eating

Scientists ID molecular 'switch' in liver that triggers harmful effects of saturated and trans fats

...holesterol, but the molecular chain of events from eating fats to the buildup of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood were unknown. "What we have found is a missing link, a mechanism by which saturated fats and trans fats can do their dirty work," said Spiegelman, who carries out basic research on fa...

Termites feed through good vibrations

...says different termite species are known to prefer eating particular sizes of wood; certain drywood termites prefer small blocks, presumably to avoid competition. With Professor Joseph Lai and his students from the University of New South Wales at the Australian Defence Force Academy, Dr Evans investigated ...

Bacteria collection sheds light on urinary tract infections

... also commonly associated with illnesses caused by eating undercooked beef or drinking contaminated water. Without access to the large collection of bacteria strains from the Gastroenteric Disease Center, it would have been difficult for the researchers to carry out the research, according to DebRoy. The G...

Researchers reveal the infectious impact of salmon farms on wild salmon

...s greater than the fish can feed itself, literally eating the fish alive. Adult salmon can survive sea lice infection, but young salmon are much more vulnerable due to their small size. Under natural conditions, juvenile pinks and chum do not typically have to contend with sea lice because the adult salmon...

Fibril Shape Is The Basis Of Prion Strains And Cross-species Prion Infection

...ecies is still rare. "Fortunately, transmission by eating is very ineffective. There have been hundreds of thousands of bovine spongiform encephalopathy cases, for example, and lots of people exposed to tainted beef products, but very few cases of variant Creutzfeld-Jakob." He says there "must be protectiv...

Canadian youth 4th highest in international obesity study

...ng overweight decreased. "This does not mean that eating sweets in large quantities is recommended for young people," says Dr. Janssen, pointing out that the frequency of candy eating, rather than total amount consumed, was surveyed. While difficult to explain, the dietary results only underline the import...

First technology to remove prions that cause vCJD from blood launched

...ude of future cases. Variant CJD is transmitted by eating contaminated beef and may also be transmitted by a contaminated blood transfusion. Dr. Adrianno Aguzzi of the Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital of Zurich, and one of the pre-eminent prion biologists in the world says, "There have been...

Red delicious, Northern Spy apples have most antioxidants, chemists find

...ally produce more health benefits,?Tsao said. “But eating any apple is better than eating no apple at all.?/p> Elsewhere, three recent studies by researchers at Cornell University in New...

Python a 'hearty' eater

...e March 3 issue of the journal Nature, the snake's eating habits make it a prime model of cardiovascular fitness. The heart has the amazing ability to adapt to altered physiological requirements, and, according to the authors, this cold-blooded snake may provide insights into how remodeling of the heart occ...

Six million Africans face famine because of locusts, drought

...farmers have started selling livestock cheaply and eating the seed corn they should plant during next month's expected rains, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said today. "The combined effect of drought and locust attack, particularly in the more northerly distr...

Nature provides inspiration for important new adhesive

...rpose, Li had another inspiration at lunch - while eating tofu. "Soy beans, from which tofu are made, are a crop that's abundantly produced in the U.S. and has a very high content of protein," Li said. Soy protein is inexpensive and renewable, but it lacks the unique amino acid with phenolic hydroxyl group...

Research into how prions act in the brain could hold the key to defeating diseases

... This is the human disease thought to be caused by eating food contaminated with prions that is also responsible for the epidemic of BSE or 'mad cow disease' in cattle. Research has already found that the highly-infectious prions are misfolded proteins that spread rapidly in the brain and are very difficul...

Active Vaccine Prevents Mice From Developing Prion Disease

...curs spontaneously, and only rarely as a result of eating contaminated meat. "The potential use for a prion vaccine in humans is still theoretical," says Dr. Wisniewski. "But if, for example, there is ever a more significant outbreak of chronic wasting disease and if this disease were found to be transmiss...

Shark attack worries? Driving to the beach is more deadly

... about 90 worldwide - from an allergic reaction to eating peanuts. Despite several attacks in Florida recently - one that killed a 14-year-old girl - shark attacks remain very rare when you put it all into perspective, McEachran believes. "There are millions of people in the water at any given moment of t...

New HIV drug candidate developed in Sweden

... about 90 worldwide - from an allergic reaction to eating peanuts. Despite several attacks in Florida recently - one that killed a 14-year-old girl - shark attacks remain very rare when you put it all into perspective, McEachran believes. "There are millions of people in the water at any given moment of t...

Leprosy genome tells story of human migrations, French researchers report in Science

...dillos (which might have acquired the bacterium by eating infected human cadavers), and it can also grow in the footpads of mice. Cole and his international research team compared the genomes of seven strains of M. leprae taken from patients around the world and then grown in armadillos until the samples w...

Agilent Technologies introduces advanced zebrafish, mouse microarrays for stem cell and developmental biology research

... about 90 worldwide - from an allergic reaction to eating peanuts. Despite several attacks in Florida recently - one that killed a 14-year-old girl - shark attacks remain very rare when you put it all into perspective, McEachran believes. "There are millions of people in the water at any given moment of t...

Excess liver gene protects against high-fat diet

... fat in the liver can modulate the consequences of eating a high-fat, Western diet, new research published in the May issue of Cell Metabolism reveals. Mice with an excess of liver X receptor (LXRa), when fed a diet high in fat, remained free from the high cholesterol and blood vessel plaques exhibited by ...

Bacteria feed on smelly breath (and feet)

...of methylated sulphides and strains of these odour eating bacteria, including Brevibacterium and Methylobacterium, which are also part of the normal foot microbial flora. The results of this study will assist future investigation into the detection of the levels of methylotrophic bacteria and their possibl...

Bees, Brains and Addiction

...tion to this region of the brain that it can forgo eating and ultimately starve to death. The neurobiology and evolutionary basis of the brain circuitry that processes information about rewards is the focus of study by Terrence Sejnowski, a professor of biology at both the Salk Institute and UCSD. He told ...

Crisis in African fish supplies looms, experts warn Africa leaders

...s. "Their nutrition has improved because they are eating fish and they are using the income from selling excess catch to obtain medical attention, including HIV and AIDS care and medicines," he says. Says Prof. Richard Mkandawire, senior NEPAD Agriculture Advisor: "For a relatively small investment, the i...

Leptin-signaling Protein Maintains Normal Body Weight And Energy Balance In Mice

...s. "Their nutrition has improved because they are eating fish and they are using the income from selling excess catch to obtain medical attention, including HIV and AIDS care and medicines," he says. Says Prof. Richard Mkandawire, senior NEPAD Agriculture Advisor: "For a relatively small investment, the i...

Seaweed could make junk food healthier

...y head of premium lagers. Studies have shown that eating high-fibre diets can help reduce the incidence of ... and Molecular Biosciences, said: "We're just not eating enough fibre, yet we need this to keep us healthy. The problem is that a lot of people don't enjoy ...

Beauty queens urge girls not to sacrifice their bones

...ted out that certain lifestyle activities, such as eating disorders, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, can be detrimental to bone health. The "IOF Beauties and the Bones" event is part of the lead-in to World Osteoporosis Day 2005, celebrated worldwide on October 20, which this year features the t...

South Africa still debating how to tackle HIV/AIDS when 5 million are infected

... were not the only way to fight HIV/AIDS, and that eating habits were also important. After previously denying links between HIV and AIDS, the South African government began providing AIDS drugs in clinics last year. As many as five million South Africans are HIV positive, which is more than any other nati...

Nose odors and mouth odors: The brain distinguishes

...ple, they pointed out that pinching the nose while eating or drinking--which blocks airflow from the mouth through the olfactory system--blocks flavor perception. Releasing the nose restores the sense of flavor in the mouth. "The fact that the olfactory referral illusion is maintained even though the subje...

Molecular miners find pain relief drugs from the sea

...which they use to paralyse prey before killing and eating them. The venom of some cone snails is toxic to humans ?as many as 30 people are known to have died from cone snail envenomation. The cone snails that are dangerous to humans feed on fish by impaling them with a harpoon styled barb (a modified tooth...

A vaccine to kill tapeworm

... called Taenia solium. The adult form, caught from eating undercooked pork, grows only inside the human intestine, stealing nutrients from the host. This can be debilitating. But far worse is what can happen if people swallow any of the microscopic eggs shed in vast numbers in the faeces of those carrying ...

Aloe vera coating may prolong freshness, safety of fruits and vegetables

... or irritated skin, but in the future you could be eating the gel as a healthful additive to your fruits and veggies. Researchers in Spain say they have developed a gel from the tropical plant that can be used as an edible coating to prolong the quality and safety of fresh produce. The gel, which does not a...

Life-extending protein keeps blood sugar in check

...gh blood glucose levels that regularly occur after eating sweets, such as cookies or cakes," said Shin-ichiro Imai of Washington University School of Medicine. "The mice respond fast to high glucose by raising insulin levels, clearing the blood of the circulating sugar." "Under normal feeding conditions, w...

Hanging baskets of sex and death help fruit growers

...he moth lays its eggs. The larvae are killed after eating the virus on the egg or plant surface. This brings two key benefits to fruit growers: An end to spraying - Normally Growers wishing to use this form of virus warfare have to spray almost every element of an orchard to ensure the moths come into cont...

Sea Ice May Be on Increase in the Antarctic

...gh blood glucose levels that regularly occur after eating sweets, such as cookies or cakes," said Shin-ichiro Imai of Washington University School of Medicine. "The mice respond fast to high glucose by raising insulin levels, clearing the blood of the circulating sugar." "Under normal feeding conditions, w...

Global warming increases oyster sensitivity to pollution

Do you enjoy eating oysters on a hot sunny afternoon? Make the most of it ?it may not last forever. Research has shown that global warming increases the sensitivity of oysters to metal pollution, causing a deadly threat to populations in polluted areas. Dr. Gisela Lanni...

The roots of civilization trace back to ... roots

...t for a fallback food, they may well have taken to eating roots and tubers, which are much more abundant on savannahs than in rain forests. In the article, Laden and Wrangham say that the evidence lies in the fossil record, specifically teeth and jaws. The teeth and jaws of savannah dwelling apes evolved...

“Hitchhiking?Viruses as Cancer Drug Delivery System

...t for a fallback food, they may well have taken to eating roots and tubers, which are much more abundant on savannahs than in rain forests. In the article, Laden and Wrangham say that the evidence lies in the fossil record, specifically teeth and jaws. The teeth and jaws of savannah dwelling apes evolved...

Identical twins may have more differences than meet the eye

...ked to complete questionnaires about their health, eating habits, physical activity, history of prescription medication use and tobacco, alcohol and drug consumption. The researchers also drew blood samples from each participant in order to analyze and compare similarities and differences in the epigenome....

Scientists find evidence of catastrophic sand avalanches, sea level changes in Gulf of Mexico

...ked to complete questionnaires about their health, eating habits, physical activity, history of prescription medication use and tobacco, alcohol and drug consumption. The researchers also drew blood samples from each participant in order to analyze and compare similarities and differences in the epigenome....

Skull study sheds light on dinosaur diversity

...uctures, perhaps because they were specialized for eating certain types of vegetation." ...

Scientists find a maturity gene in fly

...s, fruit fly larvae wander away from food and stop eating when it's time to mature into pupae. The scientists concluded that the DHR4 gene controls the timing of metamorphosis and its initial stages by coordinating how hormones respond when a fruit fly larva has gained enough weight ?and stored enough food...

MWG Biotech expands siMAX?siRNA portfolio with new scales, lengths and design tools

...s, fruit fly larvae wander away from food and stop eating when it's time to mature into pupae. The scientists concluded that the DHR4 gene controls the timing of metamorphosis and its initial stages by coordinating how hormones respond when a fruit fly larva has gained enough weight ?and stored enough food...

Lactose intolerance linked to ancestral environment

...hea that begin about 30 minutes to two hours after eating or drinking foods containing the milk sugar lactose. The use of lactase enzyme tablets or drops or lactose-reduced milk and similar products can help the lactose intolerant digest dairy products. Sherman's study concludes that adults from Europe can...

Drugs from the deep blue

...cking it back in several times before rejecting or eating it. Some could be natural anti-fouling agents that stop a creature that does not move, like a sponge, from being overgrown with other sea life. Others might be released into the seawater as pheromones to encourage larvae to join an existing colony, o...

Hurricane aftermath: Infectious disease threats from common, not exotic, diseases

... in Gulf Coast waters and is usually contracted by eating tainted seafood. It is primarily a threat to people with weakened immune systems or liver dysfunction. The CDC has confirmed 15 infections with V. vulnificus, 3 of which were fatal. These cases have occurred in areas other than New Orleans where the...

Does manganese inhaled from the shower represent a public health threat?

...to brain injury. "Inhaling manganese, rather than eating or drinking it, is far more efficient at delivering manganese to the brain," said Spangler. "The nerve cells involved in smell are a direct pathway for toxins to enter the brain. Once inside these small nerves, manganese can travel throughout the bra...

An essential regulator of body weight revealed

...g behavior. Without these neurons, adult mice stop eating and undergo rapid weight loss. Remarkably, the ...ound that absence of these neurons only influenced eating behavior when they were removed from adult mice. If the neurons were eliminated in newborn mice, the...

UQ scientists break new ground in fight against infection & chronic disease

...r pathway is used for releasing messengers and for eating microbes," she said. "This adaptation ensures the whole immune system responds to an infection in the most efficient and rapid way possible. "In some situations, this clever time-saving device could be a life-saver." Professor Stow said the stu...

Prenatal exposure to marine toxin causes lasting damage

...soned by the potentially lethal, algal toxin after eating contaminated shellfish. The researchers saw beha...thers, said Levin. While the researchers note that eating seafood offers significant health benefits, they said their findings suggest that the current thresh...

Give thanks for the cranberry, say dental researchers

...reptococcus mutans, which creates most cavities by eating sugars and then excreting acids that cause dental decay. "Scientists believe that one of the main ways that cranberries prevent urinary tract infections is by inhibiting the adherence of pathogens on the surface of the bladder. Perhaps the same is t...

War on terror meets war on cancer

...g rapidly growing cancers and studying obesity and eating disorders. The method, known as "stable isotope ...en important in obesity research and understanding eating disorders. The greater the metabolic activity of a cell, the bigger the difference between the 'insi...

Bugs expose underground carbon traffic system 10 times more important than fossil fuel burning

...ose the key underground carbon traffic system - by eating it. The University of Warwick team worked with researchers from Aberdeen, Lancaster and Sheffield, to try and establish if plant associated fungi - arbulscar mycorrhizal (AM) fungi - found on the roots of 80% of all land plants had any role in the m...

Researchers show how air pollution can cause heart disease

...developing cardiovascular disease, into two groups eating either normal or high-fat diets. For the next six ... Though findings for increased plaque among mice eating normal diets were not statistically significant, Dr. Chen believes that future research on larger nu...

How Fruitflies Know It's Time for Lunch

...ss the gene hugin (hug), a gene linked to abnormal eating activity and expressed in only the subesophageal g...Pankratz analyzed the DNA from flies with abnormal eating behavior. One group of these flies shared a mutant klumpfuss (klu) gene, normally responsible for en...

Brainstem blocks pain to protect key behaviors

...tter cookies. Although earlier studies found that eating took precedence over pain in food-deprived animals...ate ON cells and thereby evoke a state of vigilant eating without concurrent sensory suppression." "We have known for a long time that these cells could be m...

Worms know bad food when they smell it

...trigger a wave of nausea ?and to prevent them from eating that food again. It's a response that's instantaneous, involuntary, and so fundamental to basic biology that it occurs in a broad range of species. Even worms, researchers have now shown, quickly learn to avoid smells associated with foods that have ...

Seal rookeries could provide a reliable food source for endangered California condors, study finds

... is a conservation strategy to train them to start eating dead seals and sea lions, whose populations are coming back along the California coast." Captive breeding Standing nearly 5 feet tall and boasting a nine-and-a-half-foot wingspan, the California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) is the largest bir...

Expert dispels bird flu paranoia

...uld not be concerned as the risk of infection from eating poultry products is extremely low," Dr Doneley said. "The avian influenza virus, like most other viruses and bacteria) is destroyed by adequate heating or cooking." ...

Drunken elephants: The marula fruit myth

...mpossible for elephants to become intoxicated from eating the fruit of the marula tree. "Elephants display many behavioral characteristics viewed as positive traits in humans, often causing us to identify with them in anthropomorphic ways," write Steve Morris, David Humphreys, and Dan Reynolds in a forthc...

Poison + water = hydrogen. New microbial genome shows how

...microbe to sporulate. Thus studies of this poison eating microbe may help us better understand the biology of the bacterium that causes anthrax. Building off this work, TIGR scientists are leveraging the information from the genome of this organism to study the ecology of microbes living in diverse hot sp...

Of mice, men, trees and the global carbon cycle

... serious problems maintaining body temperature and eating fast enough to keep up. Instead of a one-to-one ratio between body size and metabolic rate, as an animal's body weight quadruples, its respiration rate only triples. In contrast, when Reich and his colleagues studied 500 plants from 43 species, the...

Learning and memory stimulated by gut hormone

...n, which to some degree has been attributed to bad eating habits in the school environment, has been paralle...r too early to speculate if hormonal links between eating and learning are involved in that phenomenon." Horvath said that high ghrelin levels or administra...