Science Weekly - 26042020

It looks like publications in nutrition, fitness and sports science have increased these past week and we hope new results will keep coming in as the world is slowly learning how to move on after being hit by the COVID-19 crisis.

Here are the highlights of this week; there is something for those working with obese clients, some for those interested in the link between diet, exercise performance and health risk and some for the tech geeks too!
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• ​Diet may help preserve cognitive function
• ​Synthetic scaffolds to heal injured tendons and ligaments
• ​A gut-to-brain circuit drives sugar preference and may explain sugar cravings
• ​​Link between obesity and sleep loss
• Which foods do you eat together? How you combine them may raise dementia risk
• ​​An obesity protein discovery may lead to better treatments
• ​After a heart attack, physical activity makes you feel better
• ​Sensors woven into a shirt can monitor vital signs

Diet may help preserve cognitive function

According to a recent analysis of data from two major eye disease studies, adherence to the Mediterranean diet - high in vegetables, whole grains, fish, and olive oil -- correlates with higher cognitive function.

Source: NIH/National Eye Institute

Synthetic scaffolds to heal injured tendons and ligaments

Top biomedical engineering researcher develops synthetic scaffolds for tendon and ligament regeneration

​Top biomedical engineering researcher develops synthetic scaffolds for tendon and ligament regeneration. Previous synthetic tendon grafts have led to poor outcomes and implant rejection. Australia has one of the highest rates of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in the world -- and up to 25 percent of surgeries require revision.

Source: University of Sydney

A gut-to-brain circuit drives sugar preference and may explain sugar cravings

The sensation of sweetness starts on the tongue, but sugar molecules also trip sensors in the gut that directly signal the brain. This could explain why artificial sweeteners fail to satisfy the insatiable craving for sugar.

Source: Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Link between obesity and sleep loss

Can staying up late make you fat? Researchers found the opposite to be true when they studied sleep in worms: It's not the sleep loss that leads to obesity, but rather that excess weight can cause poor sleep.

​Source: ​University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Which foods do you eat together? How you combine them may raise dementia risk

Study finds 'food networks' centered on processed meats, starches may raise risk
​It's no secret that a healthy diet may benefit the brain. However, it may not only be what foods you eat, but what foods you eat together that may be associated with your risk of dementia, according to a new study.

Source: ​American Academy of Neurology

An obesity protein discovery may lead to better treatments

By determining the structure of a key receptor in obesity, scientists have unlocked an opportunity for the development of new drugs.

Source: University of Southern California

After a heart attack, physical activity makes you feel better

Heart attack patients who take part in a lifestyle improvement program feel better -- especially when they do additional physical activity.

Source: European Society of Cardiology

​Sensors woven into a shirt can monitor vital signs

Researchers developed a way to incorporate electronic sensors into stretchy fabrics, allowing them to create shirts or other garments that could monitor vital signs such as temperature, respiration, and heart rate.

Source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology