University of Warwick

New research has highlighted the profound link between dietary choices and brain health. New research has highlighted the profound link between dietary choices and brain health. Published in Nature, the research showed that a healthy, balanced diet was linked to superior brain health, cognitive function and mental wellbeing. The study, involving researchers at the University of Warwick, sheds light on how our food preferences not only influence physical health but also significantly impact brain health. The dietary choices of a large sample of 181,990 participants from the UK Biobank were analysed against and a range of physical evaluations, including cognitive function, blood metabolic biomarkers, brain imaging, and genetics -- unveiling new insights into the relationship between nutrition and overall wellbeing. The food preferences of each participant were collected via an online questionnaire, which the team catagorised into 10 groups (such as alcohol, fruits and meats). A type of AI called machine learning helped the researchers analyse the large dataset. A balanced diet was associated with better mental health, superior cognitive functions and even higher amounts of grey matter in the brain -- linked to intelligence -- compared with those with a less varied diet. The study also highlighted the need for gradual dietary modifications, particularly for individuals accustomed to highly palatable but nutritionally deficient foods. By slowly reducing sugar and fat intake over time, individuals may find themselves naturally gravitating towards healthier food choices. Genetic factors may also contribute to the association between diet and brain health, the scientists believe, showing how a combination of genetic predispositions and lifestyle choices shape wellbeing. Lead Author Professor Jianfeng Feng, University of Warwick, emphasised the importance of establishing healthy food preferences early in life. He said: "Developing a healthy balanced diet from an early age is crucial for healthy growth. To foster the development of a healthy balanced diet, both families and schools should offer a diverse range of nutritious meals and cultivate an environment that supports their physical and mental health." Addressing the broader implications of the research, Prof Feng emphasized the role of public policy in promoting accessible and affordable healthy eating options. "Since dietary choices can be influenced by socioeconomic status, it's crucial to ensure that this does not hinder individuals from adopting a healthy balanced dietary profile," he stated. "Implementing affordable nutritious food policies is essential for governments to empower the general public to make informed and healthier dietary choices, thereby promoting overall public health." Co-Auhtor Wei Cheng, Fudan University, added: "Our findings underscore the associations between dietary patterns and brain health, urging for concerted efforts in promoting nutritional awareness and fostering healthier eating habits across diverse populations." Dr Richard Pemberton, Certified Lifestyle Physician and GP, Hexagon Health, who was not involved in the stud, commented: "This exciting research further demonstrates that a poor diet detrimentally impacts not only our physical health but also our mental and brain health. This study supports the need for urgent government action to optimise health in our children, protecting future generations. We also hope this provides further evidence to motivate us all to make better lifestyle choices, to improve our health and reduce the risk of developing chronic disease."

Researchers have discovered a new bacterial killer that can target common lung infection caused by Burkholderia bacteria that has exciting potential for biotechnological applications. Researchers have discovered a new bacterial killer that can target common lung infection caused by Burkholderia bacteria that has exciting potential for biotechnological applications. The Burkholderia cepacia complex is a group of bacteria that can cause lung infections, which can be fatal for those with serious lung diseases, particularly Cystic Fibrosis. Infections caused by Burkholderia cenocepacia are difficult to treat, as they can evade antibiotics by pumping them back out of the bacterial cell or by hiding inside human cells. Scientists from the Sagona lab at the University of Warwick, UK, were interested in finding a way to target these evasive bacteria. One method that researchers are looking into more widely is the use of bacteriophages (phages). Phages are naturally occurring viruses that can infect and kill bacteria. There are more phages in the world than bacteria, animals and humans combined, but they are not yet widely used as clinical treatments in the UK other than as a last resort. Researchers began by considering where to look for phage that can target and kill B. cenocepacia in the hopes of providing alternative therapeutics for those suffering from infection. Wastewater, particularly from hospitals, is a great source of phages that can target specific bacteria. If Burkholderia are present in wastewater, due to the input of bacteria from humans, phages that can infect and kill these bacteria will also be present and can be isolated by scientists. Dr Jessica Lewis, who conducted the study, began by taking samples of wastewater from a sewage treatment works outside of Coventry, UK, and isolated a phage specific to B. cenocepacia. Not only did the phage kill B. Cenocepacia when tested, analysis also revealed that the phage is what is known as a jumbo phage. A jumbo phage has a genome which is more than double the size of an average phage. It's rare -- only a few hundred jumbo phages have been discovered since the first was isolated in 1978. Discovery of a jumbo phage is particularly exciting due to the potential of the unknown elements of its genome. More than 400 genes (around 85% of the total genes) in the new phage have unknown functions. Dr Lewis and her colleagues are now sequencing the DNA of their jumbo phage in an effort to identify potential genes with powerful new functions. According to Dr Lewis, this is just the beginning: "phage therapy with regular phage is step A, but if we do not want a repeat of resistance and similar problems that we face with antibiotics, we will need to optimise them." Dr Lewis and her team hope that by sequencing the jumbo phage genome they can find DNA that can be engineered to contain further biological weaponry, increasing the phage's arsenal of tools to target and kill B. cenocepacia. While there is a lot more research needed to work towards human and clinical applications of phages, researchers are also limited by UK policy. Dr Lewis said "Currently in the UK, we cannot make our own phage therapeutics. We would have to isolate the phages here and send these off to certified phage companies either in mainland Europe or America, so that they can generate purified phage cocktails (which are approved for phage therapy and can be applied to patients) and send those back to us." Despite these limitations, Dr Lewis and her team are continuing to pursue the use of phage to target B. cenocepacia and hope that their work will contribute to the wealth of phage research that will one day be used to treat patients. Dr Jessica Lewis will present her data at this year's Microbiology Society Annual Conference which will take place from Monday 8 April-Thursday 11 April 2024 at Edinburgh International Convention Centre. Her talk "Characterisation of a novel flagellotropic phage targeting Burkholderia cenocepacia" will take place on Monday 8 April.

Astronomers have measured the speed of fast-moving jets in space, crucial to star formation and the distribution of elements needed for life. The jets of matter, expelled by stars deemed 'cosmic cannibals', were measured to travel at over one-third of the speed of light -- thanks to a groundbreaking new experiment. For the first time, astronomers have measured the speed of fast-moving jets in space, crucial to star formation and the distribution of elements needed for life. The jets of matter, expelled by stars deemed 'cosmic cannibals', were measured to travel at over one-third of the speed of light -- thanks to a groundbreaking new experiment published in Nature today. The study sheds new light on these violent processes, making clever use of runaway nuclear explosions on the surface of stars. Co-Author Jakob van den Eijnden, Warwick Prize Fellow at the Department of Physics, University of Warwick, said: "The explosions occurred on neutron stars, which are incredibly dense and notorious for their enormous gravitational pull that makes them swallow gas from their surroundings -- a gravitational pull that is only surpassed by black holes. "The material, mostly hydrogen from a nearby star that orbits around, swirls towards the collapsed star, falling like snow across its surface. As more and more material rains down, the gravitational field compresses it until a runaway nuclear explosion is initiated. This explosion impacts the jets, that are also shot out from the infalling material and eject particles into space at very high speed." The team devised a way of measuring the speed and properties of the jets by comparing X-ray and radio signals picked up by the Australia Telescope Compact Array (owned and operated by CSIRO, Australia's national science agency) and the European Space Agency's (ESA's) Integral satellite. Co-Author Thomas Russell, National Institute for Astrophysics, INAF, Palermo, Italy, said: "This gave us a perfect experiment. We had a very brief short-lived impulse of extra material that gets shot into the jet and that we can track as it moves down the jet to learn about its speed." Jakob van den Eijnden added: "These explosion occur every couple of hours, but you can't predict exactly when they will happen. So you have to stare at the telescope observations for a long time, and hope you catch a couple of bursts. Over three days of observations we saw 10 explosions and jets lighting up." The jets travelled around 114,000 kilometres per second, an incredible 35-40% the speed of light. This was the first time astronomers had been able to anticipate and directly watch how a certain amount of gas got channelled into a jet and accelerated into space. Co-Author Nathalie Degenaar, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, continued: "Based on previous data, we thought the explosion would destroy the location where the jet was being launched. But we saw exactly the opposite: a strong input into the jet rather than a disruption." The researchers believe the mass and rotation of neutron stars and black holes also impacts the jets. Having now shown this research is possible, this study will form the blueprint for future experiments into neutron stars and their jets. Jets can also be produced by cataclysmic events such as supernova explosions and gamma-ray bursts. The new results will have wide applicability in many studies of the cosmos.