Are pomegranates really the superfood we've been led to believe will counteract the aging process?

Up to now, scientific proof has been fairly weak. And some controversial marketing tactics have led to skepticism as well.

A team of scientists from Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale De Lausanne, or EPFL, and the company Amazentis wanted to explore the issue by taking a closer look at the secrets of this plump pink fruit.

They discovered that a molecule in pomegranates, transformed by microbes in the gut, enables muscle cells to protect themselves against one of the major causes of aging. In nematodes and rodents, the effect is nothing short of amazing.

Human clinical trials are currently under way, but these initial findings have already been published in the journal Nature Medicine.

As we age, our cells increasingly struggle to recycle their powerhouses.

Called mitochondria, these inner compartments are no longer able to carry out their vital function, thus accumulate in the cell. This degradation affects the health of many tissues, including muscles, which gradually weaken over the years.

A buildup of dysfunctional mitochondria is also suspected of playing a role in other diseases of aging, such as Parkinson's disease.

One molecule plays David against the Goliath of aging

The scientists identified a molecule that, all by itself, managed to re-establish the cell's ability to recycle the components of the defective mitochondria: urolithin A.

“It's the only known molecule that can relaunch the mitochondrial clean-up process, otherwise known as mitophagy,” said Patrick Aebischer, co-author on the study. “It's a completely natural substance, and its effect is powerful and measurable.”

The team started out by testing their hypothesis on the usual suspect: the nematode C. elegans. It's a favorite test subject among aging experts, because after just 8-10 days it's already considered elderly. The lifespan of worms exposed to urolithin A increased by more than 45% compared with the control group.

These initial encouraging results led the team to test the molecule on animals that have more in common with humans. In the rodent studies, like with C. elegans, a significant reduction in the number of mitochondria was observed, indicating that a robust cellular recycling process was taking place. Older mice, around two years of age, showed 42% better endurance while running than equally old mice in the control group.

Human testing under way

Before heading out to stock up on pomegranates, however, it's worth noting that the fruit doesn't itself contain the miracle molecule, but rather its precursor. That molecule is converted into urolithin A by the microbes that inhabit the intestine.

Because of this, the amount of urolithin A produced can vary widely, depending on the species of animal and the flora present in the gut microbiome. Some individuals don't produce any at all. If you're one of the unlucky ones, it's possible that pomegranate juice won't do you any good.

For those without the right microbes in their guts, however, the scientists are already working on a solution.

The study's co-authors founded a start-up company, Amazentis, which has developed a method to deliver finely calibrated doses of urolithin A. The company is currently conducting first clinical trials testing the molecule in humans in European hospitals.

Darwin at your service: parallel evolution makes good dinner partners According to study co-author Johan Auwerx, it would be surprising if urolithin A weren't effective in humans. “Species that are evolutionarily quite distant, such as C elegans and the rat, react to the same substance in the same way. That's a good indication that we're touching here on an essential mechanism in living organisms.”

Urolithin A's function is the product of tens of millions of years of parallel evolution between plants, bacteria and animals.

According to Chris Rinsch, co-author and CEO of Amazentis, this evolutionary process explains the molecule's effectiveness: “Precursors to urolithin A are found not only in pomegranates, but also in smaller amounts in many nuts and berries. Yet for it to be produced in our intestines, the bacteria must be able to break down what we're eating. When, via digestion, a substance is produced that is of benefit to us, natural selection favors both the bacteria involved and their host. Our objective is to follow strict clinical validations, so that everyone can benefit from the result of these millions of years of evolution.”

The EPFL scientists' approach provides a whole new palette of opportunities to fight the muscular degeneration that takes place as we age, and possibly also to counteract other effects of aging.

By helping the body to renew itself, urolithin A could well succeed where so many pharmaceutical products, most of which have tried to increase muscle mass, have failed.

Auwerx, who has also published a recent discovery about the anti-aging effects of another molecule in the journal Science, emphasizes the game-changing importance of these studies. “The nutritional approach opens up territory that traditional pharma has never explored. It's a true shift in the scientific paradigm.”

MIKE AND DAVE NEED WEDDING DATES (Rated R)

Unlike the most recent review of a family friendly animated film, this column turns sharply in the other direction with “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates,” where the “R” rating should be considered nothing short of a very hard-R.

This raunchy comedy, which deserves its adult rating for a smorgasbord of drug use, nudity, crude sexual content, profanity and general deviancy, seems modestly inspired by “Wedding Crashers,” yet taking the concept to another level.

What might be surprising is that the premise of two rowdy brothers needing “respectable” female dates for a family wedding is based on the true story of Mike and Dave Stangle posting an ad on Craigslist that goes viral and lands them on “The Wendy Williams Show.”

The screen versions of Mike and Dave are Adam Devine and Zac Efron respectively. Mike, the older sibling, is impulsive and a bit of a hothead. Dave is a little less prone to making trouble, but when paired with his brother all hell breaks loose.

Still in their 20s, Mike and Dave are New York liquor distributors who certainly don’t mind sampling their product, often to excess. This is what bothers their parents (Stephen Root and Stephanie Faracy) when the time comes for another family reunion.

The film has the promising start of any good raunchy comedy by highlighting the antics of the brothers as they invariably show up stag for a family gathering, get stinking drunk and proceed to destroy everything from wedding cakes to furniture.

With Mike and Dave’s little sister Jeanie (Sugar Lyn Beard) getting married in Hawaii, the parents stage an intervention with their unruly sons to demand that they bring nice girls as dates so that, theoretically, the wedding won’t be wrecked.

Thus begins the “audition” process as Mike and Dave go on a succession of double dates to find the right pair of girls to join them on the lure of an all-expense paid trip to the dream vacation destination of a Hawaii.

As you can imagine, the response to the online ad is overwhelming and Mike and Dave interview a strange field of candidates, from grungy girls to weird hippie chicks, paranoid girls and militant feminists, twin girls that look like guys and even girls that are guys.

But the brothers didn’t count on Tatiana (Aubrey Plaza) and Alice (Anna Kendrick). In a very deceptive manner, these two girls seek out Mike and Dave and charm their way into the winning spot as wedding dates.

Unknown to the brothers, Tatiana and Alice are pretty intense, crazy, down-on-their-luck waitresses, tough chicks who decide they need a break and transform themselves into nice, sweet, respectable-looking women.

Not until they get to Hawaii do Mike and Dave realize they have met their match with Tatiana and Alice, both of them capable of drinking anyone under the table and causing even more mischief than the Stangle siblings could imagine.

Of course, there’s a slow build-up to the coming explosion of bad behavior. For Alice, who had been recently dumped at the altar, the sudden reality of a happy wedding is too much to bear as she drowns her sorrows in booze and drugs.

The real wild card, however, is Tatiana, a tough cookie from Philadelphia who is ready to party and go on adventures. While pretending to be what she is not, Tatiana has to fend off the advances of a smitten Mike, who feels he may have found the right girl after all.

Not surprisingly, wedding plans start to go awry and the brothers are only partially at fault. Well, maybe they should take all the blame. Accidents happen with an off-road vehicle, and Jeanie finds herself looking a little worse for the wear.

Alice unwisely convinces Jeanie to relax with copious amounts of drugs and a sexually suggestive massage at the resort’s spa. One thing leads to another, and suddenly the groom Eric (Sam Richardson), a mellow dude oblivious to the goings-on, starts to have second thoughts.

Of course, Mike and Dave, though hardly far from innocent of any shenanigans, will be held accountable for any mayhem that results. And, indeed, it would be an understatement to say things get out-of-hand.

Arguably, Alice and Tatiana, going completely out of control, steal the show from the idiot brothers, and as a result, “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates” could just as easily been titled “Tatiana and Alice Go Wild.”

In any event, regardless of top billing, Dave and Alice and Mike and Tatiana create the oddball coupling of schemers and hard-charging party animals so that “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates” offers the raunchy laughs, though fitfully, to be expected from this type of comedy.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – What’s the draw with blind tasting wine?

Seems like many people are fascinated by it if past Lake County People’s Choice events are any indication. Attendees flock to the blind tasting tables for a pour and then sniff, swirl, and taste like the experts.
 
The 2016 People’s Choice Wine Tasting sponsored by the Lake County Winery Association (LCWA) is coming up on Saturday, July 30, and will feature a blind tasting and an opportunity to taste wines that were awarded gold medals in the 2016 Lake County Wine Competition before voting for the People’s Choice in both categories.

The event will be held at Moore Family Winery, 11990 Bottle Rock Road, in Kelseyville.

Offering 360 degree views of Cobb Mountain and almost 3,000 feet in elevation, this is the coolest (F°) place in Lake County on a hot July day!
 
The fun will begin with blind tasting from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Moore Family Winery Tasting Room.

This year, it will focus on Lake County Sauvignon Blanc with wines from 13 producers.

Sauvignon Blanc is the second most widely grown varietal in Lake County and one that is synonymous with the region in many consumers’ minds.

Julie Hoskins from Chic le Chef will educate tasters on the art of preparing food pairings that compliment this varietal, and offer delectable bites during the blind tasting.
 
Fourteen wineries will be pouring a selection of their gold medal winners on the back patio. Lake County olive oil producers Rosa d’Oro, Villa Barone, and Sunset Ranch will offer samples and sales of their olive oils.

Music, food, and a chance to mug for the camera will add to the fun. Take home your I Voted button plus recipes and more. Results from the voting for the People’s Choice Sauvignon Blanc and the People’s Choice Gold Medal wine will be announced during the event.
 
Tickets for the People’s Choice can be purchased online at www.lakecountywineries.org/choice .

Tasting tickets are $40 advance purchase and $45 at the door. Designated driver tickets are $10 and will include all of the fun except the wine. A special “Save 20 percent - Buy a Pair of Tasting Tickets” is available as a ticket option through July 24.
 
The Lake County Wine Awards Competition was started in 2009 as the exclusive competition for wines made with Lake County winegrapes and labeled with a Lake County appellation. During the first and second year, the competition was fashioned as a People’s Choice Wine Awards competition. The public was invited to blind taste the wines and select the winners.
 
In 2011, the Competition evolved into a professional wine-judging competition with a panel of wine judges. The 2016 Competition was held in June at Langtry Estates. Judges tasted over 125 wines, and awarded six wines with the coveted sweepstakes awards plus 16 best of class, and a total of 97 gold, silver, and bronze awards.
 
LCWA is planning a celebration of Lake County wines during September, California Wine Month. Look for Lake County wines in the new wine pavilion at the Kelseyville Pear Festival and ask for Lake County wines at your favorite restaurant during this month long celebration of the region.

December will feature the popular Give the Gift of Wine holiday events at Lake County wineries for holiday shopping including a chance to purchase tickets to the 2017 Lake County Wine Adventure. Visit www.lakecountywineries.org for the latest information on upcoming events.
 
LCWA works to promote the wines of Lake County’s high elevation region. Membership is open to wineries, winegrape growers, and individuals or businesses interested in promoting the Lake County wine industry.

For more information about upcoming events, sponsorship, or membership opportunities, call 707-357-5237 or visit www.lakecountywineries.org .

Archery with lighted arrow nocks

Question: We are bow hunters and are wondering if there are any regulations against using lighted arrow nocks?

They turn on when shot from your bow and stay on until you turn them off. They operate by a small lithium battery and will stay on for many hours if needed.

The light makes it easier to follow the path of the arrow once released and will stay on until retrieved from the animal or wherever it ends up. (Joe G., Grass Valley)

Answer: There are no prohibitions against using lighted nocks so long as they don’t emit a directional beam of light.

“Notwithstanding the general prohibition of the use of lights in Fish and Game Code section 2005, arrows or crossbow bolts with lighted nocks that do not emit a directional beam of light may be used” (California Code of Regulations, Title 14, section 354(d)).

A nock is the slotted portion at the back of the arrow that sits against the bow string and holds the arrow in place until the archer is released.

Fishing with multiple rods in Tomales Bay

Question: In ocean and/or bays, such as Tomales Bay by Lawson's Landing, is a second rod stamp required?

Is a second rod stamp required to catch California halibut with multiple rods in Tomales Bay? (John C., Roseville)

Answer: A second rod stamp is not required to fish with multiple rods in Tomales Bay. A second rod stamp only applies to inland waters defined under CCR Title 14, section 1.53.

Restrictions on gear in the ocean pertain to certain areas such as San Francisco Bay and certain species such as groundfish and salmon.

Legal to mount waterfowl to give away?

Question: I was given a few ducks and some geese by a hunter in Fresno. These ducks have tags and the hunter provided me with an affidavit stating they were gifted.

I don’t have time to mount these anymore. Can I give them away for free since I don’t have a federal permit?

Also, I have a few ducks that I mounted for myself but would now like to part with them. Can I give them away for free as well? (Christina T.)

Answer: Yes. And for the gifted ducks and geese, once you are ready to give them away to someone else, you will also need to pass along any paperwork you received with them to the person you are passing the ducks and geese along to (Code of Federal Regulations Title 50, Part 20, sections 20.36-20.40).

How to check that a fishing guide has all licenses and insurance?

Question: I’m thinking of hiring a fishing guide for a trip. How can I check to make sure he has all the necessary licenses and insurance? (Barry N.)

Answer: To see if the guide is licensed and in good standing through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), please go to www.wildlife.ca.gov/licensing/guide and click on the licensed hunting and fishing guides link. This will provide you with the names of individuals with a valid California Fishing Guide license.

The license authorizes them to guide their fishing clients for money or compensation, but will not confirm that they carry insurance or any other credentials.

Your best bet will be to ask around about their reputations at a local fishing or sporting goods store or get a referral from past clients.

You should also ask the prospective guide to show you proof that they carry insurance and/or any other credentials.

Hoop netting with a winch

Question: I have a simple question about recreational hoop netting. Can I use an electrical device like an “Ace Hauler” to aid in the retrieval of my hoop nets?

It uses an electrical motor to aid in the work. You just wrap the rope around the wheel and pull. The motor does most of the work. If this is legal, are there any restrictions on the use of such a device? (Karl P.)

Answer: There are no regulations prohibiting the use of manual winches by sportfishers to assist in pulling crab traps or hoop nets.

Use of power-driven winches is prohibited north of Point Arguello, but there is an exception for handling crab traps or nets (see CCR Title 14, section 28.70).

Carrie Wilson is a marine environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. While she cannot personally answer everyone’s questions, she will select a few to answer each week in this column. Please contact her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Drivers are urged to be aware of roadwork to take place in Clearlake on Monday, July 25.

The Clearlake Police Department said curb, gutter and sidewalk will be installed in front of Foods Etc. and the northwest corner of the Live Well clinic in the 15000 block of Lakeshore Drive.

LUCERNE, Calif. – Marymount California University’s Lakeside Campus in Lucerne is still accepting applications for the fall 2016 semester, which begins on Aug. 22.

Residents of Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma counties are encouraged to apply to finish a bachelor’s degree in psychology, business or liberal arts.

Classes offered are upper-division, degree-completion classes.

To qualify, a student must have completed their lower division classes, or the equivalent of an associate's degree.
    
Tuition for local students has been reduced substantially and is now comparable to tuition at California State Universities. 

A reduced tuition rate, classes which take place in the evenings, and a location in Lucerne, means students do not need to leave Lake County to earn a university degree.

In addition, because classes are held in the evenings, students who have jobs may take classes while working during the day.

For more information on enrolling for the fall semester, call Enrollment Coordinator Kathy Windrem at the Lucerne Campus at 310-303-7699.

Online applications can be made on the university Web site at www.marymountcalifornia.edu .

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Debra was born in Buffalo, Wyo., to Donna Watchous West and Glen West. 

She passed from this life on July 17, 2016, in St. Helena, Calif. An accomplished craftsman and her love of flipping houses was well known.

She is survived by Sally West, Heather Regan, Summer Regan-Lampert, John and Anthony Ramirez and families in Louisiana and Texas.

A celebration of her amazing life will be held at 11 a.m. Aug. 6 with a luncheon gathering at her home on Island Circle in the Keys.

For further information, please contact Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary at 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .