Researchers from Edith Cowan University and University of Manitoba have developed a groundbreaking machine learning algorithm that can efficiently analyze bone density scans for hidden health risks. The innovative technology can detect abdominal aortic calcification, a critical marker for heart disease, strokes, and potential falls, in less than a minute. By examining routine bone scans, the algorithm provides insights into cardiovascular health that would typically go unnoticed during standard screenings. This breakthrough could significantly improve early diagnosis and preventive care for millions of older adults, particularly women who are often under-screened for cardiovascular conditions.
April 30, 2025
New machine algorithm can identify heart, fracture risks with routine bone scans
"Women are recognised as
being under-screened and under-treated for cardiovascular disease" -
Cassandra Smith, ECU Research Fellow
Australian and Canadian
researchers have developed a cutting-edge machine learning algorithm capable of
rapidly identifying heart disease and fracture risks using routine bone density
scans.
Key Points
1
Machine learning algorithm rapidly identifies heart disease risks
2
Detects abdominal aortic calcification in under one minute
3
58% of older women show moderate to high cardiovascular risk
4
Predicts fall and fracture likelihood more accurately than traditional methods
The innovation, developed by
researchers from Australia's Edith Cowan University (ECU) in conjunction with
Canada's University of Manitoba, could pave the way for more comprehensive and
earlier diagnoses during routine osteoporosis screenings, improving outcomes
for millions of older adults, Xinhua news agency reported.
The automated system analyses
vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) images to detect abdominal aortic
calcification (AAC) -- a key marker linked to heart attacks, strokes, and
falls.
Traditionally, assessing AAC
requires around five to six minutes per image by a trained expert. The new
algorithm slashes that time to under a minute for thousands of images, making
large-scale screening far more efficient, it said.
About 58 per cent of older women
undergoing routine bone scans showed moderate to high levels of AAC, many of
them unaware of the elevated cardiovascular risk, ECU research fellow Cassandra
Smith said.
"Women are recognised as
being under-screened and under-treated for cardiovascular disease," Smith
said.
"People who have AAC don't
present any symptoms, and without doing specific screening for AAC, this
prognosis would often go unnoticed. By applying this algorithm during bone
density scans, women have a much better chance of a diagnosis," Smith
added.
Further research by ECU's Marc
Sim revealed that AAC is not only a cardiovascular risk indicator but also a
strong predictor of falls and fractures. In fact, AAC outperformed traditional
fall risk factors like bone mineral density and past fall history.
"The higher the
calcification in your arteries, the higher the risk of falls and
fractures," Sim said, adding clinicians typically overlook vascular health
in fall assessments, and this algorithm changes that.
"Our analysis uncovered that
AAC was a very strong contributor to fall risks and was actually more
significant than other factors that are clinically identified as fall risk
factors."
Sim said that the new machine
algorithm, when applied to bone density scans, could give clinicians more
information about the vascular health of patients, which is an under-recognised
risk factor for falls and fractures.
Air pollution exposure raises brain stroke risk in older adults: Study
A groundbreaking study by Chinese researchers reveals significant health risks for older men exposed to air pollution. The research highlights how PM2.5 can dramatically increase stroke risk by damaging cerebral blood vessels. Elderly males appear to be particularly vulnerable to these environmental health challenges. The findings underscore the urgent need for targeted public health interventions and stricter environmental regulations.
"This suggests the need for
gender-specific interventions and policies" - Shandong First Medical
University Researchers
Older adults are at significant
risk of brain stroke due to prolonged exposure to air pollution, according to a
study led by Chinese researchers.
Key Points
1
Elderly males disproportionately affected by air pollution stroke risk
2
PM2.5 contributes to cerebral vessel damage
3
Study tracks ischemic stroke trends from 1990-2036
4
Decline in stroke rates slower for men
The
study showed that elderly males are disproportionately affected by ischemic
stroke related to air pollution. Ischemic stroke is a condition resulting from
reduced blood supply to specific areas of the brain due to blocked blood
vessels. The primary contributor to this burden is PM2.5 from air pollution.
Researchers from the Shandong
First Medical University evaluated the burden of ischemic stroke attributable
to air pollution in China from 1990 to 2021. They also examined gender and
age-specific differences and projected future disease burden trends from 2022
to 2036.
The results, published in the
journal BMC Public Health, observed a decline in both age-standardised
mortality rates (ASMR) and age-standardised disability-adjusted life years
(DALY) rates for ischemic stroke attributed to air pollution.
However, the decline was slower
among men than women, with a higher burden observed in elderly males.
"This suggests the need for
gender-specific interventions and policies that target male populations, particularly
the elderly, to reduce their exposure to air pollution and its adverse health
effects," said the researchers.
Previous studies suggest that
both brief and prolonged exposure to air pollution can heighten the risk of
ischemic stroke.
The underlying mechanism may
involve environmental PM2.5 exposure contributing to the formation of
atherosclerosis, which affects both small cerebral vessels and large arteries,
thereby increasing the risk of ischemic stroke.
The study suggested effective
measures and policies to improve air quality and simultaneously enhance public
awareness of the health risks associated with air pollution, particularly for
vulnerable groups such as elderly men.
"Government actions could include stricter regulations on industrial emissions, promoting the use of clean energy, and increasing public health campaigns to educate people about the risks of air pollution and the importance of protective behaviours," said the researchers.
No scientific evidence to prove urine therapy can treat any disease: Experts
Bollywood actor Paresh Rawal's recent claims about urine therapy have been strongly criticized by medical experts. Leading oncologists and healthcare professionals have unanimously declared that drinking urine offers no proven medical benefits and can potentially cause serious health risks. Experts emphasize the importance of evidence-based medicine and warn the public against following unverified health remedies. The scientific community stresses that recovery depends on proper medical care, nutrition, and rest, not unconventional treatments.
"It's important to rely on
facts and real science, not on myths or shortcuts" - Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan
There is no scientific evidence
to prove that urine therapy can treat any disease, said health experts on
Tuesday, after Bollywood actor Paresh Rawal vouched for its benefits for his
knee injury.
Key Points
1
Experts find no scientific evidence supporting urine therapy
2
Medical professionals warn against dangerous health misinformation
3
Drinking urine can introduce harmful bacteria and toxins
In a recent media interview, the
veteran actor claimed that he "sipped his urine like a beer first thing in
the morning" to heal his injured knee.
"I did for 15 days and when
the X-ray reports came in, the doctor was surprised," Rawal said.
"As an oncologist, I must
emphasise that while anecdotal experiences like Paresh Rawal's are fascinating,
they should not be mistaken for medical advice. There is no scientific evidence
supporting urine therapy as a treatment for any diseases whether
musculoskeletal injuries or cancer," Dr. Abhishek Shankar, Assistant
Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, Dr BR Ambedkar Institute Rotary
Cancer Hospital at AIIMS, Delhi, told IANS.
"Even with all the
scientific progress and easy access to good healthcare information, it is
unfortunate that some people still look for shortcuts and try to promote them.
Drinking urine does not cure any health problems. This myth has been proven
wrong many times," added Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, Convener, Research Cell,
Kerala State IMA.
Urine therapy, also known as
Urophagia, is the practice of drinking urine
In Ayurveda, urine was used to
treat asthma, allergies, indigestion, wrinkles and even cancer.
However, the claims are based on
anecdotes or ancient texts and have no robust scientific evidence to support
the benefits.
On the other hand, there is
evidence to show that drinking urine has several health risks, said Shankar.
Many studies showed that urine
contains bacteria, which if ingested could be harmful. It can also introduce
toxins into the gut and potentially cause further illnesses like stomach
infections. Further, because urine is a diuretic, it may also increase a
person's risk of dehydration.
Rawal is not the only one to
claim the benefits of urine therapy. The list also includes British TV star Ben
Grylls and Mexican boxer Juan Manuel Marquez.
"There is no credible
scientific evidence that supports this type of therapy for any benefit
whatsoever, urine is actually body based that contains a lot of waste materials
which the kidneys filter, and reintroducing it into the body can cause a lot of
side effects like infection, electrolytic balance or delayed appropriate
medical care," Dr Charudatt Vaity, a Mumbai-based intensivist told IANS.
The experts noted that recovery
from injuries depends on several factors like rest, nutrition, and appropriate
medical care. They cautioned the public to rely on evidence-based medicine
rather than unverified home remedies.
"It's important to rely on
facts and real science, not on myths or shortcuts," Jayadevan told IANS.
Novel CAR-T therapy shows promise against hard-to-treat cancer
A groundbreaking CAR-T cell therapy has emerged as a potential game-changer for patients with hard-to-treat lymphomas. The innovative treatment, developed by Brazilian researchers, demonstrated a remarkable 100% overall response rate in a Phase I clinical trial. Targeting the CD30 protein, the therapy showed exceptional efficacy, with half of the patients experiencing complete remission and long-term cell persistence. These results offer renewed hope for patients with refractory lymphomas who have exhausted traditional treatment options.
"The most remarkable aspect
is the 100 per cent overall response rate" - Dr. Javier Briones, Sant Pau
Research Institute
A team of Brazilian researchers
has developed an innovative CAR-T cell therapy that showed positive results in
patients with a refractory type of lymphoma -- cancer in lymph nodes, spleen,
and bone marrow.
Key Points
1
Innovative CAR-T therapy targets CD30+ lymphoma with unprecedented response
2
50% of patients achieve complete disease remission
3
Therapy demonstrates long-lasting T-cell persistence
4
Phase I trial shows promising results without major toxicities
HSP-CAR30 is the first European
CAR-T30 study to successfully complete its initial phase.
The results of the Phase I trial,
published in the journal Blood, trial revealed that the new therapy which
targets the CD30 protein has shown high efficacy in patients with refractory
CD30+ lymphoma.
The therapy also promotes the
expansion of memory T cells, leading to long-lasting responses and improved
clinical outcomes in treated patients.
"The most remarkable aspect
is the 100 per cent overall response rate, which is extremely rare in patients
who have undergone multiple lines of treatment. Additionally, 50 per cent of
patients achieved complete remission, meaning the disease was undetectable in
imaging studies and clinical analyses," said Dr. Javier Briones, Head of
the Hematological Oncology at the Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau).
About 60 per cent of patients who
achieved a complete response remained in remission with no signs of relapse
after a median follow-up of 34 months.
"This is crucial," Briones
said, "because it indicates that the persistence of CAR-T cells in the
body has a real and lasting impact on the disease, which is precisely what we
aim for with this type of therapy."
While CAR-T cell therapies have
emerged as a promising alternative for treating B-cell leukemias and lymphomas,
their application to CD30+ lymphomas has been limited due to the lack of
persistence of modified cells and the high relapse rate among patients.
The Phase I trial involved 10
patients with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma or CD30+ T-cell
lymphoma, yielding highly positive results.
No dose-limiting toxicities were
detected.
One of the most significant
findings of the study was the high in vivo persistence of CAR30+ cells, which
remained detectable in 60 per cent of evaluable patients one year after
infusion.
Chemicals in food containers, medical equipment behind spike in heart disease deaths: Lancet
A groundbreaking study from NYU Langone Health has uncovered alarming connections between common plastic chemicals called phthalates and increased heart disease mortality worldwide. Researchers found that exposure to these chemicals, particularly di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), contributed to over 356,000 deaths among adults aged 55-64 in 2018. The study highlights significant health risks from everyday plastic items like food containers and medical equipment, with regions like the Middle East and Asia experiencing the most substantial impact. Scientists are now calling for urgent global regulations to reduce chemical exposure and protect public health.
"These chemicals present a
tremendous danger to human health" - Sara Hyman, NYU Researcher
Chemicals in food containers,
medical equipment behind spike in heart disease deaths: Lancet
Daily exposure to certain
chemicals used in plastic items like food containers or medical equipment could
be linked to an increase in deaths due to heart disease worldwide, according to
a study published in the journal Lancet eBiomedicine on Tuesday.
Key Points
1
Phthalates linked to 356,238 global heart disease deaths in 2018
2
Chemicals found in everyday plastics pose significant health risks
3
Middle East and Asian regions most severely impacted
4
Urgent need for global chemical regulations
Researchers
at New York University Langone Health said that the chemicals, called
phthalates, are in widespread use globally.
Phthalates found in cosmetics,
detergents, solvents, plastic pipes, and bug repellants have for decades been
linked with an increased risk of conditions ranging from obesity and diabetes
to fertility issues and cancer.
The new study focused on a kind
of phthalate called di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), which is used to make
food containers, medical equipment, and other plastic softer and more flexible.
Previous studies linked their
exposure with an overactive immune response (inflammation) in the heart’s
arteries, which can potentially lead to heart attack or stroke.
However, the new analysis
estimated that DEHP exposure contributed to 356,238 deaths, or more than 13 per
cent of all global mortality from heart disease in 2018 among men and women
ages 55 through 64.
“By highlighting the connection
between phthalates and a leading cause of death across the world, our findings
add to the vast body of evidence that these chemicals present a tremendous
danger to human health,” said lead author Sara Hyman, an associate research
scientist at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
For the research, the team used
health and environmental data from dozens of population surveys to estimate
DEHP exposure across 200 countries and territories. The information included
urine samples containing chemical breakdown products left by the plastic
additive.
The Middle East, South Asia, East
Asia, and the Pacific bore a much larger share of the death toll than others --
about three-fourths of the total.
It is because these countries
face higher rates of exposure to the chemicals, possibly because they are undergoing
a boom in plastic production but with fewer manufacturing restrictions than
other regions, the researchers explained.
“Our results underscore the
urgent need for global regulations to reduce exposure to these toxins,
especially in areas most affected by rapid industrialisation and plastic
consumption,” said Leonardo Trasande, from NYU Grossman.
Trasande stated that the overall death toll from heart disease connected to these chemicals is likely much higher.
Israeli researchers discovered stress in pregnancy affects baby's brain before birth
In a groundbreaking study, Israeli researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have discovered that maternal stress can fundamentally alter a fetus's brain development before birth. By analyzing blood samples from 120 newborns, scientists found that stress can "reprogram" key molecular pathways, particularly affecting the cholinergic system responsible for stress responses. Remarkably, the research revealed distinct gender-specific responses, with baby girls showing decreased stress-related RNA fragments and boys exhibiting altered enzyme levels. These findings could potentially help develop early interventions and support mechanisms for pregnant women experiencing stress.
"Even before babies take
their first breath, the stress their mothers experience can shape how their
bodies manage stress" - Prof. Hermona Soreq
Israeli researchers discovered
stress in pregnancy affects baby's brain before birth
Israeli researchers have
discovered that stress experienced by mothers during pregnancy affects the
foetus's brain.
Key Points
1
Jerusalem researchers map maternal stress impact on fetal neurological
development
2
Machine learning reveals 95% accuracy in stress exposure detection
3
Gender differences emerge in stress molecular responses
4
Small RNA molecules play critical role in fetal stress adaptation
The discovery led by researchers
from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) could pave the way for new
treatments or interventions to support a baby's healthy development after
birth, Xinhua news agency reported.
Published in the journal
Molecular Psychiatry, the study revealed that maternal stress during pregnancy
could "reprogramme" key molecular pathways in the foetus,
particularly the cholinergic system -- a network of nerve cells responsible for
regulating stress responses and inflammation.
The researchers analysed blood
samples from 120 newborns and their mothers collected at birth, focusing on
small RNA molecules known as tRNA fragments (tRFs), many of which originate
from mitochondrial DNA.
These molecules play a critical
role in regulating cellular functions and responses to stress.
“We found that even before babies
take their first breath, the stress their mothers experience can shape how
their bodies manage stress themselves,” said Prof. Hermona Soreq, from the
Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The study also uncovered major
differences between male and female infants. Baby girls showed a sharp decrease
in specific tRFs, called CholinotRFs, which are involved in the production of
acetylcholine -- a brain chemical crucial for memory and immune function.
While baby boys showed elevated
levels of an enzyme (AChE) that breaks down acetylcholine, suggesting a
diminished capacity to manage stress.
Using machine learning, the
researchers determined with 95 per cent accuracy whether baby girls had been
exposed to maternal stress during pregnancy based on their RNA profiles.
This discovery may help explain
why children exposed to stress in the womb are more likely to face mental
health or developmental challenges later in life.
The researchers said the findings
could raise awareness and lead to better support for pregnant women
April 24, 2025
Indian scientists develop optical sensing platform to detect cholesterol
Indian scientists at IASST have pioneered a groundbreaking optical sensing platform for cholesterol detection using innovative quantum dot technology. The device can sense extremely low cholesterol levels and potentially identify early signs of critical diseases like heart conditions and cancer. By incorporating silk fibre into a cellulose nitrate membrane, researchers created a highly sensitive and selective sensor that generates no electronic waste. This breakthrough offers promising implications for personalized health monitoring and early disease detection.
"Detecting
fatal diseases at their earliest symptoms is essential" - Research Team,
IASST
A team of
interdisciplinary researchers at the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and
Technology (IASST) in Guwahati, an autonomous institute under the Department of
Science and Technology (DST), has developed an optical sensing platform for
cholesterol detection, based on silk fibre functionalised using phosphorene
quantum dots, it was announced on Wednesday.
Key
Points
1 Innovative
sensor detects cholesterol in trace amounts
2 Platform
can identify early symptoms of cardiovascular diseases
3 Generates
zero electronic waste
4 Uses
silk fibre and quantum dot technology
A
point-of-care (POC) device has been developed in the laboratory scale for
detecting cholesterol using this, according to a Ministry of Science &
Technology statement.
It can
sense cholesterol in trace amounts, even below the preferred range. It can be
an efficient tool for routine monitoring of cholesterol levels in the human
body.
The
platform developed for cholesterol detection can help identify early symptoms
of diseases like atherosclerosis, venous thrombosis, cardiovascular diseases,
heart disease, myocardial infarction, hypertension, and cancer.
The
project, led by Neelotpal Sen Sarma, a retired professor; Dr Asis Bala, an
Associate Professor; and Nasrin Sultana, a DST INSPIRE Senior Research Fellow
incorporated the material - the silk fibre -- into a cellulose nitrate membrane
to create an electrical sensing platform for cholesterol detection.
The synthesised
sensors were highly sensitive as well as selective for cholesterol detection.
Furthermore, the electrical sensing platform generates no e-waste, a key
advantage of the fabricated device.
Both
sensing platforms respond similarly to real-world media such as human blood
serum, experimental rat blood serum, and milk. The work has been published in
the "Nanoscale" Journal, published by Royal Society of Chemistry.
Detecting
fatal diseases at their earliest symptoms is essential, as abnormal biochemical
markers may sometimes accompany such disorders. Therefore, reliable
point-of-care (POC) detection of biomarkers associated with these diseases is
necessary for personalized health monitoring.
Cholesterol
is an essential lipid in humans, produced by the liver. It is the precursor for
vitamin D, bile acids, and steroid hormones. Cholesterol is necessary for
animal tissues, blood, and nerve cells, and it is transported by blood in
mammals.
There are
two types of cholesterol: LDL (low-density lipoprotein), often referred to as
'bad' cholesterol because it can accumulate in the walls of arteries and
contribute to severe diseases, and HDL (high-density lipoprotein), known as
'good' cholesterol.
AI algorithm can help identify high-risk heart patients: Study
A groundbreaking AI algorithm developed by Mount Sinai researchers can now accurately predict heart disease risk with unprecedented precision. The technology, called Viz HCM, assigns numeric probabilities to help identify patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) before critical symptoms develop. By providing more meaningful risk assessments, the algorithm could revolutionize early cardiac intervention and potentially prevent serious complications like sudden cardiac death. This innovation represents a significant advancement in using artificial intelligence to improve personalized medical diagnostics and patient care.
"This
is an important step forward in translating novel deep-learning algorithms into
clinical practice" - Joshua Lampert, Mount Sinai
Tuesday
said they have calibrated an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to quickly
and more specifically identify patients with the condition and flag them as
high risk for greater attention during doctor’s appointments.
Key
Points
1 AI
algorithm Viz HCM provides precise heart disease risk probabilities
2 Helps
identify high-risk patients before symptoms emerge
3 FDA-approved
technology for detecting hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
4 Potential
to prevent serious cardiac complications
The
algorithm, known as Viz HCM, had previously been approved by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) for the detection of HCM on an electrocardiogram (ECG).
The Mount
Sinai study, published in the journal NEJM AI, assigns numeric probabilities to
the algorithm’s findings.
For
example, while the algorithm might previously have said "flagged as
suspected HCM" or "high risk of HCM," the Mount Sinai study
allows for interpretations such as, "You have about a 60 percent chance of
having HCM," said Joshua Lampert, Director of Machine Learning at Mount
Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital.
As a
result, patients who had not previously been diagnosed with HCM may be able to
get a better understanding of their individual disease risk, leading to a
faster and more individualized evaluation, along with treatment to potentially
prevent complications such as sudden cardiac death, especially in young patients.
“This is
an important step forward in translating novel deep-learning algorithms into
clinical practice by providing clinicians and patients with more meaningful
information. Clinicians can improve their clinical workflows by ensuring the
highest-risk patients are identified at the top of their clinical work list
using a sorting tool,” said Lampert, Assistant Professor of Medicine
(Cardiology, and Data-Driven and Digital Medicine) at the Icahn School of
Medicine at Mount Sinai.
HCM
impacts one in 200 people worldwide and is a leading reason for heart
transplantation. However, many patients don’t know they have the condition
until they have symptoms and the disease may already be advanced.
“This
study reflects pragmatic implementation science at its best, demonstrating how
we can responsibly and thoughtfully integrate advanced AI tools into real-world
clinical workflows,” said co-senior author Girish N Nadkarni, Chair of the
Windreich Department of Artificial Intelligence and Human Health and Director of
the Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Health.
Scientists link fatty, sugary diets with impaired brain function
A groundbreaking study from the University of Sydney has uncovered how fatty and sugary diets can significantly impair cognitive function, particularly spatial navigation skills. Researchers used virtual reality mazes to test participants' ability to navigate and remember routes, finding clear connections between diet and brain performance. The study suggests that high intake of refined sugar and saturated fat negatively impacts the hippocampus, a crucial brain structure for memory and navigation. Encouragingly, the researchers believe these cognitive changes can be reversed through mindful dietary choices.
"The
good news is we think this is an easily reversible situation" - Dr Dominic
Tran
In a
significant study, researchers have linked fatty and sugary diets to impaired
cognitive function.
Key
Points
1 Diet
directly impacts brain's spatial navigation capabilities
2 Young
adults' cognitive performance links to food intake
3 Virtual
reality maze tests dietary impact on memory
4 Refined
sugar and fat consumption affects hippocampus function
The team
from University of Sydney looked at the relationship between high-fat,
high-sugar (HFHS) diets, particularly those high in refined sugar and saturated
fat, and first-person spatial navigation.
Spatial
navigation is the ability to learn and remember a path from one location to
another, a process that can approximate the health of the brain’s hippocampus,
said the study published in the International Journal of Obesity.
Dr
Dominic Tran from the Faculty of Science’s School of Psychology led the
research, which found HFHS diets have a detrimental effect on some aspects of
cognitive function.
It is
likely those effects centre on the hippocampus, the brain structure important
for spatial navigation and memory formation, rather than acting across the
entire brain.
“The good
news is we think this is an easily reversible situation,” Dr Tran said.
“Dietary changes can improve the health of the hippocampus, and therefore our
ability to navigate our environment, such as when we’re exploring a new city or
learning a new route home.”
The
research team recruited 55 university students aged between 18 and 38.
Each
participant completed questionnaires capturing their intake of sugary and fatty
foods. They also had their working memory tested in a number recall exercise,
and their body mass index (BMI) recorded.
The
experiment itself required participants to navigate a virtual reality maze and
locate a treasure chest six times. The maze was surrounded by landmarks that
participants could use to remember their route. Their starting point and the
location of the treasure chest remained constant in each trial.
If
participants found the treasure in less than four minutes, they continued to
the next trial. If they failed to find the treasure in this time, they were
teleported to its location and given 10 seconds to familiarise themselves with
that location before the next trial.
Those
with lower levels of fat and sugar in their diets were able to pinpoint the
location with a higher degree of accuracy than those who consumed these foods
multiple times a week.
“After
controlling for working memory and BMI, measured separately to the experiment,
participants’ sugar and fat intake was a reliable predictor of performance in
that final, seventh, test,” Dr Tran said.
Dr Tran
said the results highlight the importance of making good dietary choices to maintain
healthy brain function.
We’ve
long known eating too much refined sugar and saturated fat brings the risk of
obesity, metabolic and cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. We also
know these unhealthy eating habits hasten the onset of age-related cognitive
decline in middle age and older adults.
“This
research gives us evidence that diet is important for brain health in early
adulthood, a period when cognitive function is usually intact,” Dr Tran said.
Being omnivorous or vegan makes no difference to muscle building after weight training
A groundbreaking study from the University of Illinois challenges long-held beliefs about protein and muscle growth. Researchers discovered that protein source - whether animal or plant-based - makes no significant difference in muscle building after weight training. The study involved 40 physically active adults following either vegan or omnivorous diets. These findings could revolutionize dietary recommendations for athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
"It's
the kind you put in your mouth after exercise." - Nicholas Burd,
University of Illinois
Does the
source of protein — plant or animal-based — make any difference to muscle gain?
The answer is no, said researchers on Monday, adding that being omnivorous and
vegan makes no difference to muscle building after weight training.
Key
Points
1 Vegan
and omnivorous diets equally effective for muscle protein synthesis
2 Protein
distribution throughout day doesn't impact muscle building
3 High-quality
protein matters more than source
Also, the
team from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the US refuted two more
claims about if total daily protein intake is evenly distributed throughout the
day and does a moderate but sufficient daily protein intake influence any of
these variables. Their findings are reported in the journal Medicine and
Science in Sports and Exercise.
"The
longstanding belief or the current dogma was that animal-based protein sources
were better, particularly for the muscle-building response," said Nicholas
Burd, a professor of health and kinesiology at the University of Illinois
Urbana-Champaign.
Previous
studies that took muscle biopsies after a single feeding found that an
animal-based meal provided more of a stimulus for muscle protein synthesis than
a vegan meal.
"But
measurements taken after a single meal might not reflect the effects of consuming
a balanced vegan diet over time," Burd argued.
For the
new study, the team recruited 40 healthy, physically active 20-40-year-old
adults.
The
participants underwent a seven-day "habituation diet" to standardize
their nutritional status prior to the clinical trial. Then they were randomly
assigned to either a vegan or omnivorous diet.
Roughly
70 per cent of the protein for the omnivorous meals was obtained from animal
sources: beef, pork, chicken, dairy, eggs. The vegan diet balanced the amino
acid content of the meals, ensuring that participants consumed complete
proteins.
All
participants engaged in a series of muscle-strengthening activities in the lab
every three days.
Burd was
initially surprised to see that there were no differences in rates of muscle
protein synthesis between those eating vegan or omnivorous diets.
He also
was surprised to see that protein distribution across the day had no effect on
the rate of muscle building given results from past studies of acute responses
to dietary interventions and weight training.
"It
was thought that it was better to get a steady-state delivery of nutrients
throughout the day," he said. "I also thought that if you're getting
a lower quality protein -- in terms of its digestibility and amino acid content
-- that perhaps distribution would make a difference. And surprisingly, we
showed it doesn't matter."
Now, Burd
says, if anyone asks him what's the best type of food they should eat for
muscle building, he'll tell them: "It's the kind you put in your mouth
after exercise. As long as you're getting sufficient high-quality protein from
your food, then it really doesn't make a difference."
Groundbreaking study reveals how our brain learns
A groundbreaking UC San Diego study has uncovered how different brain synapses follow unique learning rules, challenging long-held assumptions. The research used cutting-edge imaging to track synaptic changes in mice, revealing implications for AI and neurological disorders. Scientists found that neurons don’t operate under a single plasticity rule, opening doors for advanced treatments. These insights could revolutionize how we approach conditions like autism, PTSD, and Alzheimer's.
"Our
research provides a clearer understanding of how synapses are being modified
during learning, with potentially important health implications." –
William "Jake" Wright
Neurobiologists
using cutting-edge visualisation techniques have revealed how changes across
our synapses and neurons unfold.
Key
Points
1 Study
reveals neurons follow multiple learning rules, not uniform plasticity
2 Findings
could reshape AI neural network designs
3 Offers
insights for treating Alzheimer's and autism
4 Uses
advanced two-photon imaging to track synaptic changes
The
findings depict how information is processed in our brain's circuitry, offering
insights for neurological disorders and brain-like AI systems.
How do we
learn something new? How do tasks at a new job, lyrics to the latest hit song
or directions to a friend's house become encoded in our brains?
The broad
answer is that our brains undergo adaptations to accommodate new information.
To follow a new behaviour or retain newly introduced information, the brain's
circuitry changes.
Such
modifications are orchestrated across trillions of synapses -- the connections
between individual nerve cells, called neurons -- where brain communication
takes place.
In an
intricately coordinated process, new information causes certain synapses to get
stronger with new data while others grow weaker. Neuroscientists who have
closely studied these alterations, known as "synaptic plasticity,"
have identified numerous molecular processes causing such plasticity.
Yet an
understanding of the "rules" selecting which synapses undergo this
process remained unknown, a mystery that ultimately dictates how learned information
is captured in the brain.
University
of California, San Diego neurobiologists William "Jake" Wright,
Nathan Hedrick and Takaki Komiyama have now uncovered key details about this
process.
The main
financial support for this multi-year study was provided by several National
Institutes of Health research grants and a training grant.
As
published April 17 in the journal Science, the researchers used a cutting-edge
brain visualisation methodology, including two-photon imaging, to zoom into the
brain activity of mice and track the activities of synapses and neuron cells
during learning activities.
With the
ability to see individual synapses like never before, the new images revealed
that neurons don't follow one set of rules during episodes of learning, as had
been assumed under conventional thinking.
Rather,
the data revealed that individual neurons follow multiple rules, with synapses
in different regions following different rules. These new findings stand to aid
advancements in many areas, from brain and behaviour disorders to artificial
intelligence.
"When
people talk about synaptic plasticity, it's typically regarded as uniform
within the brain," said Wright, a postdoctoral scholar in the School of
Biological Sciences and first author of the study.
"Our
research provides a clearer understanding of how synapses are being modified during
learning, with potentially important health implications since many diseases in
the brain involve some form of synaptic dysfunction."
Neuroscientists
have carefully studied how synapses only have access to their own
"local" information, yet collectively they help shape broad new
learned behaviours, a conundrum labelled as the "credit assignment
problem."
The issue
is analogous to individual ants that work on specific tasks without knowledge
of the goals of the entire colony.
The new
information offers promising insights for the future of artificial intelligence
and the brain-like neural networks upon which they operate.
Typically,
an entire neural network functions on a common set of plasticity rules, but
this research infers possible new ways to design advanced AI systems using
multiple rules across singular units.
For
health and behaviour, the findings could offer a new way to treat conditions
including addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder and Alzheimer's disease, as
well as neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism.
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