Science Weekly - 04112018

​Science is producing amusing results week by week investigating subjects and topics that may change the way our children will live their life a few decades from now on.

Here are this week's topics:

• Late night protein intake has its place in the diet.
• What can fruit flies teach us about nutrition habits?
• Are we going to eat cephalopods in the future?
• Link between vitamin D levels and cardiorespiratory fitness.
• How inflammation can affect our sleep.
• Not all dairy products are created equal.
• Will they find appetite suppression solutions with the help of zebrafish larvae?
• Link between health and chocolate, coffee, tea and Zinc
• Can going vegan fight Type 2 Diabetes?

Late night snacker? Make it cottage cheese

Researchers found that consuming 30 grams of protein about 30 minutes before bed appears to have a positive effect on muscle quality, metabolism and overall health. And for those who have sworn off eating at night, there is no gain in body fat.

Source: Florida State University

Fruit fly study challenges theories on evolution and high-carb diets

Fruit fly research challenges neutral theory of molecular evolution and suggests one day we may be prescribed diets according to our genes.

Source: University of New South Wales

Cephalopods could become an important food source in the global community

With a growing world population and climate challenges that are causing agricultural areas to shrink, many are wondering where sustainable food will come from in the future. A professor of gastrophysics and a chef offer a suggestion in a new research article: The cephalopod population (including squid, octopus and cuttlefish) in the oceans is growing and growing -- let's get better at cooking them so that many more people will want to eat them!

Source: Faculty of Science - University of Copenhagen

Obese mice lose a third of their fat using a natural protein

To the great surprise of cancer researchers, a protein they investigated for its possible role in cancer turned out to be a powerful regulator of metabolism.

Source: Georgetown University Medical Center

​Vitamin D levels in the blood linked to cardiorespiratory fitness

New research finds that higher levels of vitamin D are associated with better exercise capacity.

Source: European Society of Cardiology

To ward off fatty liver, breast is best for mom

Researchers have discovered that mothers who breastfed a child or children for six months or more are at lower risk for developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) years later during mid-life. With no other current prevention options aside from a healthy lifestyle, they say the finding may represent an early modifiable risk factor for a serious and chronic disease.

Source: University of California - San Diego

Inflammation can lead to circadian sleep disorders

Inflammation, which is the root cause of autoimmune disorders including arthritis, type 1 diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease, has unexpected effects on body clock function and can lead to sleep and shiftwork-type disorders, a new study in mice found.

Source: Northwestern University

Fermented dairy products may protect against heart attack, study suggests

Men who eat plenty of fermented dairy products have a smaller risk of incident coronary heart disease than men who eat less of these products, according to a new study from Finland. A very high consumption of non-fermented dairy products, on the other hand, was associated with an increased risk of incident coronary heart disease.

Source: University of Eastern Finland

Zebrafish larvae help in search for appetite suppressants

Researchers have developed a new strategy in the search for psychoactive drugs. By analyzing the behavior of larval zebrafish, they can filter out substances with unwanted side effects right from the start. This method has resulted in the discovery of a number of new appetite modulators.

Source: University of Zurich

Can chocolate, tea, coffee and zinc help make you more healthy?

Ageing and a low life expectancy are caused, at least partly, by oxidative stress. Scientists have discovered that zinc can activate an organic molecule, helping to protect against oxidative stress.

Source: University of Erlangen-Nuremberg

Plant-based or vegan diet may be best for keeping type 2 diabetes in check

A predominantly plant-based or vegan diet may be best for keeping type 2 diabetes in check, not least because of its potential impact on mood, suggests a systematic review of the available evidence.

Source: BMJ