top of page
Published Science
Click Search to Filter.
Total Entries: 10690
Title:
Role of advanced glycation end products in cellular signaling
Authors:
Ott, C.; Jacobs, K.; Haucke, E.; Navarrete Santos, A.; Grune, T.; Simm, A.
Abstract:
Improvements in health care and lifestyle have led to an elevated lifespan and increased focus on age-associated diseases, such as neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disease, frailty and arteriosclerosis. In all these chronic diseases protein, lipid or nucleic acid modifications are involved, including cross-linked and non-degradable aggregates, such as advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Formation of endogenous or uptake of dietary AGEs can lead to further protein modifications and activation of several inflammatory signaling pathways. This review will give an overview of the most prominent AGE-mediated signaling cascades, AGE receptor interactions, prevention of AGE formation and the impact of AGEs during pathophysiological processes. © 2014 The Authors.
Published:
2014
Title:
Role of medium chain triglycerides (Axona®) in the treatment of mild to moderate alzheimer's disease
Authors:
Sharma, Alok; Bemis, Marc; Desilets, Alicia R.
Abstract:
Treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors or N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists provides symptomatic relief but do not prevent its progression. Thus, additional approaches aimed at slowing the progression of the disease have been investigated. Reports detailing reduced brain glucose metabolism in the early stages of AD led to the hypothesis that alternate energy sources aimed at increasing neuronal metabolism may protect neurons and thus benefit patients with AD. Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are metabolized to ketone bodies that serve as an alternative source of energy for neurons. Data from clinical trials suggest that MCTs improve cognition in patients with mild to moderate AD in apolipoprotein E4-negative patients. Adverse events observed were mild and included minor gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, dyspepsia, and flatulence. However, since genomic profiles are not routinely conducted in patients with AD in a clinical setting, the role of MCTs in clinical practice seems to be minimal.
Published:
2014
Title:
Salmonella Infections, Networks of Knowledge, and Public Health in Britain, 1880-1975
Authors:
Anne Hardy
Abstract:
The Salmonella family of bacteria were considered the dominant source of the common affliction of food poisoning for most of the twentieth century. Food poisoning was identified as a public health problem in 1880, and the routes by which transmission occurred and the identity of the causal organisms were elucidated by epidemiological observation and laboratory research in the decades that followed. As a result, broad environmental concerns about disease caused by environmental contamination with human wastes were translated, through realization of the connections between human and animal disease, into a broader ecological awareness of the relationship between human activity, animal infections, food-borne disease, and the environment. Alongside the completion of sanitary infrastructure and as the expansion of local and global trade multiplied opportunities for bacterial invasion, public health attention shifted to the specific sites in the human food chain where the agents of food-poisoning gained access to human bodies. Since 1975, newly discovered food-poisoning bacteria have rivalled Salmonella as a public health concern, and in the twenty-first century the vast scale of the global problem of food-borne disease has been realized, but the lessons derived from the previous century of research and experiment on Salmonella food poisoning remain applicable.
Published:
2014
Title:
Scavenger receptor-A (CD204): a two-edged sword in health and disease
Authors:
Kelley, Jim L.; Ozment, Tammy R.; Li, Chuanfu; Schweitzer, John B.; Williams, David L.
Abstract:
Scavenger receptor A (SR-A), also known as the macrophage scavenger receptor and cluster of differentiation 204 (CD204), plays roles in lipid metabolism, atherogenesis, and a number of metabolic processes. However, recent evidence points to important roles for SR-A in inflammation, innate immunity, host defense, sepsis, and ischemic injury. Herein, we review the role of SR-A in inflammation, innate immunity, host defense, sepsis, cardiac and cerebral ischemic injury, Alzheimer's disease, virus recognition and uptake, bone metabolism, and pulmonary injury. Interestingly, SR-A is reported to be host protective in some disease states, but there is also compelling evidence that SR-A plays a role in the pathophysiology of other diseases. These observations of both harmful and beneficial effects of SR-A are discussed here in the framework of inflammation, innate immunity, and endoplasmic reticulum stress.
Published:
2014
Title:
Serum phytanic and pristanic acid levels and prostate cancer risk in Finnish smokers
Authors:
Wright, M.E.; Albanes, D.; Moser, A.B.; Weinstein, S.J.; Snyder, K.; Männistö, S.; Gann, P.H.
Abstract:
Phytanic acid is a saturated branched-chain fatty acid found predominantly in red meat and dairy products, and may contribute to the elevated risks of prostate cancer associated with higher consumption of these foods. Pristanic acid is formed during peroxisomal oxidation of phytanic acid, and is the direct substrate of α-Methyl-CoA-Racemase (AMACR)-an enzyme that is consistently overexpressed in prostate tumors relative to benign tissue. We measured phytanic and pristanic acids as percentages of total fatty acids by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in prediagnostic blood samples from 300 prostate cancer cases and 300 matched controls, all of whom were participants in the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) Study supplementation trial and follow-up cohort. In addition to providing a fasting blood sample at baseline, all men completed extensive diet, lifestyle, and medical history questionnaires. Among controls, the strongest dietary correlates of serum phytanic and pristanic acids were saturated fat, dairy fat, and butter (r = 0.50 and 0.40, 0.46 and 0.38, and 0.40 and 0.37, respectively; all P-values <0.001). There was no association between serum phytanic acid and risk of total or aggressive prostate cancer in multivariate logistic regression models (for increasing quartiles, odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for aggressive cancer were 1.0 (referent), 1.62 (0.97-2.68), 1.12 (0.66-1.90), and 1.14 (0.67-1.94), Ptrend = 0.87). Pristanic acid was strongly correlated with phytanic acid levels (r = 0.73, P < 0.0001), and was similarly unrelated to prostate cancer risk. Significant interactions between phytanic and pristanic acids and baseline circulating β-carotene concentrations were noted in relation to total and aggressive disease among participants who did not receive β-carotene supplements as part of the original ATBC intervention trial. In summary, we observed no overall association between serum phytanic and pristanic acid levels and prostate cancer risk. Findings indicating that the direction and magnitude of these associations depended upon serum levels of the antioxidant β-carotene among men not taking β-carotene supplements should be interpreted cautiously, as they are likely due to chance. © 2014 The Authors.
Published:
2014
Title:
Short-term glutamine supplementation decreases lung inflammation and the receptor for advanced glycation end-products expression in direct acute lung injury in mice
Authors:
Chuang, Y.-C.; Shaw, H.-M.; Chen, C.-C.; Pan, H.-J.; Lai, W.-C.; Huang, H.-L.
Abstract:
Background: Glutamine (GLN) has been reported to improve clinical and experimental sepsis outcomes. However, the mechanisms underlying the actions of GLN remain unclear, and may depend upon the route of GLN administration and the model of acute lung injury (ALI) used. The aim of this study was to investigate whether short-term GLN supplementation had an ameliorative effect on the inflammation induced by direct acid and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge in mice.Methods: Female BALB/c mice were divided into two groups, a control group and a GLN group (4.17% GLN supplementation). After a 10-day feeding period, ALI was induced by intratracheal administration of hydrochloric acid (pH 1.0; 2 mL/kg of body weight [BW]) and LPS (5 mg/kg BW). Mice were sacrificed 3 h after ALI challenge. In this early phase of ALI, serum, lungs, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from the mice were collected for further analysis.Results: The results of this study showed that ALI-challenged mice had a significant increase in myeloperoxidase activity and expression of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α in the lung compared with unchallenged mice. Compared with the control group, GLN pretreatment in ALI-challenged mice reduced the levels of receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) and IL-1β production in BALF, with a corresponding decrease in their mRNA expression. The GLN group also had markedly lower in mRNA expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and NADPH oxidase-1.Conclusions: These results suggest that the benefit of dietary GLN may be partly contributed to an inhibitory effect on RAGE expression and pro-inflammatory cytokines production at an early stage in direct acid and LPS-induced ALI in mice. © 2014 Chuang et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
Published:
2014
Title:
Should people at low risk of cardiovascular disease take a statin?
Authors:
Abramson, J. D.; Rosenberg, H. G.
Abstract:
A review of statins for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease could alter guidance for those with a 10 year risk of less than 10%. John Abramson and colleagues argue that statins have no overall health benefit in this population and that prescribing guidelines should not be broadened
Published:
2014
Title:
Similar metabolic responses in pigs and humans to breads with different contents and compositions of dietary fibers: A metabolomics study
Authors:
Nielsen, K.L.; Hartvigsen, M.L.; Hedemann, M.S.; Lræke, H.N.; Hermansen, K.; Bach Knudsen, K.E.
Abstract:
Background: In nutritional studies, pigs are often used as models for humans because of nutritional and physiologic similarities. However, evidence supporting similar metabolic responses to nutritional interventions is lacking. Objective: The objective was to establish whether pigs and humans respond similarly to a nutritional intervention. Using metabolomics, we compared the acute metabolic response to 4 test breads between conventional pigs (growing) and adult human subjects (with the metabolic syndrome). Design: Six catheterized pigs and 15 human subjects were tested in a randomized crossover design with 4 breads: white-wheat bread low in dietary fiber, rye bread with whole-rye kernels, and 2 white-wheat breads supplemented with either wheat arabinoxylan or oat β-glucan. Blood samples drawn 215, 30, and 120 min post-prandially were analyzed by untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry metabolomics. Results: We found that the postprandial responses, as reflected in blood metabolomes, are similar in pigs and humans. Twenty-one of 26 identified metabolites that were found to be different between the species were qualitatively similar in response to the test breads, despite different basal metabolome concentrations in the plasma of pigs and humans. Humans had higher contents of phosphatidylcholines, oleic acid, and carnitine in plasma, possibly reflecting a higher intake of meats and fats. In pigs, betaine, choline, creatinine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine were higher, probably because of the higher doses of bread provided to the pigs (per kg body weight) and/or because of their growing status. Acute metabolic differences in these metabolites induced by the breads were, however, comparable between the 2 species. Conclusion: Our results indicate that pigs are a suitable model for human metabolic studies in food research. The human trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01316354. The animal experiment was conducted according to a license obtained by the Danish Animal Experiments Inspectorate, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Danish Veterinary and Food Administration. © 2014 American Society for Nutrition.
Published:
2014
Title:
Sleep pattern is associated with adipokine levels and nutritional markers in resident physicians
Authors:
Mota, M.C.; Waterhouse, J.; De-Souza, D.A.; Rossato, L.T.; Silva, C.M.; Araújo, M.B.J.; Tufik, S.; De Mello, M.T.; Crispim, C.A.
Abstract:
Shift work and long hours of work are common in medical training and have been associated with a higher propensity for developing nutritional problems and obesity. Changes in leptin and ghrelin concentrations-two hormones that contribute importantly to the central regulation of food intake-are poorly described in this population. The aim of this study was to identify possible negative associations between sleep patterns, nutritional status and serum levels of adipokines. The study included 72 resident physicians (52 women and 20 men) who underwent the following assessments: nutritional assessment (3-day dietary recall evaluated by the Adapted Healthy Eating Index), anthropometric variables, fasting metabolism, physical activity level, sleep quality and sleepiness. Resident physicians with poor sleep quality reported greater weight gain after the beginning of residency (5.1 and 3.0 kg, respectively; p = 0.01) and higher frequency of abnormal waist circumference (44.2 and 17.6%, respectively; p = 0.04) than those with better sleep quality. Mean ghrelin concentration was greater in volunteers with poor sleep quality (64.6 ± 67.8 and 26.2 ± 25.0 pg/mL, respectively; p = 0.04). Women identified as having excessive daytime sleepiness had lower levels of leptin (9.57 ± 10.4 ng/mL versus 16.49 ± 11.4 ng/mL, respectively; p = 0.03) than those without excessive sleepiness. Furthermore, correlations were found between hours of additional work per week and: intake of cereals, bread and pasta (r = 0.22, p = 0.01); intake of servings of fruits (r = -0.20; p = 0.02) and beans (r = -0.21; p = 0.01); and global score for Adapted Healthy Eating Index (r = -0.23; p = 0.008; Table 3). The sleep quality total score correlated with servings of beans (r = -0.22; p = 0.01) and servings of oils (r = 0.23; p = 0.008). Significant correlations were found between mean of time of sleep and servings of cereals, bread and pasta (r = 0.20; p = 0.02), servings of meat (r = -0.29; p = 0.02) and cholesterol levels (r = 0.27; p = 0.03). These observations indicate that sleep patterns and long working hours of resident physicians are negatively associated with biological markers related to central food control, the lipid profile, cholesterol levels and eating healthy foods. These factors may predispose these shift workers to become overweight and develop metabolic disorders. © 2014 Informa Healthcare USA, Inc.
Published:
2014
Title:
Soy and phytoestrogens: Possible side effects
Authors:
Jargin, S.V.
Abstract:
Phytoestrogens are present in certain edible plants being most abundant in soy; they are structurally and functionally analogous to the estrogens. Phytoestrogens have been applied for compensation of hormone deficiency in the menopause. At the same time, soy products are used in infant food and other foodstuffs. Furthermore, soy is applied as animal fodder, so that residual phytoestrogens and their active metabolites such as equol can remain in meat and influence the hormonal balance of the consumers. There have been only singular reports on modified gender-related behavior or feminization in humans in consequence of soy consumption. In animals, the intake of phytoestrogens was reported to impact fertility, sexual development and behavior. Feminizing effects in humans can be subtle and identifiable only statistically in large populations. © 2014 Jargin.
Published:
2014
Title:
The Diet as a Cause of Human Prostate Cancer
Authors:
Nelson, William G.; DeMarzo, Angelo M.; Yegnasubramanian, Srinivasan
Abstract:
Asymptomatic prostate inflammation and prostate cancer have reached epidemic proportions among men in the developed world. Animal model studies implicate dietary carcinogens, such as the heterocyclic amines from over-cooked meats and sex steroid hormones, particularly estrogens, as candidate etiologies for prostate cancer. Each acts by causing epithelial cell damage, triggering an inflammatory response that can evolve into a chronic or recurrent condition. This milieu appears to spawn proliferative inflammatory atrophy (PIA) lesions, a type of focal atrophy that represents the earliest of prostate cancer precursor lesions. Rare PIA lesions contain cells which exhibit high c-Myc expression, shortened telomere segments, and epigenetic silencing of genes such as GSTP1, encoding the π-class glutathione S-transferase, all characteristic of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) and prostate cancer. Subsequent genetic changes, such as the gene translocations/deletions that generate fusion transcripts between androgen-regulated genes (such as TMPRSS2) and genes encoding ETS family transcription factors (such as ERG1), arise in PIN lesions and may promote invasiveness characteristic of prostatic adenocarcinoma cells. Lethal prostate cancers contain markedly corrupted genomes and epigenomes. Epigenetic silencing, which seems to arise in response to the inflamed microenvironment generated by dietary carcinogens and/or estrogens as part of an epigenetic “catastrophe” affecting hundreds of genes, persists to drive clonal evolution through metastatic dissemination. The cause of the initial epigenetic “catastrophe” has not been determined but likely involves defective chromatin structure maintenance by over-exuberant DNA methylation or histone modification. With dietary carcinogens and estrogens driving pro-carcinogenic inflammation in the developed world, it is tempting to speculate that dietary components associated with decreased prostate cancer risk, such as intake of fruits and vegetables, especially tomatoes and crucifers, might act to attenuate the ravages of the chronic or recurrent inflammatory processes. Specifically, nutritional agents might prevent PIA lesions or reduce the propensity of PIA lesions to suffer “catastrophic” epigenome corruption.
Published:
2014
Title:
The Industrial Diet: The Degradation of Food and the Struggle for Healthy Eating
Authors:
Winson, Anthony
Abstract:
Published:
2014
Title:
The big fat surprise: why butter, meat, and cheese belong in a healthy diet
Authors:
Teicholz, Nina
Abstract:
"Investigative journalist Nina Teicholz reveals here that everything we thought we knew about dietary fat is wrong. She documents how the low-fat nutrition advice of the past sixty years has amounted to a vast uncontrolled experiment on the entire population, with disastrous consequences for our health. For decades, we have been told that the best possible diet involves cutting back on fat, especially saturated fat, and that if we are not getting healthier or thinner, we are not trying hard enough. But what if the low-fat diet is itself the problem? Based on a nine-year investigation, Teicholz shows how the misinformation about saturated fats took hold in the scientific community and the public imagination, and how recent findings have overturned these beliefs. She explains why the Mediterranean Diet is not the healthiest, and how we might be replacing trans fats with something even worse. She upends the conventional wisdom with the groundbreaking claim that more, not less, dietary fat--including saturated fat--is what leads to better health and wellness. Science shows that we have been needlessly avoiding meat, cheese, whole milk, and eggs for decades and that we can now, guilt-free, welcome these delicious foods back into our lives."--From publisher description.
Published:
2014
Title:
The effect of a single Finnish sauna bath after aerobic exercise on the oxidative status in healthy men
Authors:
Sutkowy, Pawe\l; Woźniak, Alina; Boraczyński, Tomasz; Mila-Kierzenkowska, Celestyna; Boraczyński, Micha\l
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Finnish sauna as a regeneration method post-exercise on the oxidant-antioxidant balance in healthy men.$\backslash$n$\backslash$nMATERIAL: 43 men aged 24.0 ± 4.3 years performed a 30-min aerobic exercise on a cycle ergometer and rested for 39 min at a room temperature (Day 1; 20°C) or in a sauna for post-workout recovery (Day 2; 90°C, air humidity 10%). Blood was taken 3 times during both study days: Before the exercise (baseline), 20 and 40 min after the recovery. Methods. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) was determined in the subjects' erythrocytes. The concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) was measured both in plasma (TBARSpl) and in the erythrocytes (TBARSer).$\backslash$n$\backslash$nRESULTS: A 12.7% increase in the TBARSpl concentration versus the baseline was observed 40 min after the Finnish sauna (p \textless 0.01). The CAT activity observed 20 and 40 min after the sauna was also found higher by 8.1% and 8.9%, respectively, in comparison with the baseline (p \textless 0.05). In turn, the TBARSer concentration was lower by 17.5% 40 min after the recovery in the sauna, as compared with the TBARSer concentration 40 min after the recovery at the room temperature (p \textless 0.05).$\backslash$n$\backslash$nCONCLUSIONS: A single Finnish sauna bath as a source of free radicals per se is able to reduce oxidative stress induced by a 30-min aerobic exercise in healthy men.
Published:
2014
Title:
The effects of a ketogenic diet on exercise metabolism and physical performance in off-road cyclists
Authors:
Zajac, Adam; Poprzecki, Stanis\law; Maszczyk, Adam; Czuba, Mi\losz; Michalczyk, Ma\lgorzata; Zydek, Grzegorz
Abstract:
The main objective of this research was to determine the effects of a long-term ketogenic diet, rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, on aerobic performance and exercise metabolism in off-road cyclists. Additionally, the effects of this diet on body mass and body composition were evaluated, as well as those that occurred in the lipid and lipoprotein profiles due to the dietary intervention. The research material included eight male subjects, aged 28.3 ± 3.9 years, with at least five years of training experience that competed in off-road cycling. Each cyclist performed a continuous exercise protocol on a cycloergometer with varied intensity, after a mixed and ketogenic diet in a crossover design. The ketogenic diet stimulated favorable changes in body mass and body composition, as well as in the lipid and lipoprotein profiles. Important findings of the present study include a significant increase in the relative values of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and oxygen uptake at lactate threshold (VO2 LT) after the ketogenic diet, which can be explained by reductions in body mass and fat mass and/or the greater oxygen uptake necessary to obtain the same energy yield as on a mixed diet, due to increased fat oxidation or by enhanced sympathetic activation. The max work load and the work load at lactate threshold were significantly higher after the mixed diet. The values of the respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were significantly lower at rest and during particular stages of the exercise protocol following the ketogenic diet. The heart rate (HR) and oxygen uptake were significantly higher at rest and during the first three stages of exercise after the ketogenic diet, while the reverse was true during the last stage of the exercise protocol conducted with maximal intensity. Creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity were significantly lower at rest and during particular stages of the 105-min exercise protocol following the low carbohydrate ketogenic diet. The alterations in insulin and cortisol concentrations due to the dietary intervention confirm the concept that the glucostatic mechanism controls the hormonal and metabolic responses to exercise.
Published:
2014
Title:
The effects of consuming a high protein diet (4.4 g/kg/d) on body composition in resistance-trained individuals
Authors:
Antonio, Jose; Peacock, Corey A.; Ellerbroek, Anya; Fromhoff, Brandon; Silver, Tobin
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: The consumption of dietary protein is important for resistance-trained individuals. It has been posited that intakes of 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg/day are needed for physically active individuals. Thus, the purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of a very high protein diet (4.4 g/kg/d) on body composition in resistance-trained men and women. METHODS: Thirty healthy resistance-trained individuals participated in this study (mean ± SD; age: 24.1 ± 5.6 yr; height: 171.4 ± 8.8 cm; weight: 73.3 ± 11.5 kg). Subjects were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: Control (CON) or high protein (HP). The CON group was instructed to maintain the same training and dietary habits over the course of the 8 week study. The HP group was instructed to consume 4.4 grams of protein per kg body weight daily. They were also instructed to maintain the same training and dietary habits (e.g. maintain the same fat and carbohydrate intake). Body composition (Bod Pod®), training volume (i.e. volume load), and food intake were determined at baseline and over the 8 week treatment period. RESULTS: The HP group consumed significantly more protein and calories pre vs post (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the HP group consumed significantly more protein and calories than the CON (p
Published:
2014
Title:
The effects of ketogenic diet on oxidative stress and antioxidative capacity markers of Taekwondo athletes
Authors:
Rhyu, Hyun-seung; Cho, Su-Youn; Roh, Hee-Tae
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the ketogenic diet through 3 weeks on oxidative stress and antioxidative capacity markers in Taekwondo athletes. The participants selected for this research were 18 high school taekwondo contestants aged 15-18 who had at least 5 yr of career as contestant. The subjects were randomly assigned to the ketogenic diet (KD) group and the Non ketogenic diet (NDK) group. Body composition and oxidative stress and antioxidative capacity markers (LDH, MDA, ROS, HDL, and SOD) were analysed before and after 3 weeks of ketogenic diet. No significant difference was found between the groups in body composition, ROS and SOD level. The KD group showed an elevated HDL level and NKD group showed an elevated LDH and MDA level after ketogenic diet by 3 weeks. This result suggests that weight loss by 3 weeks of calorie restriction and exercise can cause oxidative stress, and that ketogenic diet can be effective for preventing it. It could also be inferred that ketogenic diet can be effective for increasing blood antioxidative capacity.
Published:
2014
Title:
The emerging role of microRNAs and nutrition in modulating health and disease
Authors:
Ross, Sharon A.; Davis, Cindy D.
Abstract:
Understanding the molecular mechanisms that inform how diet and dietary supplements influence health and disease is an active research area. One such mechanism concerns the role of diet in modulating the activity and function of microRNAs (miRNAs). miRNAs are small noncoding RNA molecules that are involved in posttranscriptional gene silencing and have been shown to control gene expression in diverse biological processes including development, differentiation, cell proliferation, metabolism, and inflammation as well as in human diseases. Recent evidence described in this review highlights how dietary factors may influence cancer, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease through modulation of miRNA expression. Additionally, circulating miRNAs are emerging as putative biomarkers of disease, susceptibility, and perhaps dietary exposure. Research needs to move beyond associations in cells and animals to understanding the direct effects of diet and dietary supplements on miRNA expression and function in human health and disease.
Published:
2014
Title:
The gut microbiome-a new target for understanding, diagnosing and treating disease
Authors:
Raes, Jeroen
Abstract:
Published:
2014
Title:
The immune protective effect of the mediterranean diet against chronic low-grade inflammatory diseases
Authors:
Casas, R.; Sacanella, E.; Estruch, R.
Abstract:
Dietary patterns high in refined starches, sugar, and saturated and trans-fatty acids, poor in natural antioxidants and fiber from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and poor in omega-3 fatty acids may cause an activation of the innate immune system, most likely by excessive production of proinflammatory cytokines associated with a reduced production of anti-inflammatory cytokines. The Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) is a nutritional model inspired by the traditional dietary pattern of some of the countries of the Mediterranean basin. This dietary pattern is characterized by the abundant consumption of olive oil, high consumption of plant foods (fruits, vegetables, pulses, cereals, nuts and seeds); frequent and moderate intake of wine (mainly with meals); moderate consumption of fish, seafood, yogurt, cheese, poultry and eggs; and low consumption of red meat, processed meat products and seeds. Several epidemiological studies have evaluated the effects of a Mediterranean pattern as protective against several diseases associated with chronic low-grade inflammation such as cancer, diabetes, obesity, atherosclerosis, metabolic syndrome and cognition disorders. The adoption of this dietary pattern could counter the effects of several inflammatory markers, decreasing, for example, the secretion of circulating and cellular biomarkers involved in the atherosclerotic process. Thus, the aim of this review was to consider the current evidence about the effectiveness of the MedDiet in these chronic inflammatory diseases due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which may not only act on classical risk factors but also on inflammatory biomarkers such as adhesion molecules, cytokines or molecules related to the stability of atheromatic plaque. © 2014 Bentham Science Publishers.
Published:
2014
Title:
The influence of a whole food vegan diet with Nori algae and wild mushrooms on selected blood parameters
Authors:
Schwarz, Joachim; Dschietzig, Thomas; Schwarz, Jens; Dura, Andreas; Nelle, Esther; Watanabe, Fumio; Wintgens, Karl Florian; Reich, Michael; Armbruster, Franz Paul
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Vegan and vegetarian diets could overcome many diseases of civilization. This study examines whether a whole food vegan diet with Nori algae and wild mushrooms can provide a sufficient quantity of critical nutrients. METHODS: Five blood samples (Baseline to Time 5) were taken over eight months from 75 subjects (10 vegans without B12 supplementation who consumed Nori algae and wild mushrooms, 20 vegans with supplementation, 40 vegetarians, 5 meat-eaters). Blood was analyzed for blood cell counts, total vitamin B12, holotranscobalamin, homocysteine, methylmalonic acid, vitamin B6, folic acid, ferritin, TSH, zinc, creatinine, vitamin D2 and D3. RESULTS: In the vegan group without supplementation, all means were within the tolerance (holotranscobalamin, homocystein) or normal, except for elevated methylmalonic acid and diminished vitamin D. This group developed significantly higher vitamin D2 levels. The vegan group with B12 supplementation and the vegetarian group showed normal values for all parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Vegans following a whole food diet had a borderline supply of vitamin B12. Folic acid, vitamin B6, TSH, iron metabolism, and the blood count were in the normal range. Vegans taking dietary supplements demonstrated satisfactory overall results. An ingestion of sundried mushrooms can contribute to the supply of vitamin D.
Published:
2014
Title:
The influence of a whole food vegan diet with Nori algae and wild mushrooms on selected blood parameters
Authors:
Schwarz, Joachim; Dschietzig, Thomas; Schwarz, Jens; Dura, Andreas; Nelle, Esther; Watanabe, Fumio; Wintgens, Karl Florian; Reich, Michael; Armbruster, Franz Paul
Abstract:
CONCLUSIONS: Vegans following a whole food diet had a borderline supply of vitamin B12. Folic acid, vitamin B6, TSH, iron metabolism, and the blood count were in the normal range. Vegans taking dietary supplements demonstrated satisfactory overall results. An ingestion of sundried mushrooms can contribute to the supply of vitamin D.
Published:
2014
Title:
The microbiome: stress, health and disease
Authors:
Moloney, Rachel D.; Desbonnet, Lieve; Clarke, Gerard; Dinan, Timothy G.; Cryan, John F.
Abstract:
Published:
2014
Title:
The potential effects of meditation on age-related cognitive decline: A systematic review
Authors:
Gard, Tim; Hölzel, Britta K.; Lazar, Sara W.
Abstract:
With a rapidly aging society it becomes increasingly important to counter normal age-related decline in cognitive functioning. Growing evidence suggests that cognitive training programs may have the potential to counteract this decline. On the basis of a growing body of research that shows that meditation has positive effects on cognition in younger and middle-aged adults, meditation may be able to offset normal age-related cognitive decline or even enhance cognitive function in older adults. In this paper, we review studies investigating the effects of meditation on age-related cognitive decline. We searched the Web of Science (1900 to present), PsycINFO (1597 to present), MEDLINE (1950 to present), and CABI (1910 to present) to identify original studies investigating the effects of meditation on cognition and cognitive decline in the context of aging. Twelve studies were included in the review, six of which were randomized controlled trials. Studies involved a wide variety of meditation techniques and reported preliminary positive effects on attention, memory, executive function, processing speed, and general cognition. However, most studies had a high risk of bias and small sample sizes. Reported dropout rates were low and compliance rates high. We conclude that meditation interventions for older adults are feasible, and preliminary evidence suggests that meditation can offset age-related cognitive decline.
Published:
2014
Title:
The potential for a carbon stable isotope biomarker of dietary sugar intake
Authors:
Jahren, A.H.; Bostic, J.N.; Davy, B.M.
Abstract:
Added sugar is sweetener added to foods during processing or preparation that offers no health benefits to the consumer. The mean U.S. intake of added sugar is ≈16% of total calories; at the highest level of consumption, this value exceeds 35%. In addition, 78% of added sugar typically consumed is refined from C4 plants (e.g., corn and sugar cane) and it follows that the δ13C value of these sweeteners is conspicuously high compared to carbohydrates derived from C3 plants. We first suggested in 2006 the potential for the δ13C of human tissues to indicate corn- and cane-sugar intake for use in a clinical setting. At present, self-reported dietary assessment methods are commonly used to measure added sugar intake, but are subject to underreporting, particularly for sugar-rich foods. If a carbon isotope technique could produce a quantitative indicator of dietary sugar intake, it would be invaluable to the prevention and clinical treatment of chronic diseases associated with excess sugar consumption. Research to date has focused upon testing the correlation between diet as characterized either by bulk food δ13C value or by food composition (e.g., added sugar intake quartile) and the δ13C values of human tissues. Analysis of hair, nail and red blood cells in modern humans with known diet has revealed associations between the δ13C value of bulk diet and the δ13C value of these tissues. With respect to added sugar, the δ13C values of blood serum and fingerstick blood have both been shown to be associated with added sugar intake, even after adjustment for meat intake. Researchers have attempted to isolate specific compounds in blood that are uniquely derived from dietary carbohydrates, such as direct endogenous carbohydrate sources (blood glucose) and specific non-essential amino acids (red blood cell alanine), and have seen strong correlations with added sugar intake. Recognized dietary confounders such as meat/animal products have been addressed using statistical adjustments and a dual-isotope analytical approach that invokes δ15N as a correction factor. Further controlled feeding studies and epidemiological surveys complete with Institutional Review Board approval are needed to establish the sensitivity of δ13C tissue assay as an objective biomarker for added sugar intake. © 2014 The Partner Organisations.
Published:
2014
Title:
The relationship between blood lipid indicators and carcass traits and with the concentration of omega-3 fatty acids in the longissimus dorsi muscle of growing pigs
Authors:
Raj, S.; Sobol, M.; Skiba, G.; Weremko, D.; Poławska, E.
Abstract:
The relationship between blood lipid indicators, subcutaneous and intramuscular fat contents and with the concentration of omega-3 fatty acids in the musculus longissimus dorsi (MLD) was investigated to search for biomarkers specifically associated with one of these relationships. The study was carried out on 32 gilts growing from 60 to 105 kg body weight (BW). The pigs were fed control (C) or experimental diets (L, M and H) in which 10% of metabolizable energy of diet C was replaced by 3.5% of fat mixtures that introduced in the different ratios of omega-3 fatty acids into the diets. The pigs were slaughtered at 105 kg BW and the serum concentrations of total protein (TP), triglycerides (TRIG), total cholesterol (CHOL), and high-, low-, and very low-density lipoproteins (HDL, LDL, VLDL, respectively) were determined. Backfat thickness, meat content in the carcass, and the fatty acid composition of MLD were estimated. Increased omega-3 fatty acid contents in the diet resulted in decreased concentrations of blood lipid indicators. TRIG displayed a significant correlation with meat content and backfat thickness in the carcass (r = -0.54, P < 0.01 or r = 0.43, P < 0.05). Also, a significant correlation was found between TRIG in the blood and the concentration of eicosapentaenoic and docosapentaenoic acids in the MLD (average r = -0.56, P < 0.01) and between CHOL in the blood and the concentration of linolenic acid in the MLD (r = -0.61, P
Published:
2014
Title:
The type of fat ingested at breakfast influences the plasma lipid profile of postmenopausal women
Authors:
Morillas-Ruiz, J. M.; Delgado-Alarcon, J. M.; Rubio-Perez, J. M.; Albaladejo Oton, M. D.
Abstract:
To assess whether the type of fat ingested at breakfast can modify the plasma lipid profile and other cardiovascular risk variables in postmenopausal women at risk of cardiovascular disease, a longitudinal, randomized, and crossover study was carried out with postmenopausal women at risk of CVD. They were randomly assigned to eat each type of breakfast during one month: 6 study periods (breakfast with the same composition plus butter/margarine/virgin olive oil) separated by two washout periods. On the first and last days of each study period, weight, arterial blood pressure, heart rate, and body mass index were recorded in fasting conditions and a blood sample was collected to measure plasma lipid profile. When comparing final values to baseline values, we only found out statistically significant differences on plasma lipid profiles. Butter-based breakfast increased total cholesterol and HDL, while margarine-based breakfast decreased total cholesterol and LDL and increased HDL. After the olive oil-based breakfast intake, a tendency towards a decrease of total cholesterol and LDL levels and an increase of HDL levels was observed. No statistically significant differences were observed in triglycerides levels, BMI, and arterial pressure in any breakfast type. The margarine-based breakfast was the only one which significantly increased the percentage of volunteers with optimal lipid profiles. The polyunsaturated fat at breakfast has improved the plasma lipid profile in the analyzed sample population, suggesting that PUFA-based breakfast can be advisable in women at risk of CVD.
Published:
2014
Title:
Three-graded stratification of carbohydrate restriction by level of baseline hemoglobin A1c for type 2 diabetes patients with a moderate low-carbohydrate diet
Authors:
Haimoto, Hajime; Sasakabe, Tae; Kawamura, Takahiko; Umegaki, Hiroyuki; Komeda, Masashi; Wakai, Kenji
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: A moderate low-carbohydrate diet has been receiving attention in the dietary management of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). A fundamental issue has still to be addressed; how much carbohydrate delta-reduction (Δcarbohydrate) from baseline would be necessary to achieve a certain decrease in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effects of three-graded stratification of carbohydrate restriction by patient baseline HbA1c levels on glycemic control and effects of Δcarbohydrate on decreases in HbA1c levels (ΔHbA1c) in each group. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We treated 122 outpatients with T2DM by three-graded carbohydrate restriction according to baseline HbA1c levels (≤ 7.4% for Group 1, 7.5%-8.9% for Group 2 and ≥ 9.0% for Group 3) and assessed their HbA1c levels, doses of anti-diabetic drugs and macronutrient intakes over 6 months. RESULTS: At baseline, the mean HbA1c level and carbohydrate intake were 6.9 ± 0.4% and 252 ± 59 g/day for Group 1 (n = 55), 8.1 ± 0.4% and 282 ± 85 g/day for Group 2 (n = 41) and 10.6 ± 1.4% and 309 ± 88 g/day for Group 3 (n = 26). Following three-graded carbohydrate restriction for 6 months significantly decreased mean carbohydrate intake (g/day) and HbA1c levels for all patients, from 274 ± 78 to 168 ± 52 g and from 8.1 ± 1.6 to 7.1 ± 0.9% (n = 122, P < 0.001 for both) and anti-diabetic drugs could be tapered. ΔHbA1c and Δcarbohydrate were -0.4 ± 0.4% and -74 ± 69 g/day for Group 1, -0.6 ± 0.9% and -117 ± 78 g/day for Group 2 and -3.1 ± 1.4% and -156 ± 74 g/day for Group 3. Linear regression analysis showed that the greater the carbohydrate intake, the greater the HbA1c levels at baseline (P = 0.001). Also, the greater the reduction in carbohydrate intake (g/day), the greater the decrease in HbA1c levels (P
Published:
2014
Title:
Thyroid function in adult Nigerians with metabolic syndrome
Authors:
Udenze, Ifeoma; Nnaji, Ilochi; Oshodi, Temitope
Abstract:
INTRODUCTION: Metabolic syndrome and thyroid dysfunction are two common disorders encountered in the metabolic clinic. Recently, there has been increased interest in the association between the two disorders because of the similarities between symptoms of hypothyroidism and components of the metabolic syndrome. While some reports suggest that metabolic syndrome is associated with subclinical hypothyroidism, this concept is largely under investigated in Nigerian adults with metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study is to determine the thyroid function status of adult Nigerians with metabolic syndrome and determine the association, if any, between metabolic syndrome and thyroid function. METHODS: This was a cross sectional study of one hundred and fifty adults, members of staff of the College of Medicine of the University of Lagos. The participants were recruited using a cluster random sampling method. The Ethical Research & Review Committee of the institution approved the study protocol and signed informed consent was obtained from the participants. The statistics was analysed using the IBM SPSS Software of version 19.0. The Student's t test, Chi square test and multivariate regression analysis were employed for the analysis. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Thirty nine (twenty-six percent) of the study participants had metabolic syndrome and one hundred and eleven (seventy-four percent) of the study participants did not have metabolic syndrome, served as controls. Those who had metabolic syndrome group were significantly older (p = 0.03), metabolic syndrome was significantly associated with the female gender (p = 0.0002), higher systolic blood pressure (p = 0.0034), diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.0009), waist circumference (p < 0.0001), body mass index (p < 0.0001), waist-hip ratio (p = 0.003), fasting serum glucose (p = 0.0457) and free thyroxine (fT4) levels (p = 0.0496). Those with metabolic syndrome had significantly lower HDL (P = 0.004) and free triiodothyronine (fT3) levels (p = 0.037). There was no statistically significant difference in the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels between individuals with and without metabolic syndrome. Thirty-three percent of the metabolic syndrome cases had sick euthyroid syndrome (p=
Published:
2014
Title:
Thyroid hormone levels in obese children and adolescents with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors:
Torun, Emel; Özgen, Ilker Tolga; Gökçe, Selim; Aydın, Sinem; Cesur, Yaşar
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine the association of thyroid functions with the components of metabolic syndrome (MS) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in pediatric obese patients. METHODS: The study included 109 obese children (aged 9-15 years) and a control group of 44 healthy age and gender-matched children of normal weight. NAFLD was diagnosed by conventional ultrasound examination. We assessed the anthropometric data and serum biochemical parameters including lipid profile, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), fasting glucose and insulin levels and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4) and free triiodothyronine (fT3) levels. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated as a measure of IR. RESULTS: The mean age and gender distributions in the groups were similar (p=0.23). The mean body mass index (BMI) z-scores of obese children with grade 2-3 NAFLD were significantly higher than those of the obese children without hepatic steatosis (p<0.001). Mean ALT, triglyceride (TG) and LDL cholesterol increased and HDL-cholesterol significantly decreased as the hepatic steatosis increased (p
Published:
2014
Title:
Trans fatty acids: Are its cardiovascular risks fully appreciated?
Authors:
Nestel, P.
Abstract:
Objective The goal of this article was to review the causal link between trans fatty acids (TFA) produced from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (PHVO) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and its likely mechanisms. The potential risk of TFA from ruminant dairy and meats, which are currently the major sources of dietary TFA, is also discussed. Methods Evidence was derived from observational studies of large cohorts followed up prospectively; from randomized controlled trials of clinical interventions; and from specific case-control studies that investigated biomarkers in tissues. Searches included PubMed and Medline from 1990 to 2013. Results Despite TFA from PHVO being associated more strongly with CVD risk than even saturated fats, it may prove difficult to totally eliminate PHVO from all foods. This raises the issue of the lower limit of TFA consumption below which CVD risk is not increased. Limits of
Published:
2014
Title:
Untold nutrition
Authors:
Campbell, T. Colin
Abstract:
Nutrition is generally investigated, and findings interpreted, in reference to the activities of individual nutrients. Nutrient composition of foods, food labeling, food fortification, and nutrient recommendations are mostly founded on this assumption, a practice commonly known as reductionism. While such information on specifics is important and occasionally useful in practice, it ignores the coordinated, integrated and virtually symphonic nutrient activity (wholism) that occurs in vivo. With reductionism providing the framework, public confusion abounds and huge monetary and social costs are incurred. Two examples are briefly presented to illustrate, the long time misunderstandings (1) about saturated and total fat as causes of cancer and heart disease and (2) the emergence of the nutrient supplement industry. A new definition of the science of nutrition is urgently needed.
Published:
2014
Title:
Use of the plasma triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio to identify cardiovascular disease in hypertensive subjects
Authors:
Salazar, Martin R.; Carbajal, Horacio A.; Espeche, Walter G.; Aizpurua, Marcelo; Sisnieguez, Carlos E.Leiva; Sisnieguez, Betty C.Leiva; March, Carlos E.; Stavile, Rodolfo N.; Balbin, Eduardo; Reaven, Gerald M.
Abstract:
This analysis evaluated the hypothesis that the plasma triglyceride (TG)/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentration ratio can help identify patients with essential hypertension who are insulin-resistant, with the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk profile associated with that defect. Data from a community-based study developed between 2003 and 2012 were used to compare CVD risk factors and outcome. Plasma TG/HDL-C cut-points of 2.5 (women) and 3.5 (men) subdivided normotensive (n = 574) and hypertensive (n = 373) subjects into "high" and "low" risk groups. Metabolic syndrome criteria (MetS) were also used to identify "high" and "low" risk groups. The baseline cardio-metabolic profile was significantly more adverse in 2003 in "high" risk subgroups, irrespective of BP classification or definition of risk (TG/HDL-C ratio vs. MetS criteria). Crude incidence of combined CVD events increased across risk groups, ranging from 1.9 in normotensive- low TG/HDL-C subjects to 19.9 in hypertensive-high TG/HDL-C ratio individuals (P for trends \textless.001). Adjusted hazard ratios for CVD events also increased with both hypertension and TG/HDL-C. Comparable findings were seen when CVD outcome was predicted by MetS criteria. The TG/HDL-C concentration ratio and the MetS criteria identify to a comparable degree hypertensive subjects who are at greatest cardio-metabolic risk and develop significantly more CVD.
Published:
2014
Title:
What cost mitochondria? The maintenance of functional mitochondrial DNA within and across generations
Authors:
Aanen, Duur K; Spelbrink, Johannes N; Beekman, Madeleine
Abstract:
The peculiar biology of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) potentially has detrimental consequences for organismal health and lifespan. Typically, eukaryotic cells contain multiple mitochondria, each with multiple mtDNA genomes. The high copy number of mtDNA implies that selection on mtDNA functionality is relaxed. Furthermore, because mtDNA replication is not strictly regulated, within-cell selection may favour mtDNA variants with a replication advantage, but a deleterious effect on cell fitness. The opportunities for selfish mtDNA mutations to spread are restricted by various organism-level adaptations, such as uniparental transmission, germline mtDNA bottlenecks, germline selection and, during somatic growth, regular alternation between fusion and fission of mitochondria. These mechanisms are all hypothesized to maintain functional mtDNA. However, the strength of selection for maintenance of functional mtDNA progressively declines with age, resulting in age-related diseases. Furthermore, organismal adaptations that most probably evolved to restrict the opportunities for selfish mtDNA create secondary problems. Owing to predominantly maternal mtDNA transmission, recombination among mtDNA from different individuals is highly restricted or absent, reducing the scope for repair. Moreover, maternal inheritance precludes selection against mtDNA variants with male-specific effects. We finish by discussing the consequences of life-history differences among taxa with respect to mtDNA evolution and make a case for the use of microorganisms to experimentally manipulate levels of selection.
Published:
2014
Title:
Whole grain rye intake, reflected by a biomarker, is associated with favorable blood lipid outcomes in subjects with the metabolic syndrome - A randomized study
Authors:
Magnusdottir, O.K.; Landberg, R.; Gunnarsdottir, I.; Cloetens, L.; Åkesson, B.; Rosqvist, F.; Schwab, U.; Herzig, K.-H.; Hukkanen, J.; Savolainen, M.J.; Brader, L.; Hermansen, K.; Kolehmainen, M.; Poutanen, K.; Uusitupa, M.; Risérus, U.; Thorsdottir, I.
Abstract:
Background and Aim: Few studies have explored the possible plasma cholesterol lowering effects of rye consumption. The aim of this secondary analysis in the SYSDIET study was to investigate the association between plasma alkylresorcinols (AR), a biomarker for whole grain wheat and rye intake, and blood lipid concentrations in a population with metabolic syndrome. Furthermore, we analyzed the associations between the AR C17:0/C21:0 ratio, a suggested marker of the relative intake of whole grain/bran rye, and blood lipid concentrations. Methods: Participants were 30-65 years of age, with body mass index (BMI) 27-40 kg/m2 and had metabolic syndrome. Individuals were recruited through six centers in the Nordic countries and randomized either to a healthy Nordic diet (ND, n = 93), rich in whole grain rye and wheat, as well as berries, fruits and vegetables, rapeseed oil, three fish meals per week and low-fat dairy products, or a control diet (n=65) for 18/24 weeks. Associations between total plasma AR concentration and C17:0/C21:0 homologue ratio and blood lipids were investigated in pooled (ND + control group) regression analyses at 18/24 weeks adjusted for baseline value for the dependent variable, age, BMI and statin use. Results: When adjusted for confounders, total plasma AR at 18/24 weeks was not significantly associated with blood lipids but the AR ratio C17:0/C21:0 was inversely associated with LDL cholesterol concentrations (B (95% CI): 20.41 (20.80 to 20.02)), log LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio (20.20 (20.37 to 20.03)), log non-HDL cholesterol (20.20 (20.37 to 20.03)), log apolipoprotein B (20.12 (20.24 to 0.00)) and log triglyceride concentrations (20.35 (20.59 to 20.12)). Discussion: Increased proportion of whole grain rye, reflected by a biomarker, in the diet is associated with favorable blood lipid outcomes, a relationship that should be further investigated. © 2014 Magnusdottir et al.
Published:
2014
Title:
A Practical Guide to the Histology of the Mouse
Authors:
Scudamore, Cheryl L
Abstract:
Published:
2013-12
Title:
A brief report on the relationship between self-control, video game addiction and academic achievement in normal and ADHD students
Authors:
Haghbin, Maryam; Shaterian, Fatemeh; Hosseinzadeh, Davood; Griffiths, Mark D.
Abstract:
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Over the last two decades, research into video game addiction has grown increasingly. The present research aimed to examine the relationship between video game addiction, self-control, and academic achievement of normal and ADHD high school students. Based on previous research it was hypothesized that (i) there would be a relationship between video game addiction, self-control and academic achievement (ii) video game addiction, self-control and academic achievement would differ between male and female students, and (iii) the relationship between video game addiction, self-control and academic achievement would differ between normal students and ADHD students. METHODS: The research population comprised first grade high school students of Khomeini-Shahr (a city in the central part of Iran). From this population, a sample group of 339 students participated in the study. The survey included the Game Addiction Scale (Lemmens, Valkenburg & Peter, 2009), the Self-Control Scale (Tangney, Baumeister & Boone, 2004) and the ADHD Diagnostic checklist (Kessler et al., 2007). In addition to questions relating to basic demographic information, students' Grade Point Average (GPA) for two terms was used for measuring their academic achievement. These hypotheses were examined using a regression analysis. RESULTS: Among Iranian students, the relationship between video game addiction, self-control, and academic achievement differed between male and female students. However, the relationship between video game addiction, self-control, academic achievement, and type of student was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Although the results cannot demonstrate a causal relationship between video game use, video game addiction, and academic achievement, they suggest that high involvement in playing video games leaves less time for engaging in academic work.
Published:
2013-12
Title:
Consuming a hypocaloric high fat low carbohydrate diet for 12 weeks lowers C-reactive protein, and raises serum adiponectin and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol in obese subjects
Authors:
Ruth, Megan R.; Port, Ava M.; Shah, Mitali; Bourland, Ashley C.; Istfan, Nawfal W.; Nelson, Kerrie P.; Gokce, Noyan; Apovian, Caroline M.
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: High fat, low carbohydrate (HFLC) diets have become popular tools for weight management. We sought to determine the effects of a HFLC diet compared to a low fat high carbohydrate (LFHC) diet on the change in weight loss, cardiovascular risk factors and inflammation in subjects with obesity. METHODS: Obese subjects (29.0-44.6 kg/m2) recruited from Boston Medical Center were randomized to a hypocaloric LFHC (n=26) or HFLC (n=29) diet for 12 weeks. RESULTS: The age range of subjects was 21-62 years. As a percentage of daily calories, the HFLC group consumed 33.5% protein, 56.0% fat and 9.6% carbohydrate and the LFHC group consumed 22.0% protein, 25.0% fat and 55.7% carbohydrate. The change in percent body weight, lean and fat mass, blood pressure, flow mediated dilation, hip:waist ratio, hemoglobin A1C, fasting insulin and glucose, and glucose and insulin response to a 2h oral glucose tolerance test did not differ (P>0.05) between diets after 12 weeks. The HFLC group had greater mean decreases in serum triglyceride (P=0.07), and hs-CRP (P=0.03), and greater mean increases in HDL cholesterol (P=0.004), and total adiponectin (P=0.045) relative to the LFHC. Secreted adipose tissue adiponectin or TNF-α did not differ after weight loss for either diet. CONCLUSIONS: Relative to the LFHC group, the HFLC group had greater improvements in blood lipids and systemic inflammation with similar changes in body weight and composition. This small-scale study suggests that HFLC diets may be more beneficial to cardiovascular health and inflammation in free-living obese adults compared to LFHC diets.
Published:
2013-12
Title:
Dietary patterns and breast cancer risk in the California Teachers Study cohort
Authors:
Link, Lilli B.; Canchola, Alison J.; Bernstein, Leslie; Clarke, Christina A.; Stram, Daniel O.; Ursin, Giske; Horn-Ross, Pamela L.
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Evidence that diet is associated with breast cancer risk is inconsistent. Most studies have examined risks associated with specific foods and nutrients, rather than measures of overall diet. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate dietary patterns and their relation to breast cancer risk in a large cohort of women. DESIGN: Data from 91,779 women in the California Teachers Study cohort were analyzed, including data from 4140 women with a diagnosis of invasive breast cancer made between 1995 and 2009. Five predominant dietary patterns were identified by using principal components factor analysis: a plant-based diet, high in fruit and vegetables; a high-protein, high-fat diet, high in meats, eggs, fried foods, and high-fat condiments; a high-carbohydrate diet, high in convenience foods, pasta, and bread products; an ethnic diet, high in legumes, soy-based foods, rice, and dark-green leafy vegetables; and a salad and wine diet, high in lettuce, fish, wine, low-fat salad dressing, and coffee and tea. RESULTS: The plant-based pattern was associated with a reduction in breast cancer risk (RR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.76, 0.95 for the highest compared with the lowest consumption quintile; P-trend = 0.003); risk reduction was greater for estrogen receptor-negative progesterone receptor-negative (ER-PR-) tumors (RR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.48, 0.91; P-trend = 0.03). The salad and wine pattern was associated with an increased risk of estrogen receptor-positive progesterone receptor-positive tumors (RR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.49); this effect was only slightly attenuated after adjustment for alcohol consumption. CONCLUSION: The finding that greater consumption of a plant-based dietary pattern is associated with a reduced breast cancer risk, particularly for ER-PR- tumors, offers a potential avenue for prevention.
Published:
2013-12
Title:
Effects of low-fat or full-fat fermented and non-fermented dairy foods on selected cardiovascular biomarkers in overweight adults
Authors:
Nestel, Paul J.; Mellett, Natalie; Pally, Suzana; Wong, Gerard; Barlow, Chris K.; Croft, Kevin; Mori, Trevor A.; Meikle, Peter J.
Abstract:
The association between consumption of full-fat dairy foods and CVD may depend partly on the nature of products and may not apply to low-fat dairy foods. Increased circulating levels of inflammatory biomarkers after consumption of dairy product-rich meals suggest an association with CVD. In the present study, we tested the effects of low-fat and full-fat dairy diets on biomarkers associated with inflammation, oxidative stress or atherogenesis and on plasma lipid classes. Within full-fat dairy diets, we also compared fermented v. non-fermented products. In a randomised cross-over study, twelve overweight/obese subjects consumed during two 3-week periods two full-fat dairy diets containing either yogurt plus cheese (fermented) or butter, cream and ice cream (non-fermented) or a low-fat milk plus yogurt diet, with the latter being consumed between and at the end of the full-fat dairy dietary periods. The concentrations of six inflammatory and two atherogenic biomarkers known to be raised in CVD were measured as well as those of plasma F2-isoprostanes and lipid classes. The concentrations of six of the eight biomarkers tended to be higher on consumption of the low-fat dairy diet than on that of the fermented dairy diet and the concentrations of two plasmalogen lipid classes reported to be associated with increased oxidisability were also higher on consumption of the low-fat dairy diet than on that of the fermented dairy diet (P< 0.001), although plasma F2-isoprostane concentrations did not differ on consumption of any of the diets. On the other hand, the concentrations of plasma sphingomyelin and IL-6 were significantly higher on consumption of the non-fermented dairy diet than on that of the low-fat dairy diet (P
Published:
2013-12
Title:
Identification and determination of selenoneine, 2-selenyl-N α , N α , N α -trimethyl-L-histidine, as the major organic selenium in blood cells in a fish-eating population on remote Japanese Islands
Authors:
Yamashita, Michiaki; Yamashita, Yumiko; Ando, Tetsuo; Wakamiya, Junji; Akiba, Suminori
Abstract:
Selenoneine is the major selenium compound in fish muscles, and fish appears to be an important source of selenium in the fish-eating population. Selenoneine has strong antioxidant activity and a detoxifying function against methylmercury (MeHg) toxicity. Dietary intake, bioaccumulation, and metabolism of selenoneine have not been characterized in humans. A nutritional survey was conducted in remote islands of the Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan. To evaluate the potential risks and benefits of fish consumption for health, we measured concentrations of selenoneine, total selenium, MeHg, inorganic mercury, and polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) in the blood of a fish-eating human population. The erythrocyte, leukocyte, and platelet residues following removal of serum (cellular fraction) contained 0.510 μg Se/g, 0.212 μg selenoneine Se/g, and 0.262 μg Se-containing proteins Se/g, whereas the serum contained 0.174 μg total Se/g. Selenoneine was highly concentrated in the cellular fraction in a manner that was dependent on subjects' frequency of fish consumption. Concentrations of selenoneine were closely correlated with concentrations of MeHg in the cellular fraction. Selenoneine is the major chemical form of selenium in the blood cells of this fish-eating human population and may be an important biomarker for selenium redox status.
Published:
2013-12
Title:
Inhibition of key enzymes linked to obesity by preparations from Mediterranean dietary plants: effects on α-amylase and pancreatic lipase activities
Authors:
Abstract:
One of the most important strategy in the treatment of obesity includes the development of nutrient digestion and absorption inhibitors. Inhibition of digestive enzymes is one of the most widely studied mechanisms used to determine the potential efficacy of natural products as hypolipidemic and hypoglycaemic agents. In vitro studies here reported were performed to evaluate the inhibitory activity of five species(as hydroalcoholic extracts) of edible plants from Calabria region (Italy) on amylase and lipase by monitoring the hydrolysis of p-NPC and the hydrolysis of glycoside bonds indigestible carbohydrate foods. The formulation obtained from Clematis vitalba L. exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect on pancreatic lipase (IC50=0.99 mg/ml) and on α-amylase(IC50=31.52 μg/ml). In order to explore metabolome production HPTLC analysis of the extracts was performed, revealing the predominance of (±)-catechin, caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid in C. vital ba formulation at concentration of 23.18±3.14,13.63±0.65 and 18.88±0.76 mg/g, respectively. GC/MS analysis was used to identify fatty acids and terpene composition.
Published:
2013-12
Title:
Kidney Stones: A Fetal Origins Hypothesis
Authors:
Howles, Sarah A.; Edwards, Mark H.; Cooper, Cyrus; Thakker, Rajesh V.
Abstract:
Kidney stones are common with a multifactorial aetiology involving dietary, environmental and genetic factors. In addition, patients with nephrolithiasis are at greater risk of hypertension, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and osteoporosis although the basis for this is not fully understood. All of these renal stone associated conditions have also been linked with adverse early life events, including low birth weight, and it has been suggested that this developmental effect is due to excess exposure to maternal glucocorticoids in utero. This is proposed to result in long-term increased hypothalamic-pituitary-axis activation and there are mechanisms through which this effect could also promote urinary lithogenic potential. We therefore hypothesise that the association between renal stone disease and hypertension, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and osteoporosis may be related by a common pathway of programming in early life which, if validated, would implicate the developmental origins hypothesis in the aetiology of nephrolithiasis.
Published:
2013-12
Title:
Life Among the Indians: First Fieldwork Among the Sioux and Omahas
Authors:
Fletcher, Alice C.
Abstract:
Alice C. Fletcher (1838–1923), one of the few women who became anthropologists in the United States during the nineteenth century, was a pioneer in the practice of participant-observation ethnography. She focused her studies over many years among the Native tribes in Nebraska and South Dakota.Life among the Indians, Fletcher’s popularized autobiographical memoir written in 1886–87 about her first fieldwork among the Sioux and the Omahas during 1881–82, remained unpublished in Fletcher’s archives at the Smithsonian Institution for more than one hundred years. In it Fletcher depicts the humor and hardships of her field experiences as a middle-aged woman undertaking anthropological fieldwork alone, while showing genuine respect and compassion for Native ways and beliefs that was far ahead of her time. What emerges is a complex and fascinating picture of a woman questioning the cultural and gender expectations of nineteenth-century America while insightfully portraying rapidly changing reservation life. Fletcher’s account of her early fieldwork is available here for the first time, accompanied by an essay by the editors that sheds light on Fletcher’s place in the development of anthropology and the role of women in the discipline.
Published:
2013-12
Title:
Media use and sleep among boys with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, or typical development
Authors:
Engelhardt, Christopher R.; Mazurek, Micah O.; Sohl, Kristin
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: The current study examined the relationships between media use (television, computer, and video games) and sleep among boys with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared with those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or with typical development (TD). METHODS: Participants included parents of boys with ASD (n = 49), ADHD (n = 38), or TD (n = 41) (ages 8-17 years). Questionnaires assessed daily hours of media use, bedroom access to media, and average sleep hours per night. RESULTS: Bedroom media access was associated with less time spent sleeping per night, irrespective of diagnostic group. Bedroom access to a television or a computer was more strongly associated with reduced sleep among boys with ASD compared with boys with ADHD or TD. Multivariate models showed that, in addition to bedroom access, the amount of time spent playing video games was uniquely associated with less sleep among boys with ASD. In the ASD group only, the relationship between bedroom access to video games and reduced sleep was mediated by hours of video game play. CONCLUSIONS: The current results suggest that media-related variables may be an important consideration in understanding sleep disturbances in children with ASD. Further research is needed to better characterize the processes by which media use may affect sleep among individuals with ASD. Overall, the current findings suggest that screen-based media time and bedroom media access should be routinely assessed and may be important intervention targets when addressing sleep problems in children with ASD.
Published:
2013-12
Title:
Nutrient profiles of vegetarian and nonvegetarian dietary patterns
Authors:
Rizzo, Nico S.; Jaceldo-Siegl, Karen; Sabate, Joan; Fraser, Gary E.
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Differences in nutrient profiles between vegetarian and nonvegetarian dietary patterns reflect nutritional differences that can contribute to the development of disease. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to compare nutrient intakes between dietary patterns characterized by consumption or exclusion of meat and dairy products. DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 71,751 subjects (mean age=59 years) from the Adventist Health Study 2. Data were collected between 2002 and 2007. Participants completed a 204-item validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Dietary patterns compared were nonvegetarian, semi-vegetarian, pesco vegetarian, lacto-ovo vegetarian, and strict vegetarian. Analysis of covariance was used to analyze differences in nutrient intakes by dietary patterns and was adjusted for age, sex, and race. Body mass index and other relevant demographic data were reported and compared by dietary pattern using χ(2) tests and analysis of variance. RESULTS: Many nutrient intakes varied significantly between dietary patterns. Nonvegetarians had the lowest intakes of plant proteins, fiber, beta carotene, and magnesium compared with those following vegetarian dietary patterns, and the highest intakes of saturated, trans, arachidonic, and docosahexaenoic fatty acids. The lower tails of some nutrient distributions in strict vegetarians suggested inadequate intakes by a portion of the subjects. Energy intake was similar among dietary patterns at close to 2,000 kcal/day, with the exception of semi-vegetarians, who had an intake of 1,707 kcal/day. Mean body mass index was highest in nonvegetarians (mean=28.7 [standard deviation=6.4]) and lowest in strict vegetarians (mean=24.0 [standard deviation=4.8]). CONCLUSIONS: Nutrient profiles varied markedly among dietary patterns that were defined by meat and dairy intakes. These differences are of interest in the etiology of obesity and chronic diseases.
Published:
2013-12
bottom of page