New tool organizes single-cell data for health discoveries

New tool organizes single-cell data for health discoveries

A new methodology that allows for the categorization and organisation of single-cell data has been launched. It can be used to create a harmonized dataset for the study of human health and disease. Researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the University of Cambridge, EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), and collaborators developed the tool, known as … Read more

Could magic mushrooms replace oxycodone?  Ingredient found in psychedelic helps treat chronic pain by reshaping the brain, study suggests

Could magic mushrooms replace oxycodone?  Ingredient found in psychedelic helps treat chronic pain by reshaping the brain, study suggests

Rats given psilocybin became less sensitive to pain for weeks after being treated Chronic pain can reshape connections in the brain, but so can psilocybin Two of the study authors work for a company aiming to market the drug for pain READ MORE: Can magic mushrooms really cure depression? The jury is still out An injection … Read more

How dietary restrictions, including intermittent fasting, impact gut microbiota and overall human health

How dietary restrictions, including intermittent fasting, impact gut microbiota and overall human health

In a recent review published in Nutrients, researchers reviewed preclinical and clinical data to analyze gut microbial alterations in various dietary conditions. Study: The Beneficial Effects of Dietary Interventions on Gut Microbiota—An Up-to-Date Critical Review and Future Perspectives. Image Credit: LightField Studios/Shutterstock.com Background Intermittent fasting (IF), a popular dietary intervention, has been studied for its impact on … Read more

Carrot juice boosts immune response, cuts inflammation, new study reveals

Carrot juice boosts immune response, cuts inflammation, new study reveals

In a recent study published in the journal Nutrients, researchers in Denmark investigated whether consuming carrot juice, which contains bioactive compounds falcarinol (FaOH) and falcarindiol (FaDOH), influences acute inflammatory mediators and innate immune responses in human blood. Study: Carrot Juice Intake Affects the Cytokine and Chemokine Response in Human Blood after Ex Vivo Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation. … Read more

Brown seaweed emerges as a potent ally in diabetes control

Brown seaweed emerges as a potent ally in diabetes control

In a recent study published in the journal Nutrients, researchers at Seoul National University of Science and Technology conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the pros and cons of brown seaweed consumption (BSC) as a management intervention against diabetes. They collated and analyzed 23 prior publications on the topic and found that BSC is an effective … Read more

Australian study shows shift workers prioritize sleep over diet and exercise

Australian study shows shift workers prioritize sleep over diet and exercise

In a recent study published in the Journal of Activity, Sedentary and Sleep Behaviors, researchers investigated the prioritization of health behaviors amongst Australians. They used phone and online surveys to evaluate sleep, physical activity, and diet prioritization patterns among 1,684 Australian adults between the ages of 18 and 72. Their findings revealed that 49% of … Read more

Common dietary supplement could protect against chronic Cryptosporidium infections

Common dietary supplement could protect against chronic Cryptosporidium infections

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have discovered that a common dietary supplement could protect against chronic Cryptosporidium infections which are particularly prevalent in children under two and in areas with poorer sanitation. Cryptosporidium is a parasite that infects and damages the small intestine. It is one of the leading causes of diarrhoea-related deaths in … Read more

Gut microbe Lactobacillus found to bolster stress resilience, new study reveals

Gut microbe Lactobacillus found to bolster stress resilience, new study reveals

While there are trillions of microbes in the gut microbiota, they are easily affected when exposed to various environmental influences. These are reflected in the behavior of one microbe, Lactobacillus (LB), in response to mood pathology and stressors. A new study in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity extends these findings in a mouse model, … Read more

AI-powered stethoscope for home monitoring of exacerbations

AI-powered stethoscope for home monitoring of exacerbations

A recent Annals of Family Medicine study explores the use of an artificial intelligence (AI)-aided stethoscope to monitor exacerbations of asthma in adults and children remotely.  Study: Home Monitoring of Asthma Exacerbations in Children and Adults With Use of an AI-Aided Stethoscope. Image Credit: OMfotovideocontent / Shutterstock.com Background Asthma affects between 10-12% of children and generally involves chronic inflammation of … Read more

Innovative hands-on initiative enhances knowledge, preferences, and skills in seasonal vegetable preparation

Innovative hands-on initiative enhances knowledge, preferences, and skills in seasonal vegetable preparation

In a recent study published in Nutrients, researchers discuss the development, implementation, and results of a hands-on program called Cooking With Seasons for Health (CwS4H). During CwS4H, parent-child dyads were involved in sessions that included nutrition lessons, cooking lessons for children, food tasting, meal preparations, and distribution of fresh produce and food guides. Study: Cooking with … Read more