Lipids News and Research

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Lipids are a broad group of naturally-occurring molecules which includes fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E and K), monoglycerides, diglycerides, phospholipids, and others. The main biological functions of lipids include energy storage, as structural components of cell membranes, and as important signaling molecules.

TSRI scientists discover first-in-class compounds that target persistent tuberculosis

Tuberculosis has been infecting humans for several millennia, making it one of the most horribly successful diseases in history. Today, it is still a major killer, responsible for some 1.5 million deaths each year.

18 Nov 2015

Meta-analysis supports that intake of tree nuts lowers risk of cardiovascular disease

In a study published yesterday in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition*, researchers performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials to investigate the effects of tree nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts) on blood lipids, lipoproteins, blood pressure and inflammation in adults 18 years and older without prevalent cardiovascular disease (CVD).

12 Nov 2015

UT Southwestern's Helen H. Hobbs named recipient of Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences

UT Southwestern Medical Center geneticist Dr. Helen H. Hobbs is the 2016 recipient of the prestigious Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences.

10 Nov 2015

First comprehensive genomic and biologic study of top skin disease-causing microbes

An international team of scientists, led by researchers from A*STAR's Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), Institute of Medical Biology (IMB), and Bioinformatics Institute (BII), and P&G, have completed the first comprehensive genomic and biologic study of all species of Malassezia, one of the top skin disease-causing microbes.

9 Nov 2015

Genvoya approved as complete regimen for HIV treatment

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Genvoya (a fixed-dose combination tablet containing elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide) as a complete regimen for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older.

6 Nov 2015

Just one junk food snack is enough to trigger signs of metabolic disease

We hate to ruin Thanksgiving, but a new report appearing in the Nov. 2015 issue of The FASEB Journal suggests that for some people, overindulgence at the dinner table or at snack time is enough to trigger signs of metabolic disease.

3 Nov 2015

Findings support higher dietary requirements of vitamin E for obese people with metabolic syndrome

A recent study suggests that obese people with metabolic syndrome face an unexpected quandary when it comes to vitamin E - they need more than normal levels of the vitamin because their weight and other problems are causing increased oxidative stress, but those same problems actually cause their effective use of vitamin E to be reduced.

3 Nov 2015

Low-fat diets do not lead to greater weight loss in long term, shows meta-analysis research

Low-fat diets do not lead to greater weight loss in the long term compared to higher-fat diets of similar intensity, according to a large meta-analysis involving more than 68000 adults, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal.

31 Oct 2015

Gut bacteria may increase risk of metabolic syndrome

An excess of bacteria in the gut can change the way the liver processes fat and could lead to the development of metabolic syndrome, according to health researchers.

30 Oct 2015

SLU VTEU awarded $5.8 million NIH contract to support 'omics' research initiative

Saint Louis University's Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unit has received a five-year, $5.8 million contract from the National Institutes of Health to support an "omics" research initiative to study the safety and effectiveness of vaccines and other ways to fight infectious diseases.

30 Oct 2015

SLU hepatologist receives $150,000 grant to study preventative strategies for TPN-associated disorders

When a child is born prematurely, providing nutrition intravenously can be lifesaver. Unfortunately it can also cause liver damage down the road.

29 Oct 2015

New broad-spectrum antibiotic can kill bacteria by punching holes in their membranes

Bacteria have many methods of adapting to resist antibiotics, but a new class of spiral polypeptides developed at the University of Illinois targets one thing no bacterium can live without: an outer membrane.

29 Oct 2015

Changes in lifestyle could reduce Alzheimer's disease risk

Changes in lifestyle could reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. That was the conclusion of a study conducted by researchers of Heidelberg University's Network Aging Research, who examined the data from two independent epidemiological studies. Carriers of the ApoE4 genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's may be able to reduce their increased risk of cognitive decline by reducing their cholesterol level, especially if they also suffer from cardiovascular disease.

27 Oct 2015

Expectant mothers need to avoid certain cosmetics, cleaning agents and medicines during first trimester

Expectant mothers in their first trimester should avoid certain cosmetics, cleaning agents and medicines, to protect the developing fetal brain from chemicals that can trigger autism, York U health researchers have found.

27 Oct 2015

JDRF-funded study aims to find new types of diagnostic markers for diabetic kidney disease

In an effort to pinpoint the earliest signs of diabetic kidney disease, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine are leading a multi-institutional international effort dedicated to finding a new breed of disease indicators.

23 Oct 2015

Researchers come up with new design for a better liposome

Using computational modeling, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, the Colorado School of Mines and the University of California, Davis have come up with a design for a better liposome. Their findings, while theoretical, could provide the basis for efficiently constructing new vehicles for nanodrug delivery.

14 Oct 2015

HDL not so good in protecting women against atherosclerosis, study shows

What has previously been known as good cholesterol--high density lipoprotein (HDL)--has now been shown to be not so good in protecting women against atherosclerosis while they are transitioning through menopause. That's according to a new study from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health that was presented last week at the annual meeting of The North American Menopause Society in Las Vegas.

9 Oct 2015

OSU researchers develop new approach to treat eczema

Pharmaceutical researchers at Oregon State University have developed a new approach to treat eczema and other inflammatory skin disorders that would use individual tests and advanced science to create personalized treatments based on each person's lipid deficiencies.

1 Oct 2015

Two-drug combination relieves depression in older adults

More than half of older adults with clinical depression don't get better when treated with an antidepressant. But results from a multicenter clinical trial that included Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis indicates that adding a second drug — an antipsychotic medication — to the treatment regimen helps many of those patients.

28 Sep 2015

Light-shielded delivery system for parenteral nutrition may improve survival rate of preemies

The survival rate of preemies born between 26 to 31 weeks of gestation is improved by blocking light from reaching the intravenously-fed infused nutritious mixture they depend on for survival, researchers at CHU Sainte-Justine and the University of Montreal have revealed in a new study.