Cockroach milk next superfoodIJ
It might not be as enticing as a fresh kale and ginger smoothie but cockroach milk is set to become the next super food, according to findings from scientists in India. The research shows that cockroach milk is a protein-rich wonder product that is four times as nutritious as cow’s milk with a unique protein structure. This can only be produced by the Pacific beetle cockroach who are the only type of the species that give birth to live offspring. Obviously cockroaches are not mammals and therefore the liquid in question, called Diploptera punctate, is not ‘true’ milk but is a formula secreted by cockroaches to feed their young. The ‘milk’ contains protein crystals that feed the embryos before they are born. It is the protein crystals that have got the scientists excited, as Sanchari Banjeree, one of the authors of the research paper, said: “The crystals are like a complete food; they have proteins, fats and sugars. If you look into the protein sequences, they have all the essential amino acids.”
A smartwatch app for patient safety
A new smartwatch app being developed at Binghamton University may prevent serious injury for nursing home residents due to poor communication systems, researchers say. The proposed design integrates all of the existing safety systems at nursing homes — for example, call lights, chair and bed alarms, wander guards, calling-for-help functions — and provides alerts to users. Through a process of iterative design and evaluation with prospective users, a final design was well received by nursing experts in geriatric care, and at local nursing homes. An on-going evaluation study shows that using this system reduces staff response time to alarms, researchers said.
Nutty diet toavoid acute diseases
As per a new study, eating some nuts could help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. A greater intake of nuts was associated with lower levels of biomarkers of inflammation, it added. “Population studies have consistently supported a protective role of nuts against cardiometabolic disorders such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, and we know that inflammation is a key process in the development of these diseases,” said Ying Bao from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in the US. “Our new work suggests that nuts may exert their beneficial effects in part by reducing systemic inflammation,” Bao said. Previously, researchers observed an association between increased nut consumption and reduced risk of major chronic diseases and even death, but few studies had examined the link between nut intake and inflammation.