Tag Archive for 'Metabolism'

Tardigrade observed using a confocal fluorescent microscope; the tardigrade was overexposed to 5-MF, a cysteine selective fluorescent probe, that allows for visualization of internal organs. Image credit: Smythers et al., doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295062.

Tun Formation in Tardigrades is Mediated by Reactive Oxygen Species, Study Shows

Jan 18, 2024 by News Staff

Tardigrades, commonly known as ‘water bears,’ are eight-legged microscopic invertebrates renowned for their ability to withstand extreme stressors....

Confocal micrograph of Epulopiscium viviparus. Image credit: Sannino et al., doi: 10.1073/pnas.2306160120.

Researchers Sequence Genome of Giant Symbiotic Bacterium

Dec 19, 2023 by News Staff

Giant bacteria are intriguing, underexplored biological enigmas. Many well-studied giants use abundant internal small-molecule stores and/or light to satisfy...

Delgadillo-Puga et al. show cardamom could be a healthy dietary choice, and that its consumption can help maintain lean body weight and reduce fat. Image credit: PDPics.

Cardamom Seed Consumption Increases Appetite and Reduces Fat, New Research Suggests

Aug 14, 2023 by Natali Anderson

Cardamom seed (Elettaria cardamomum) is consumed in several countries worldwide and is considered a nutraceutical spice since it exerts antioxidant, anti-inflammatory,...

The fructose survival hypothesis proposes that obesity and metabolic disorders may have developed from over-stimulation of an evolutionary-based biologic response (survival switch) that aims to protect animals in advance of crisis. Image credit: Günther.

Excessive Fructose Metabolism Explains Obesity and Epidemics of Obesity-Associated Diseases: Study

Aug 7, 2023 by News Staff

Obesity and its associated metabolic diseases have had devastating health consequences on modern society. New research from the University of Colorado...

Pecans (Carya illinoinensis) are considered a functional food due to the high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, dietary fiber and polyphenols. Image credit: Tseiu.

Pecans May Help Prevent Obesity and Reduce Inflammation, Study Shows

Aug 2, 2023 by Enrico de Lazaro

Researchers from Texas A&M University and elsewhere have assessed the biochemical, histological and molecular effects of whole pecans (Carya illinoinensis)...

A model of a Neanderthal man in modern clothing. Image credit: H. Neumann / Neanderthal Museum.

New Study Demonstrates Influence of Neanderthal DNA on Human Complex Traits

Jun 15, 2023 by News Staff

Humans whose genetic ancestors lived outside Africa have a small proportion of the genome that traces back to interbreeding events with Neanderthals. To...

Dopamine release following intragastric glucose and lipid infusions in lean participants and participants with obesity before and after weight loss. Image credit: van Galen et al., doi: 10.1038/s42255-023-00816-9.

Brain Responses to Nutrients are Severely Impaired in Humans with Obesity, Study Shows

Jun 13, 2023 by News Staff

Importantly, the impaired neuronal responses are not restored after diet-induced weight loss, according to a new study led by Amsterdam University Medical...

An illustration of an adult male woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) navigates a mountain pass in Arctic Alaska, 17,100 years ago. Image credit: James Havens / University of Alaska Museum of the North.

Woolly Mammoths Carried Highly Evolved Genes Related to Hair, Skin, Fat Metabolism, and Immunity

Apr 10, 2023 by News Staff

In new research, scientists analyzed 23 ancient genomes of woolly mammoths (Mammuthus primigenius), including one of the oldest known specimens at 700,000...

Genetically predicted, lifelong, higher plasma caffeine concentrations were associated with lower body mass index and fat mass, as well as a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Image credit: Sci.News.

Study: Higher Blood Caffeine Levels Might Reduce Body Fat and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Mar 27, 2023 by News Staff

Karolinska Institutet researcher Susanna Larsson and colleagues investigated the potential causal effects of long term plasma caffeine concentrations on...

Using an interventional study in healthy, normal-weight participants, Thanarajah et al. demonstrate that, independent of body weight gain and alterations in metabolic markers, exposure to high-fat/high-sugar food: (i) reduces preferences for low-fat food, (ii) plays a critical role in up-regulating brain responses to anticipation and consumption of highly palatable, energy-dense food, and (iii) has a generalized effect on the neuronal encoding of prediction errors in the context of associative learning and independent of food rewards. Taken together, repeated consumption of high-fat/high-sugar relative to isocaloric low-fat/low-sugar food, and in the absence of changes in body weight or metabolic state, can rewire brain circuits and thereby induce neurobehavioral adaptations. Hence, changing the food environment and reducing the availability of energy-dense high-fat/high-sugar food items is pivotal to combating the obesity pandemic. Image credit: Thanarajah et al., doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.02.015.

Daily Consumption of Sweet and Fatty Snacks Alters Our Reward Circuits: Study

Mar 23, 2023 by News Staff

Western diets rich in fat and sugar promote excess calorie intake and weight gain; however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. To close this gap, researchers...

New DNA Study Points to Importance of Balancing Selection in Human Evolution

Feb 22, 2023 by News Staff

Different genetic traits can be beneficial (for example, fending off disease) or harmful (making humans more susceptible to illness), depending on the...

Biologging float package attached to a sailfish. Image credit: Logan et al., doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-28748-0.

New Video Reveals Hunting Behavior of Solitary Sailfish

Feb 16, 2023 by News Staff

Surface-based group feeding of Indo-Pacific sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus), a highly popular species in recreational fishing worldwide, is commonly...

Drinking a beetroot juice before exercise makes the aging brain perform more efficiently. Image credit: Ken Bennett, Wake Forest University.

Study: Dietary Nitrate Supplementation Increases Muscle Force during Exercise

Jan 25, 2023 by News Staff

Supplementation of dietary nitrate — commonly found in beetroot juice — increases nitric oxide bioavailability and can enhance exercise performance....

Creative rendition of SARS-CoV-2, displaying 3D prints of virus particles (colorized red and teal/blue; the red virus surface is covered with teal/blue spike proteins that enable the virus to enter and infect human cells), and a background image that is a colorized scanning electron micrograph of a cell (blue) infected with the Omicron strain of the virus (red). Image credit: NIAID.

Researchers Explore Relationship between COVID-19 and Fatty Liver Disease

Dec 12, 2022 by News Staff

Scientists led by the Storr Liver Centre at the University of Sydney’s Westmead Institute for Medical Research have identified a gene — called...

Ahmed et al. showed that oral honey intake reduced fasting glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-C, fasting triglycerides, and ALT and increased HDL-C, IL-6, and TNF-α. Image credit: Fancycrave1.

Honey Consumption Improves Blood Sugar and Cholesterol Levels, Study Suggests

Nov 17, 2022 by Natali Anderson

Honey, especially robinia (also known as acacia honey, a honey from false acacia or black locust trees), clover, and unprocessed raw honey, may improve...

A digital illustration inspired by methane-eating archaea and the Borgs that assimilate them. Image credit: Jenny Nuss / Berkeley Lab.

Researchers Discover Enigmatic Genetic Elements: Methane-Eating ‘Borgs’

Oct 20, 2022 by News Staff

Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have discovered the unusual DNA structures within Methanoperedens — a group of archaea that...

Yang et al. provide new insights into the mechanisms by which blue light interferes with vital metabolic pathways that are conserved between fly and human cells. Image credit: Pexels.

Excessive Blue Light Leads to Accelerated Aging in Fruit Flies, Research Finds

Aug 31, 2022 by News Staff

Blue light is becoming increasingly prevalent in artificial illumination, raising concerns about its potential health hazard to humans. In a new study,...

Grape consumption reduces fatty liver, extends lifespan, alters gene expression in the brain, changes metabolism, and has positive effects on behavior and cognition. Image credit: Nicky Pe.

Addition of Grapes to Diet Improves Health and Lifespan, New Studies Suggest

Aug 11, 2022 by News Staff

Grapes contain polyphenols and flavonoids that are known for their antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. Grape consumption reduces fatty liver,...

Hodges et al. found that consuming green tea extract for four weeks can reduce blood sugar levels and improve gut health by lowering inflammation and decreasing gut permeability. Image credit: Sci-News.com.

Green Tea Extract Consumption May Help Reduce Blood Sugar Levels, Improve Gut Health

Jul 26, 2022 by News Staff

Dietary interventions with catechin-rich green tea extract confections in healthy adults and persons with with metabolic syndrome decreased fasting glucose...

A mammaliamorph breathing out hot hair in a frigid night, hinting at endothermy. Image credit: Luzia Soares.

Warm-Bloodedness Appeared in Mammalian Ancestors 233 Million Years Ago, Study Suggests

Jul 22, 2022 by News Staff

Among modern animals, only mammals and birds are warm-blooded, and the ability to keep ourselves warm has enabled mammals to survive in icy weather and...

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