Prof Justin Cooper-White, University of Queensland Prof Wayne McIlwraith, Colorado State University, US Prof Jillian Cornish, University of Auckland, NZ Assoc Prof Tim Woodfield University of Otago Christchurch, NZ

Delegates to this meeting may also be interested in the following conference: Stem Cell Society Singapore Symposium 2016 Modeling Cell Fate & Development 7 8 November 2016, Singapore

For more information about the venue arrangements or regarding conference registration contact our conference management provider Dinamics.

Contact: alastair@dinamics.co.nz Website: http://www.dinamics.co.nz

Key Dates:

Friday 15 July, 2016

Early bird registration deadline

Friday 15 July, 2016

Abstract submission deadline

Friday 22 July, 2016

Awards extended deadline

QRW Updates:

Go here to see the original:
QMB Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Satellite ...

By Lisa Williams Ackley

Staff Writer

"A (stem cell) donor drive is not just about me it's about others in my predicament it's an opportunity to throw a lifeline to someone who's in the situation I'm in." Major Gregg Sanborn, Deputy Chief of the Maine Warden Service

FRYEBURG Major Gregg Sanborn holds a special place in people's hearts in this town, as he grew up here and graduated from Fryeburg Academy, before going on to become second in command at the Maine Warden Service as deputy chief the position he holds today.

The people of this community, who have known him since before he became a career game warden, are going to do what they can now to help one of their "favorite sons."

Gregg found out last fall that he has cutaneous T-cell lymphoma an aggressive form of cancer that has him trying to beat the odds by finding, as quickly as possible, a "stem cell" match that could, literally, save his life.

Gregg and his wife, Deborah, live in Sidney, and they have a 21-year-old son, David, who will graduate this month from the University of Maine at Orono with a degree in History Education.

Gregg's parents were both educators in Fryeburg. His dad, the late Harold Sanborn, taught and coached sports for over 30 years at Fryeburg Academy, while his mother, Blanche, who still resides in Fryeburg, is a teacher retired from the Fryeburg public school system.

Gregg has also become well known to a nationwide television audience, due to his appearances on the Animal Planet's six-part reality series "North Woods Law" that began airing on March 16 of this year.

His hometown friends and the Fryeburg Academy "family" are throwing a benefit dinner and silent auction for Gregg on Saturday night, May 19, beginning at 5 p.m. at Fryeburg Academy's Wadsworth Arena on Bradley Street, the same place a stem cell donor drive will be held the next day, on Sunday, May 20, from noon to 4 p.m.

Go to the website http://www.friendsofgreg.net to make an online monetary donation, as the group's goal is $50,000. Those who want to donate may also mail them to Friends of Gregg Sanborn, c/o Norway Savings Bank, 557 Main Street, Fryeburg, Me., 04037. To volunteer at the dinner or stem cell drive, contact Ellen Benson Guilford at 207-754-3143. Becoming a stem cell donor is easy, as it only requires a screening interview and a cheek swab.

How did Gregg find out he has this life-threatening form of cancer?

"Basically, for a period of time, I had itchy spots on different parts of my body they would come and go," said Gregg. "My doctor sent me to a dermatologist who said I had adult eczema and put me on a medicinal regimen of creams and stuff, and it seemed to work, for awhile."

Gregg said he first noticed the symptoms about the time the Maine Warden Service suffered the tragic loss of one of its pilots, Daryl Gordon, who died in a plane crash in March, 2011.

"That was stressful," said Gregg of Warden Pilot Gordon's death, "and it (the symptoms) took right off. I went to specialists and got prodded, all summer. They thought it might be a type of cancer," he stated.

Saying he was tested for certain types of cancer, at that time, Gregg said, "The last day of August, they told me I'm cancer-free they said 'it looked good for what we tested you for you're cancer-free.'"

"But, in September, it didn't go away, so they started a second round of tests," Gregg stated. A Portland dermatologist then determined Gregg had cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

"For two weeks, I was down in Boston at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute," said Gregg. "My first day of chemotherapy was Nov. 2. The chemotherapy and radiation kill the bad cells, but it also kills the good cells. So, they would use the (donated) stem cells to build up my immune system and if it works, in a year's time, I'll be able to go to work and hunt and fish. If it doesn't work" his voice trails off, at this point for Gregg knows it means he will likely die, if a matching donor is not found.

"I need it (the stem-cell transplant) sooner, rather than later," he said.

Currently, Gregg has a cycle of chemotherapy where it is administered two weeks in a row and then he skips a week, he said.

He just completed 15 days of radiation treatment, as well.

Has he missed any work at the Maine Warden Service, since he was diagnosed with cancer?

"No only for (medical) appointments," said Gregg. "Part of the reason I keep working is for my own mental health. If I'm helping people through the Warden Service, I'm not worrying about my issues."

"The doctors in Boston feel my best chance and, frankly, my only chance at living to be old, is this (stem-cell transplant) procedure," said Gregg.

"The chemotherapy keeps my cancer in check," Gregg said, "but, if they keep giving it to me, it will keep killing the good cells, too."

His fellow game wardens and other law enforcement personnel held a stem-cell donor drive at the University of Maine, recently.

"I appreciate the support in my hometown," said Gregg. "They had a drive up here (at Orono) it was very successful. We had a great number of college students, wardens and law enforcement officers and family. We got 273 (swab) kits. It was a great turnout."

Yet, the seriousness of his predicament is almost too real, to Gregg. He is so used to being the one to help others, instead of the other way around.

"I really haven't caught a break," said Gregg. "I'm age 46 and I've got cancer that's not much of a break. There are also 18-year-olds with cancer. The gave me a top new chemotherapy drug that is relatively new and that they've had relatively good luck with they gave it to me, and it doesn't work all of November and December, it doesn't work. Then they put me on the chemo I'm on now and it's good to hold me in check but it's no cure."

"So, here's an opportunity to be cancer-free, in a year," said Gregg of the much hoped-for stem-cell transplant procedure. "Some may think of it as gambling, but it's really not. With this procedure, there's a good possibility I'll get to live and be old and hunt and fish and garden do the things I like to do and without it, there is no possibility of this. So, I'm going to go do it."

Always the realist, Gregg acknowledged that he has thought of all of the possibilities and has gone ahead with filling out a will and the like.

"I've taken care of things I have to, in case it doesn't go well," said Gregg. "I didn't have a will, or a family plot it's the responsible thing to do. In 30 or 40 years, I hope I'll need them."

Gregg said he is very appreciative of the stem cell donor drive being held in Fryeburg, but he said he knows it may not only help him but others, as well.

"I graduated from Fryeburg Academy, and we have a real strong alumni community. I haven't actually lived there for 25 years or so, but you maintain the connections over there I always have, and I probably always will. I certainly appreciate all of their support."

Again, thinking of others, Gregg said, "Having a (stem cell) donor drive over there (in Fryeburg) I think is a great idea. A donor drive is not just about me, it's also about others in my predicament. It's an opportunity to throw a lifeline to someone who's in the situation I'm in. If at least one matches one person matches another person with cancer even if it's not me if it helps one other cancer patient, it's worth it. Therefore, the thought of putting a stem cell donation drive together (at Fryeburg Academy) is great. These donor drives are key in keeping people alive, not only me. Europe has a better stem cell database than we do in this country. We need to work a little harder to get people on the Registry and save more cancer patients. The more people on the (Stem Cell) Registry, the better."

A doctor helped Gregg see the need to speak out

"One of my doctors at the Alfond Center in Augusta told me the wardens wanted to do a (stem cell) donor drive," Gregg explained, speaking of the donor drive recently held in Orono. "He told me, 'You've got an opportunity to get the word out, because of who you are and people recognize you from the TV series "North Woods Law".' I told him I don't want to come across like I'm trying to be self-serving, and he said, 'No, it wasn't really self-serving, because the chances there'll be a match for you in Orono are pretty slim, but pretty good it will match somebody.'"

Asked if he ever imagined just how far and wide the word would spread, Gregg replied, "It went way out there TV stations, radio, newspapers. It's a good thing, because the more people who put a swab in their mouth the better. So, anyway, I'm glad the doctor had that poignant discussion with me three weeks ago. Cancer's one of those things most people don't want to talk about. I didn't. Since I've been diagnosed, it's all around me the word comes up so, it does no good avoiding it. It's not going to go away."

"I have a wife and son I love and a job I really look forward to going to every day," said Gregg. "I've never been a gambler I've never won anything the only win I want is that one that I'm cured."

"The only thing that matters to me is that, a year from now, we do a story that I'm cancer-free, and I'm able to go trout fishing, mow the lawn and go to work," said Gregg.

View original post here:
Maine Warden needs stem cell transplant | The Bridgton News

Stem Cell Therapy

After many years of research, it now possible to provide affordable same-day stem cell therapy to dogs and cats suffering from a variety of degenerative diseases and injuries. With our Stemlogix in-clinic stem cell isolation process, our board certified veterinarians can extract fat tissue, isolate millions of regenerative stem cells and deliver them back to the patient all in about 90 minutesin just one office visit!

This quick turnaround maintains the highest cell viability and functionality which gives patients the best chance for clinical improvement. Stemlogix stem cell therapy can relieve pain, increase range of motion in joints and improve the quality of life in pets suffering from the following conditions:

Arthritis Joint pain Cartilage damage Tendon & ligament damage Hip dysplasia

Often your pet will have renewed energy and freedom of movement. Talk to your veterinarian about gradually reintroducing activity in order to prevent aggravating the condition.

Stem cells are delivered to an area of damaged tissue where they stimulate regeneration and aid in repair of the damaged tissue. In addition, the stem cells have the ability to differentiate into many different cell types such as tendon, bone, ligament and cartilage, which may further help in the repair of damaged tissue.

Your pet will undergo a simple surgical procedure to obtain a fat tissue sample either from the shoulder area or from the abdomen. The tissue sample will be processed in about an hour directly on-site at our state-of-the-art facility where highly viable & potent regenerative stem cells are obtained. The stem cells are then delivered back to your pet at the injury site and/or with an intravenous (IV) infusion.

The Stemlogix stem cells are derived from the animals own tissue and they can be injected in large concentrations in the area of injury. Because the injected cells are derived from the animals own tissue and are minimally manipulated there is almost no risk of rejection or reaction. The main goals of stem cell therapy are to provide long-term anti-inflammatory effects, slow the progression of cartilage degeneration and initiate healing of the damaged tissue. This provides pain relief within a few days to a few weeks after the injection with further improvement as healing progresses.

For more information, please visit http://www.stemlogix.com

See original here:
Stem Cell Therapy - Maine Veterinary Medical Center

Are you or a loved one interested in receiving stem cell treatment? For free information, please fill out our treatment form or email me don@repairstemcells.org and just put TREATMENT in the subject box and the MEDICAL CONDITION in the message. Autism Improved After Stem Cell Therapy A Maine boy with Autism is already seeing improvements after having to travel abroad for stem cell therapy using adult stem cells. Kenneth Kelley, age 9 of Glenburn, Maine went to Costa Rica 6 weeks ago and has seen his quality of life get better in that short time span thanks to the stem cell treatment. Adult Stem Cells From Cord Blood While in Costa Rica, Kenneth had adult stem cells derived from cord blood implanted. The doctors told Kenneth's parents that improvements usually take 2-6 months, but already after 6 weeks, the parents can see the different the stem cell treatment has made.

From the stem cell article:

"Immediately when we were in Costa Rica, he just started talking a lot more. His vocabulary is probably 20 percent more conversation. He started going up to strangers and talking to them."

The Kelley family had to go to Costa Rica for the procedure because it's not done in the United States.

Marty is happy they made the trip.

"We know this is going to work for him. And we are 100 percent confident we'll be going back to Costa Rica in January. This is what he needs and because done so well in hyperbaric oxygen chamber, we know this is going to be good for us."

Also of note: Kenneth's parents keep a Autism Blog And Matthew Faiella and his loving parents keep a fantastic stem cell autism blog too.

Here is the original post:

Maine Boy With Autism Improves After Stem Cell Treatment

Charlene Ouellet wants to clearly see her grandchildren one day, and shes willing to do whatever it takes including spending $21,000 on an experimental and controversial stem cell treatment that she hopes will improve her vision.

Its a big gamble, said her brother, Rick Ouellet, whos accompanying her from Maine to Florida for the treatment. It was now or never.

Ouellets surgery is scheduled for Aug. 23, when doctors in Margate, Florida, will extract adult stem cells from bone marrow in her hips and inject them into her eyes. Ouellet is legally blind and suffers from Usher Syndrome, a degenerative condition that causes vision and hearing loss. Ouellet said her hearing is OK thanks to effective hearing aids, but her vision is severely compromised.

The procedure is generating criticism from some scientists and bioethicists, who say that its of dubious therapeutic value, could be bankrupting desperate people and is designed to avoid federal rules that would require more government oversight. The Florida doctor performing the procedures, Dr. Jeffrey Weiss, defended the practice because he said the clinic has helped hundreds improve their vision since he saw his first patient in 2012.

The first question shouldnt be Are you charging money for this? but rather, Are the patients seeing? Weiss told the Portland Press Herald in a telephone interview. Weve only received criticism from jealous people who have never spoken to us and dont know what were doing.

Weiss said 60 percent of his 370 patients have improved vision, but he acknowledged those numbers have not been submitted for peer review by other scientists. Weiss said hes working on three research papers to be published in scholarly journals. He has previously had two individual cases of vision improvement published in medical journals.

LEGAL AND ETHICAL GRAY AREA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is hosting hearings in September in part to determine whether the stem cell procedures need to be more tightly regulated. The clinic is registered on http://www.clinicaltrials.gov the official government site for research trials but the clinical trial is not funded or officially recommended by federal health agencies. The trial is registered with the National Institutes of Health, according to the clinics website.

Bioethicists say research trials like the ones at the Florida clinic fall into a legal and ethical gray area.

Jonathan Kimmelman, associate professor of biomedical ethics at McGill University in Montreal, said he questions the 60 percent figure touted by Weiss if it hasnt been reviewed by other scientists. For all the public knows, it could just as easily be 10 percent or 1 percent, Kimmelman said.

For every patient who has been helped, there could be 100 or 1,000 who have not seen any benefits, and we dont know whether some patients are being harmed, he said. The whole setup is a way for people to be bamboozled.

Kimmelman said adult stem cells have been proven to have therapeutic value when treating leukemia, but research into using stem cells for the eyes and other diseases is in its infancy.

Ouellet, of Brunswick, said her vision has worsened significantly since she was in her late 20s.

She has tunnel vision, and her vision is so poor that she is considered legally blind. She cant drive and can only read magnified print for a short amount of time because of eye strain.

Its like youre wearing dark sunglasses indoors and theres always big smudges on the lenses, Ouellet said. By the time Im in my 70s I wont be able to see at all anymore.

Ouellet, 53, said her deteriorating condition for which there is no known cure motivated her to try the experimental treatment.

I have a lot of faith this is going to work, said Ouellet, who has two adult children and three toddler grandchildren. I have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

Ouellet, who works part time at Village Candle in Wells, said she was willing to take out a personal loan for the $21,000, but fortunately an Internet fundraising campaign is covering her costs.

NOW WAITING FOR AGENCY APPROVAL

Bioethicist Art Caplan said charging patients substantial fees for treatment is a red flag. Most legitimate clinical trials have government or private funding so that the patient doesnt pay any money.

If it cant attract funding, its really suspicious. Its a big danger sign, said Caplan, a professor of bioethics at New York University. Caplan said if patients have to pay, it contributes to the bias of the study.

Nobody is going to spend $20,000 to be part of a placebo group, Caplan said.

Caplan, who said he had no personal knowledge of Weiss Stem Cell Ophthalmology Treatment Study or SCOTS said some doctors are cashing in on the popularity of stem cells with treatments that have little proven scientific value.

There is so much hype over stem cells, Caplan said. Stem cells are not this magic bullet for everything. Its easy to persuade desperate people to try almost anything.

Weiss said that the bureaucracy of trying to acquire government funding is cumbersome, especially when the procedure is not tied to the profit motives of the pharmaceutical industry.

Meanwhile, he said he could help patients now.

We didnt really know how penicillin worked when it was first developed, but we still used it because it works, said Weiss, former chief of retinal surgery at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. Stem cells work, but we dont know exactly why.

Weiss said they are screening patients, but treating people with many different eye conditions about 50 separate eye diseases makes it difficult to conduct population studies. Weiss said hes currently working on a research paper with a small population of six to eight patients who have the same eye disease.

But Kimmelman said the fact that Weiss is treating people with so many varied eye diseases is another warning sign. The proper way to conduct a study would be to control as many variables as possible, Kimmelman said, and one variable that can be controlled is to only treat people with the same eye disease. If that works, then try different diseases.

Its like hes doing medicine entirely by individual anecdote, said Kimmelman, who is advocating for more regulation of stem cell clinics.

Kimmelman said the practice as its currently designed can fly under the radar of FDA regulations. If the stem cells were processed in any way such as through genetic modification the clinic would have to operate under much more stringent federal regulations. Kimmelman said its probably not a coincidence that clinics like SCOTS instead do minimal processing in order to be less regulated. But does that mean the minimal processing is the best way to treat patients with stem cells, or merely the most convenient, Kimmelman said.

The idea that one could simply extract cells from one part of the body and then squirt them into the eyes, and it would work, that sounds pretty outlandish, he said.

PATIENTS REPORT BETTER VISION

But some people have come forward and said Weiss clinic has improved their vision, including one Maryland woman who was profiled in a Baltimore Sun article this year.

And Jennifer Carden of San Diego said she was one of four patients who received treatment through the Stem Cell Ophthalmology Treatment Study who traveled to Washington in June to lobby Congress in favor of the treatments. Carden said she has talked with two other patients on the phone who have seen their vision improve after going to the same stem cell clinic.

Carden said she spent $20,000 with about half defrayed by fundraising and it was worth it to improve the clarity of her vision and her peripheral vision.

Am I willing to wait 10 years and my vision would just keep getting worse and worse? said Carden, who has retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease. What is your vision worth? If I could do it again, I would, but I dont have another $20,000.

Carden said some patients can be helped more by additional stem cell treatments.

Another warning sign, Kimmelman said, is that there was no research conducted by Weiss on animal models, to determine the basic safety of the procedure.

Weiss said the animal models would have had no scientific value.

Rick Ouellet, Charlenes brother, said the family is aware of the risks and the controversy.

Its very courageous for her to do this, Ouellet said.

Charlene Ouellet said shes ready for the treatment and aware that it may not work.

Im comfortable with this decision. I want to be able to see across the room, to be able to drive again, she said.

See the article here:

Brunswick woman taking gamble that stem cells will restore ...

AUTOLOGOUS Adipose Stem Cells

Stem Cell Therapy is not a new technology. As a matter of fact it has been around for more that 60 years now. The problem is most people know it as a bone marrow transplant. And well when you finish saying that people are already screaming "That's Painful". A bone marrow transplant essentially extracts stem cells from your own bone marrow and then returns them back to you. It has been used to help people suffering from conditions like Leukemia and Lymph Node Cancer.

How does it work? Stem Cells hone in on "chemokine" signals that are secreted by injury. When they arrive they alert regenerative cells to go to work and repair the damage, or grow tissue.

At birth, the human body has around 80 million active stem cells working. At age 40 we have less than 25 million active stem cells working. Therefore it takes longer for the body to heal and in some cases damage is often ignored. This is the aging or degeneration process of the body.

In 1998 a little known about Bio Tech Company discovered that there was an enormous amount of stem cells in abdominal fat, commonly referred to as Adipose fat. In fact there are about 1-2 million stem cells and regenerative cells in 1 cc of abdominal fat. Bone marrow contains less than 10% of that. The stem cells in the abdomen are in a dormant or inactive state. The challenge lay only in how to activate them.

In early 2000 the problem had been solved. A special separation process was used to isolate stem cells from abdominal fat and a perfected heliotherapy process activated the stem cells. These super-charged stem cells were now ready to go to work healing your body.

Fat Stem Cell Therapy has been used for over a decade now as therapy for a variety of medical problems as well as an alternative to painful cosmetic surgery. Fat Stem Cell Therapy can help patients suffering from medical conditions such as, Osteoarthritis, Pulmonary Disease, and Diabetes Type II, as well as some Cosmetic Procedures like Face Lifts, Breast Augmentation, and Anti-Aging.

Infinite Horizons Medical Center and its association with a leading Bio Tech company are able to deliver these high tech therapies with precision, expertise and a level of care which rivals any in the world. These painless medical procedures uses the clients' own adult stem cells to treat clients' medical problems. The procedures themselves take roughly 3.5 - 7 hours to complete.

The procedure involves extracting autologous adipose stem cells, enriching them, activating the enriched stem cells and finally returning these stem cells back into the clients' body. The procedure only requires a local anesthetic, is 100% safe, 100% effective and there is a 0% chance of rejection. For more detailed information see our procedure page.

Infinite Horizons Medical Center has put together an incredible program for clients in search of medical treatment with fat stem cell therapy for, Pulmonary Disorders, like IPF or COPD, Diabetes Type II and Osteoarthritis. It has also put together special programs with fat stem cell therapy for cosmetic procedures like Anti-Aging, Breast Augmentation and Face Lifts.

In 98% of all medical cases clients will no longer need to use any medications for their medical ailment. Clients will leave feeling energized and invigorated. Ailment symptoms will be non-existent. The full effects of fat stem cell therapy will be realized in 2-6 months.

In cosmetic cases, clients will see a visible natural change with no scarring whatsoever. Swelling and needle pin marks disappear in a few days.

There are now a few clinics in the world that offer fat stem cell therapy. The problem is that each one of them performs this therapy in one day. No pre or post medical care and absolutely no aftercare. Infinite Horizons Medical Center created a special program that introduces the client to the procedure, performs the procedure, stabilizes the patient, then educates the patient.

Your 7 or 14 Day Medical and Recovery Program Includes:

View sample schedule for 7 day enriched fat stem cell therapy package. View sample schedule 14 day enriched fat stem cell therapy package.

Our world class fully licensed medical center, with state of the art operating room, is located in Thailand. It is staffed by experts in the field. It also has 5+ Star accommodations and facilities, which await our distinguished clients. Every care has been given to ensure that our clients get the very best medical attention as well as pre and post medical care available anywhere in the world.

For more information, questions or pricing please contact Infinite Horizons. For information on admission and availability visit our admissions page.

Definitions Autologous: Derived or transferred from the same individual's body Adipose: Is fat but is usually used to refer specifically to tissue made up of mainly fat cells such as the yellow layer of fat beneath the skin in the abdomen Enriched: With Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), blood plasma with concentrated platelets and other growth factors

Treatment:Diabetes Type II Client:K.W.--U.S.A. "I was on expensive drugs which had nasty side effects. I just needed to try something different. I came across fat stem cell therapy. " -- read full testimonial

Treatment:Osteoarthritis Client:C.P.--Canada "Tennis was my game but the pain in my shoulder stopped me from playing. Today I am playing again thanks to fat stem cell therapy with PRP." -- read full testimonial

Treatment:Pulmonary Client:M.J.--U.K. "Used to suffer with Asthma. After I had the fat stem cell therapy for pulmonary diseases I never had to use the inhaler again" -- read full testimonial

Read more client testimonials

Link:
Fat Stem Cell Therapy

The Maine Center for Research in STEM Education (RiSE Center) provides an integrated approach to University-based research and professional development in science and mathematics education. The Center is a joint effort of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of Education and Human Development and College of Natural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture. The activities of the Center bring together faculty from the science and mathematics disciplines with faculty from education. With this combination of resources, the Center is reevaluating and reforming introductory level science and mathematics courses, establishing new practices for K-12 science teacher preparation, and building infrastructure with teachers, schools, and administrators through out the state.

Activities undertaken by the Center are targeted to create attractive, content-rich teacher preparation and continuing education options for mathematics and science teachers. The Center is working to develop well-qualified science and mathematics teachers for grades K-12 and to spearhead the development of coherent, developmentally appropriate curricula for mathematics and science.

You can find us by accessing the Current RiSE Parking Map

CONTACT:

Director: Susan McKay, 207-581-4678 Administrative Specialist: Leisa Preble, 207-581-4672

MAINE PHYSICAL SCIENCES PARTNERSHIP A partnership bringing together over 45 rural Maine schools, the University of Maine, three Maine non-profits with expertise in science education, and science and technology leaders at the Maine Department of Education to target the teaching and learning of physical sciences in grades 6-9 and the preparation of science teachers at the University of Maine. To find out more about this partnership, click on the link above.

MAINE ELEMENTARY SCIENCES PARTNERSHIPThe Maine Elementary Sciences Partnership (MaineESP) is an exciting expansion project of theMainePSP. Supported for three years by a $1.7M grant from the Maine Department of Educations Math Science Partnership Program, the MaineESP seeks to create an infrastructure to strengthen rural science education in grades PK-5. To find out more about this partnership, click on the link above.

Job Opportunities All professional positions are filled at this time. Please click on the Open Positions link on the right.

Visit link:
Maine Center for Research in STEM ... - University of Maine