Tag: Veterinary Medicine

The diet-microbiome connection in inflammatory bowel disease

Much remains mysterious about the factors influencing human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but one aspect that has emerged as a key contributor is the gut microbiome, the collection of microorganisms dwelling in the intestines. Diet is known to profoundly affect this microbial community, and special diets have been used as therapies for intestinal disorders including

Taxing sweetened drinks by the amount of sugar could cut obesity and boost economic gains: New analysis finds greater health and economic benefits to taxing sugar content compared to liquid volume

Taxing sugar-sweetened beverages by the amount of sugar they contain, rather than by the liquid volume of these drinks, as several U.S. cities currently do, could produce even greater health benefits and economic gains, a team of researchers has concluded. The analysis, by researchers at New York University, Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health,

Genetic risk is associated with differences in gut microbiome

Children with a high genetic risk of developing type 1 diabetes have different gut microbiomes than children with a low risk, according to a new study from Linköping University in Sweden and the University of Florida in the US. The results published in the scientific journal Nature Communications suggest that genetic risk can shape an

Research advances to better target debilitating effects of cachexia syndrome: Cachexia research advances better target debilitating effects of cancer-related wasting syndrome

A study published in Cell Reports Aug. 6 describes the generation of a new mouse model developed at Hollings Cancer Center that could lead to a better understanding of the cachexia syndrome. This wasting condition, characterized by excessive weight loss, has one of the highest incidence in pancreatic cancer patients. Denis Guttridge, Ph.D., Hollings Cancer

New pathogens in beef and cow’s milk products

According to the DKFZ, they have been detected up to now in cow’s milk, cow’s milk products and the blood serum of healthy cattle. From the scientific findings made up to now, it seems possible that an indirect connection could be interpreted between the consumption of various foods originating from cattle and the occurrence of

Common food additive found to affect gut microbiota: Titanium dioxide nanoparticles E171 may impact human health

University of Sydney research provides new evidence that nanoparticles, which are present in many food items, may have a substantial and harmful influence on human health. The study investigated the health impacts of food additive E171 (titanium dioxide nanoparticles) which is commonly used in high quantities in foods and some medicines as a whitening agent.

Retinal prion disease study redefines role for brain cells: Microglia may benefit, not damage, photoreceptors

National Institutes of Health scientists studying the progression of inherited and infectious eye diseases that can cause blindness have found that microglia, a type of nervous system cell suspected to cause retinal damage, surprisingly had no damaging role during prion disease in mice. In contrast, the study findings indicated that microglia might delay disease progression.

Uncovering uncultivated microbes in the human gut: Human gut microbiome serves as model to demonstrate efficacy of computational tools

A tree’s growth is dependent on nutrients from the soil and water, as well as the microbes in, on, and around the roots. Similarly, a human’s health is shaped both by environmental factors and the body’s interactions with the microbiome, particularly in the gut. Genome sequences are critical for characterizing individual microbes and understanding their

Policy changes can help ease roadblocks to a healthy diet: Review examines factors that influence diet and strategies that can lead to improvement

Diet modification can be a vital step to prevent cardiovascular disease. While various biological, economical, physical, social and psychological factors influence food choices, interventions targeting these factors can lead to meaningful improvements in long-term eating habits, according to a review paper published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Research has consistently

Roles of emotional support animals examined: Beyond airlines, colleges and courts struggle to understand need, effects, researchers say

Airlines are not the only organizations grappling with the complexities surrounding emotional support animals. Colleges and courts are also questioning the need for these animals and the effects they may have on students and juries, respectively, according to research presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association. The recent, rapid rise of emotional

Tickborne diseases are likely to increase, say NIAID officials

The incidence of tickborne infections in the United States has risen significantly within the past decade. It is imperative, therefore, that public health officials and scientists build a robust understanding of pathogenesis, design improved diagnostics, and develop preventive vaccines, according to a new commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine from leading scientists at

Who got bit? By mailing in 16,000 ticks, citizen scientists help track disease exposures: Study offers new insight into potential exposure to tick-borne diseases

A bite from a disease-carrying tick can transmit a serious, potentially fatal infection, such as Lyme disease. But many ticks go unnoticed and unreported. Now, with the help of citizen scientists, ecologists at Colorado State University and Northern Arizona University are offering better insight into people’s and animals’ potential exposure to tick-borne diseases — not

Big data from world’s largest citizen science microbiome project serves food for thought: How factors such as diet, antibiotics and mental health status can influence the microbial and molecular makeup of your gut

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and collaborators have published the first major results from the American Gut Project, a crowdsourced, global citizen science effort. The project, described May 15 in mSystems, is the largest published study to date of the human microbiome — the unique microbial communities that inhabit our

Neuroscientists find first evidence animals can mentally replay past events: Discovery of episodic memory replay in rats could lead to better treatments for Alzheimer’s disease

Neuroscientists at Indiana University have reported the first evidence that non-human animals can mentally replay past events from memory. The discovery could help advance the development of new drugs to treat Alzheimer’s disease. The study, led by IU professor Jonathon Crystal, appears today in the journal Current Biology. “The reason we’re interested in animal memory