Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DeSJrFSMS_g/

Neurosurgical cell biologists at the University of Michigan have bioengineered nanoparticles that sensitize deadly gliomas to radiation therapy.

Their study, published in Nature Communications, focused on those gliomas that carry a mutated form of the IDH1 gene. Malignant tumors bearing this gene easily activate a cellular recycling process called autophagy (au toff fa gee) thar helps tumor cells remove damaged material but also helps them repair the DNA damage caused by radiation.

To block these tumor-protective effects, researchers created nanoparticles capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier and penetrating into brain tumors to deliver mRNA molecules that trigger a shut-down of the autophagy pathway.

Using mouse models, they show that combining nanoparticle injections with radiation produces a phenomenal result: 60% of the animals are cured of their tumors and survive long-term without recurrence. The treatment produces no significant toxic side effects.

An added benefit: mice whose tumors are eliminated by the nanoparticle-radiation combo therapy develop active immunity against the tumor and able to destroy a newly implanted tumor without additional therapy.

*Bioengineered nanoparticles may offer a way to overcome radiation resistance in a select group of gliomas while also triggering lifesaving anti-tumor immunity. These animal model results are impressive, but it remains for human clinical trials to confirm whether this approach is safe and effective in patients.

The references for this report are available on my website.

#Glioma #BrainCancer #CancerResearch #Nanotechnology #RadiationTherapy

Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DeSIouVvRDa/

A new study from Japan’s Fujita Health University and published in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that a comfortable 20-minute walk can immediately stimulate your gut motility.

The investigators studied 21 healthy young adults and had them walk on a treadmill for 20 minutes at a comfortable pace. Using an electronic stethoscope to monitor bowel sounds, intestinal activity increases significantly within just one to two minutes after the walk.

Over time following the walk, the bowel sounds become stronger, more frequent, and last longer. Total intestinal sound activity nearly doubles, suggesting that the intestines are contracting more actively.

*Before you turn me off and start walking, there are some caveats. The bowel activation effect is brief and fades within two to three minutes. In addition, this study includes no measurements of actual bowel motility or relief of constipation.

Even so, if you suffer from constipation, know that a comfortable 20-minute walk produces measurable increases in intestinal activity. In addition to consuming fiber and remaining well hydrated, walking may be just the thing to help keep you regular. In any event, this type of exercise is good for all that ails you.

The references for this report are available on my website.

#Constipation #GutHealth #Walking #DigestiveHealth #MedicalResearch

Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DeSIAYBMYom/

The compound produced by gut bacteria after eating foods such as pomegranates, walnuts and berries helps repair intestinal linings. This from gastroenterologists at

the University of Louisville who published their studies in the journal Nature Communicatons.

The studies center on the microbial byproduct urolithin A or UroA, produced when gut bacteria digest pomegranates, walnuts, or berries. The UroA activates a cascade of compounds including aryl hydrocarbon receptor followed by the NLRP6 that triggers a protective effect which helps repair intestinal lining barriers, increases quantities of protective mucus, and strengthens antimicrobial defenses.

These beneficial effects were demonstrated in single cell models, intestinal organoids, and tissues from patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

*The researchers predict that this discovery could lead to more preventive treatments for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Such therapy would restore intestinal defenses rather than broadly suppressing the immune system, which is standard current approach.

The references for this report are available on my website.

#InflammatoryBowelDisease #IBD #GutHealth #CrohnsDisease #MedicalResearch

Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DeSHCRlPXOe/

Could changing what you eat help ease depression? A small but intriguing study from the University of California, San Francisco, suggests it might.

Psychiatric researchers there conducted a small study, published in JAMA Psychiatry, involving 20 people with depression. All participants dramatically reduced by some 85% their consumption of ultra-processed foods including packaged snacks, fast food, and sugary drinks. After four weeks, these subjects experienced moderate to large improvements in three quantitative measures of depression. Their anxiety symptoms also improved.

The investigators and their collaborators propose that ultra-processed foods damage the protective lining of the digestive tract. This contributes to chronic inflammation and a modification of gut bacteria that affects brain function and mood.

*Reducing ultra-processed food consumption may be a promising way to improve mental health. Know, though, that dietary changes can complement but not replace more established therapies for depression.

The references for this report are available on my website.

#MentalHealth #Depression #UltraProcessedFoods #GutBrainConnection #NutritionResearch

Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DeSGSa2ttNj/

A common mistake during your blood pressure check could make your numbers look dangerously higher. That can lead to an incorrect hypertension diagnosis and unnecessary treatment,

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Johns Hopkins public health researchers now caution in JAMA Internal Medicine that something as basic as how you position your arm can significantly affect your readings. Their study of 133 adults shows that resting your arm on your lap while measurements are taken raises your systolic pressure, the top number, by nearly 4 points. Even worse, allowing your arm to hang unsupported at your side increases your systolic pressure by an average of 6.5 points and your bottom number, your diastolic pressure, by 4.4 points. This difference turns a systolic reading of 127, an elevated pressure, into 134, stage 1 hypertension, with different therapy implications.

To get reliable readings, sit with your back supported, feet flat on the floor, legs uncrossed, and your arm resting comfortably on a desk or table, with the cuff at heart level. The cuff at heart level is the key.

*This proper positioning matters just as much if you’re having your blood pressure checked in a clinic or when checking your own blood pressure at home. If in a clinic and your arm is incorrectly positioned, don’t be bashful about repositioning your it.

The references for this report are available on my website.

#BloodPressure #Hypertension #HeartHealth #BloodPressureTips #MedicalResearch

Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DeSFrK-Amqp/

Creatine, a frequently consumed sports supplement, offers an unexpected benefit. It can help middle-aged adults build muscle and strength even without a structured exercise program. This according to a new study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

During a 12-week study, Texas A&M University sports nutritionists gave 64 healthy adults ages 45 to 65 either 10 grams of creatine daily or a placebo. Those participants receiving creatine even without structured exercise gained approximately 2.4 pounds of lean muscle tissue and improved their bench and and leg pressing strength.

Want an even better result? Combine creatine with resistance training, aerobic exercise, and a modest calorie-reduced diet. The participants who did that gained nearly three pounds of lean muscle tissue while also losing body fat.

*Creatine may be useful for maintaining muscle and strength as we age, even for people who do not or cannot follow a regular exercise program. Combining it with exercise and appropriate nutrition is even better. Creatine supplements have a good safety profile, but, as always, you should discuss their addition with your medical team.

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The references for this report are available on my website.

#Creatine #MuscleHealth #HealthyAging #SportsNutrition #MedicalResearch

New research from the microbiome center at Ireland’s University College Cork shows that coffee influences the gut microbiome in ways that affect your mood, stress levels, memory, and attention.

The study, published in Nature Communications, involved 62 people and compared regular coffee drinkers with those who did not normally consume coffee. When regular coffee drinkers stop imbibing for two weeks and then resume either caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee, researchers observe changes in gut bacteria, metabolic activity, and psychological measures.

Both caf and decaf coffee are associated with lower stress but their effects differ: decaffeinated coffee is associated with improved learning, better memory, lower stress levels, less depression, and reduced impulsivity. High test, caffeinated coffee is linked to reduced anxiety, better attention and vigilance, but lower levels of inflammation.

*These findings suggest that coffee’s benefits are not mediated by caffeine alone. Other compounds in your morning joe including polyphenols could influence the gut-brain connection and the brain’s metabolism and performance. However, larger trials are needed to prove without a doubt that coffee itself directly causes these effects on your psyche.

The references for this report are available on my website.

#Coffee #GutBrainConnection #Microbiome #BrainHealth #MedicalResearch

Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/DeSDtAzpn8p/

A pomegranate byproduct offers a promising new approach for treatment of a common form of heart failure, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction or HFpEF. A heart with this condition continues to pump blood effectively but becomes too stiff to relax and fill properly between beats.

Cardiologists at King’s College London find that urolithin A, a compound the body produces after consuming foods such as pomegranates, walnuts, and certain berries, improves measures of heart function by up to 80% in animal models of HFpEF.

The studies, published in Science Advances, demonstrate that urolithin A activates a protein involved in heart muscle relaxation. In experimental models, it also reduces harmful scarring and limits abnormal enlargement of heart muscle cells. The compound also improves relaxation in bioengineered human heart tissue.

*This study identifies a potential new treatment strategy for heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction, a condition affecting roughly half of heart failure patients. As always, clinical trials are needed to determine whether urolithin A from any source can safely improve outcomes.

The references for this report are available on my website.

#HeartFailure #Pomegranate #UrolithinA #HeartHealth #MedicalResearch