Digital Commons Network^™

Hypothalamic Perineuronal Nets Are Regulated By Sex And Dietary Interventions, Nan Zhang, Zili Yan, Hailan Liu, Meng Yu, Yang He, Hesong Liu, Chen Liang, Longlong Tu, Lina Wang, Na Yin, Junying Han, Nikolas Scarcelli, Yongjie Yang, Chunmei Wang, Tianshu Zeng, Lu-Lu Chen, Yong Xu

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are widely present in the hypothalamus, and are thought to provide physical protection and ion buffering for neurons and regulate their synaptic plasticity and intracellular signaling. Recent evidence indicates that PNNs in the mediobasal hypothalamus play an important role in the regulation of glucose homeostasis. However, whether and how hypothalamic PNNs are regulated are not fully understood. In the present study, we examined whether PNNs in various hypothalamic regions in mice can be regulated by sex, gonadal hormones, dietary interventions, or their interactions. We demonstrated that gonadal hormones are required to maintain normal PNNs in the arcuate …

Wearable Activity Tracking Device Use In An Adolescent Weight Management Clinic: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial, Kanika Bowen-Jallow, Omar Nunez-Lopez, Alex Wright, Erika Fuchs, Mollie Ahn, Elizabeth Lyons, Daniel Jupiter, Lindsey Berry, Oscar Suman, Ravi S Radhakrishnan, Andrea M Glaser, Deborah I Thompson

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: The use of physical activity tracker devices has increased within the general population. However, there is limited medical literature studying the efficacy of such devices in adolescents with obesity. In this study, we explored the feasibility of using wearable activity tracking devices as an adjunct intervention on adolescents with obesity.

Methods: Randomized controlled pilot trial evaluated the feasibility (attrition ≤50%) of an activity tracking intervention (ATI) and its effects on weight loss in adolescents with obesity enrolled in an adolescent weight management clinic (AWMC). Outcomes included feasibility (attrition rate) and absolute change in BMI. Differences between groups at 6, …

Food/Non-Food Classification Of Real-Life Egocentric Images In Low- And Middle-Income Countries Based On Image Tagging Features, Guangzong Chen, Wenyan Jia, Yifan Zhao, Zhi-Hong Mao, Benny Lo, Alex K Anderson, Gary Frost, Modou L Jobarteh, Megan A Mccrory, Edward Sazonov, Matilda Steiner-Asiedu, Richard S Ansong, Thomas Baranowski, Lora Burke, Mingui Sun

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Malnutrition, including both undernutrition and obesity, is a significant problem in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In order to study malnutrition and develop effective intervention strategies, it is crucial to evaluate nutritional status in LMICs at the individual, household, and community levels. In a multinational research project supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we have been using a wearable technology to conduct objective dietary assessment in sub-Saharan Africa. Our assessment includes multiple diet-related activities in urban and rural families, including food sources (e.g., shopping, harvesting, and gathering), preservation/storage, preparation, cooking, and consumption (e.g., portion size and nutrition analysis). …

Associations Between Lipoprotein Subfractions And Area And Density Of Abdominal Muscle And Intermuscular Adipose Tissue: The Multi-Ethnic Study Of Atherosclerosis, Megan M Marron, Matthew Allison, Alka M Kanaya, Britta Larsen, Alexis C Wood, David Herrington, Philip Greenland, Iva Miljkovic

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Skeletal muscle quantity and quality decrease with older age, which is partly attributed to ectopic fat infiltration and has negative metabolic consequences. To inform efforts to preserve skeletal muscle with aging, a better understanding of biologic correlates of quantity and quality of muscle and intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) is needed. We used targeted lipidomics of lipoprotein subfractions among 947 Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis participants to provide a detailed metabolic characterization of area and density of abdominal muscle and IMAT. Serum lipoprotein subfractions were measured at the first visit using 1H-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy. Muscle and IMAT area (cm

A Computational Pipeline To Infer Alternative Poly-Adenylation From 3′ Sequencing Data, Hari Krishna Yalamanchili, Nathan D Elrod, Madeline K Jensen, Ping Ji, Ai Lin, Eric J Wagner, Zhandong Liu

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

An increasing number of investigations have established alternative polyadenylation (APA) as a key mechanism of gene regulation through altering the length of 3' untranslated region (UTR) and generating distinct mRNA termini. Further, appreciation for the significance of APA in disease contexts propelled the development of several 3' sequencing techniques. While these RNA sequencing technologies have advanced APA analysis, the intrinsic limitation of 3' read coverage and lack of appropriate computational tools constrain precise mapping and quantification of polyadenylation sites. Notably, Poly(A)-ClickSeq (PAC-seq) overcomes limiting factors such as poly(A) enrichment and 3' linker ligation steps using click-chemistry. Here we provide an …

Tph2 In The Dorsal Raphe Nuclei Regulates Energy Balance In A Sex-Dependent Manner, Hailan Liu, Chunmei Wang, Meng Yu, Yongjie Yang, Yang He, Hesong Liu, Chen Liang, Longlong Tu, Nan Zhang, Lina Wang, Julia Wang, Feng Liu, Fang Hu, Yong Xu

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

AbstractCentral 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), which is primarily synthesized by tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) in the dorsal Raphe nuclei (DRN), plays a pivotal role in the regulation of food intake and body weight. However, the physiological functions of TPH2 on energy balance have not been consistently demonstrated. Here we systematically investigated the effects of TPH2 on energy homeostasis in adult male and female mice. We found that the DRN harbors a similar amount of TPH2+ cells in control male and female mice. Adult-onset TPH2 deletion in the DRN promotes hyperphagia and body weight gain only in male mice, but not in female …

Parents' Attitudes And Beliefs Towards Dietary Behaviors Of Children With Autism Aged 5-13 Years, Subashree Narayanan

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disability that may affect nutritional management of children with autism. Parent’s attitudes and their behavior towards healthy eating reflects on the child’s eating habits and thus, their nutritional health. This study aimed to describe the diet quality of children with autism using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores. It also aimed to assess the relationship between parent’s perceived barriers and self-efficacy and children’s dietary behavior and dietary intake (age 5-13 years). The relationship was assessed using 2 questionnaires, Nutrition and Health Awareness and BAMBI questionnaire for parent’s attitudes and beliefs and dietary behavior, respectively. Dietary intake …

Chemical Niche Divergence In Sympatric Lemurs: Understanding Species' Food Selection, Chloe Nicole Marie Gherardi

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The integration of nutritional ecology into primatology has provided considerable insight into the feeding strategies of primates, and the ecological factors limiting populations - critical knowledge in a world of rapidly changing habitats. The eastern rainforest of Madagascar is home to one of the world’s most diverse primate communities, often hosting over 12 sympatric lemur species; however, the ecological mechanisms by which these species are able to coexist are not well understood. Two species within this community that have been especially understudied are the nocturnal and folivorous Avahi laniger and Lepilemur mustelinus. My research team observed and collected feeding data …

Everyday Tips To Achieve A Healthy Weight, University Of New England Applied Nutrition Program

All Student-Created Educational Resources

This handout depicts six evidence-based practices to help overweight and obese individuals achieve a healthy weight. These tips are meant to be easily integrated into everyday life, and are backed by the CDC, USDA, and multiple scientific studies and reviews.

Take Charge, Mollie Bartles

All Student-Created Educational Resources

This educational handout highlights the benefits of a healthier lifestyle and how it is possible to eat on a budget.

Want To Be A Sugar Detective?!, Janie Mcamis

All Student-Created Educational Resources

An educational handout for an adolescent confused about the difference of added sugars and natural sugars. The purpose of this handout is to help educate an adolescent about added sugar and natural sugars found in common food items. The difference between added sugar and natural sugar is addressed. The handout explains where this information can be located on a nutritional label. This educational handout also addresses risks seen with excessive added sugar intake in recent research for the adolescent population

Adolescent Obesity: Causes, Risks And Interventions, University Of New England Applied Nutrition Program

All Student-Created Educational Resources

To provide concise information about adolescent obesity to include the common causes, risk factors, immediate and long-term health risks. This handout also strives to deliver basic nutrition education and easy-to-access resources for more information.

Healthy Your Way, Susan Newkirk

All Student-Created Educational Resources

This handout depicts four lifestyle habits to integrate into everyday life to reduce your risk obesity and chronic diseases.

Know Your Nutrition, Melinda Arcara

All Student-Created Educational Resources

This educational handout helps patients become aware of total calories, key macronutrients and there AMDR ranges. Facts that include recommended quantities of saturated fats and sodium as well as healthy lifestyle and food recommendations.

Heeding The Call Of Covid-19, David Wiebers, Valery Feigin

Animal Sentience

We are grateful to all of our commentators. They have provided a wide range of valuable perspectives and insights from many fields, revealing a broad interest in the subject matter. Nearly all the commentaries have helped to affirm, refine, expand, amplify, deepen, interpret, elaborate, or apply the messages in the target article. Some have offered critiques and suggestions that help us address certain issues in greater detail, including several points concerning industrialized farming and the wildlife trade. Overall, there is great awareness and strong consensus among commentators that any solution for preventing future pandemics and other related health crises must …

Vulnerable And Resilient Phenotypes In A Mouse Model Of Anorexia Nervosa, Jeff A. Beeler, Devry Mourra, Roseanna M. Zanca, Abigail Kalmbach, Celia Gellman, Benjamin Y. Klein, Rebecca Ravenelle, Peter Serrano, Holly Moore, Stephen Rayport, Susana Mingote, Nesha Burghard

Advanced Science Research Center

Background

Increased physical activity is a common feature of anorexia nervosa (AN). Although high activity levels are associated with greater risk of developing AN, particularly when combined with dieting, most individuals who diet and exercise maintain a healthy body weight. It is unclear why some individuals develop AN while most do not. A rodent model of resilience and vulnerability to AN would be valuable to research. Dopamine, which is believed to play a crucial role in AN, regulates both reward and activity and may modulate vulnerability.

Methods

Adolescent and young adult female C57BL/6N mice were tested in the activity-based anorexia …

Physician Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors Towards Registered Dietitian Nutritionists, Amy Motley Jones

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Diet is increasingly linked with overall quality of life, and a healthy diet is now being considered one of the cornerstones of preventative care. Physicians rely on Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) as most doctors lack the nutrition knowledge to properly treat their patients, especially during their residency. Little published information exists on the specific collaboration of RDNs and resident physicians. This study aimed to determine whether mentoring with an RDN increased physician nutrition knowledge, increased consults to RDNs, and whether physician attitudes improved regarding their understanding of the role of the RDN in healthcare. Knowledge or attitude alone are not …

Parental Barriers And Challenges Of Raising Plant-Based Children In North America, Shantel Wahl

Papers

Purpose: Is to identify the barriers and challenges parents face while raising plant-based children in North America.

Design: A phenomenological qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was used to establish thematic barriers among plant-based parents.

Setting: Parents raising their children following a vegan and/or whole food plant-based diet and residing in North America.

Participants: A total of 22 parents of plant-based children ages 0-17 participated in 19 ZOOM semi-structured interviews.

Phenomenon of Interest: Barriers and challenges faced by parents raising their children plant-based.

Analysis: Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed with NVivo 12 using thematic …

Impacts Of Meals On Wings (Mow) Program On Volunteers' Perceptions And Motives, Juan Diego Salcedo

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: Food insecurity is a problem in the subpopulation of older adults and the elderly. The following study aimed to explore the perceptions and motives such as career benefits, impacts experienced through volunteering, skills in dietetics, comfort level with seniors, social responsibility, peer modeling, and empathy of student volunteers participating in a food recovery-meal delivery program known as Meals on Wings (MOW) on a college campus in the Southeast.

METHODOLOGY: The study was conducted during July 2021. Semi-structured interviews were administered over the video conference program Zoom to 10 (n=10) student volunteers who volunteered with MOW for at least one …

Neuroprotective Effect Of Passiflora Edulissims Against Amyloid Beta-Induced Neurotoxicity, Shuqin Cao

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common and devastating disease characterized by pathological aggregations of beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaques extracellularly, and Tau tangles intracellularly. While our understandings of the aetiologies of AD have greatly expanded over the decades, there is no drug available to stop disease progression. This study involves two parts. First, we demonstrate the potential of P. edulis pericarp (PP) extract in protecting against Aβ-mediated neurotoxicity in mammalian cells and Caenorhabditis elegans models of AD. We show PP protects against memory deficit, neuronal loss, and promotes longevity in the Aβ model of AD via stimulation of mitophagy, the selective cellular …

Adolescent Obesity Case Study, Rachel Salvitti

All Student-Created Educational Resources

This handout shows some easy to digest information regarding adolescent obesity. It is targeted towards girls and suggests what they should or should not include in their daily habits to reduce their risk or continued development of obesity. The information presented is based off of MyPlate recommendations, as well as other studies of dietary interventions to improve health of adolescents suffering from or at risk of obesity.

Assessment Of Physicochemical Properties, Nutritional Values, And Sensory Acceptability Of Pigeon Pea Flour Substitution In Chapati Flat Bread, Sirin Sachanarula

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

In recent years, an interest in plant–based protein increased dramatically. Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) is recognized as a good source of plant protein. The current study was aimed to develop pigeon pea flour (PPF) and whole wheat flour (WWF) blends, which were then used to make chapatis. The substitution levels of PPF for WWF ranged from 10%–40% w/w. The physical properties and nutritional values of the flour blends and the chapatis were investigated. The chapatis were also evaluated for sensory acceptability. Proximate analysis of the flours revealed protein content in PPF (26.10%) two times higher than that in WWF (13.52%). …

Impact Of Physical Activity And Cardiorespiratory Fitness On Vascular Homeostasis In Premenopausal Women Consuming A Westernized High-Fat Meal, Lauren N. Pedersen

Theses and Dissertations

A large percentage of adults in industrialized nations consume a Westernized dietary pattern, which contributes to fasting dyslipidemia and increased risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Evidence suggests that a single Westernized meal containing high saturated fat may induce alterations in blood lipids as well as disturb multiple factors regulating peripheral vascular homeostasis, including innate immune cell function, oxidative stress, and vascular function. Conversely, participation in acute and chronic exercise may beneficially impact an individual’s postprandial response. Therefore, this dissertation contains three manuscripts seeking to describe how acute exercise, cardiorespiratory fitness, and physical activity level impact the lipemic and vascular homeostatic …

Identifying Differences In Nutrition-Related Learning Interests Of Adolescent Students, Margaret Miller, Donna Barwood, Michael Furfaro, Julie Boston, Sandra Smith, Martin Masek

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2021 The Authors. Journal of School Health published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. on behalf of American School Health Association. BACKGROUND: In this study, we examined nutrition-related topics among adolescent students attending schools with different Indices of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA). METHOD: Participating students (N = 206) from 5 schools in Western Australia completed a paper-based questionnaire on nutrition-related topics. Frequencies and independent chi-square tests were used to identify differences between sexes and school ICSEA. RESULTS: Of the participating students, 75% were interested in learning about 8 of 16 topics. We found statistically significant differences by sex (p < .01) for “Eating the right foods for preventing illness and disease,” “Eating the right food for being active” among girls, and “Reducing food waste” among boys. We also noted differences by school ICSEA. CONCLUSION: Acknowledging sex and socioeducational differences in teaching and learning may help teachers to engage adolescent students in nutrition education.

Osteoporosis Prevention Is Linked To Education, Childhood Meals And Milk Consumption In Young Adult Females, Karen E. From

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The three aims of the study investigated the females’ age 18-25 perception, knowledge, and health beliefs, barriers and strategies to overcoming barriers to prevent osteoporosis. The mixed method explanatory design of research was implemented. Phase one used a survey to gather demographic data, past and current behaviors, the completion of the Osteoporosis Health Behavior Scale (OHBS) questionnaire, and Short Calcium Intake List (SCaIL). Four hundred forty-nine quality survey responses were obtained. The second phase, the focus group (n=23), discussed questions designed to answer the three aims of the study. Results- Our analysis showed 90% of our 447 survey participants did …

A Descriptive Analysis Of Intuitive Eating On The Uni Campus, Natalee Jeanne Lyons

Honors Program Theses

Over the course of this project, we will send out a cross-sectional survey to undergraduate students living on UNI’s campus. Included in the survey are questions regarding nutritional campus climate, student’s food preferences and eating habits, as well as the complete second edition of the Intuitive Eating Scale (Tylka & Kroon Van Diest, 2013).

This survey will then be analyzed utilizing SPSS software to draw conclusions regarding this target population (IBM Corp, 2016). Upon completion of this data analysis, our research 2 team hopes to address the following questions: What factors influence the eating behaviors of college students living on …

Recognize Fish As Food In Policy Discourse And Development Funding, Abigail Bennett, Xavier Basurto, John Virdin, Xinyan Lin, Samantha J. Betances, Martin D. Smith, Edward H. Allison, Barbara A. Best, Kelly D. Brownell, Lisa M. Campbell, Christopher D. Golden, Elizabeth Havice, Christina C. Hicks, Peter J. Jacques, Kristin Kleisner, Niels Lindquist, Rafaella Lobo, Grant D. Grant, Michelle B. Nowlin, Pawan G. Patil, Douglas N. Rader, Stephen E. Roady, Shakuntala H. Thilsted, Sarah Zoubek

Faculty Scholarship

The international development community is off-track from meeting targets for alleviating global malnutrition. Meanwhile, there is growing consensus across scientific disciplines that fish plays a crucial role in food and nutrition security. However, this ‘fish as food’ perspective has yet to translate into policy and development funding priorities. We argue that the traditional framing of fish as a natural resource emphasizes economic development and biodiversity conservation objectives, whereas situating fish within a food systems perspective can lead to innovative policies and investments that promote nutrition-sensitive and socially equitable capture fisheries and aquaculture. This paper highlights four pillars of research needs …

Evaluation Of A Telenutrition Weight Loss Intervention Among Middle-Aged And Older Men In Appalachia, Afnan Majed Alamoudi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Obesity rates among middle-aged and older men in WV are among the highest in the nation. Understanding baseline and intervention factors contributing to losing clinically significant weight are essential to developing effective interventions in target groups. Thus, the purpose of this study is to determine factors associated with losing ≥ 5% of baseline weight among participants of a 12-week pilot randomized controlled telenutrition trial for middle-aged and older men in WV. The study analyzed data from 56 participants who completed the trial. Participants were classified as losing ≥ 5 % or < 5 % of baseline body weight. Diet quality was assessed using 4-day diet records and the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015. Baseline factors and behavioral strategies (i.e., self-monitoring, self-efficacy, and social support) were assessed via survey. Inverse prediction analysis demonstrated that participants who lost ≥ 3.5% of baseline weight at 6 weeks were at least 75% likely to lose ≥ 5% weight at 12 weeks. Predictive models were developed using stepwise logistic regression to assess multiple predictors of losing ≥ 5% of baseline weight at 12 weeks and ≥ 3.5% of baseline at 6 weeks. Weight loss at 6 weeks was a strong predictor of weight loss at 12 weeks, in addition to previous weight loss attempts and weekly self-weight-monitoring (p

Effect Of Diet, Age, And Genetics On Rainbow Trout Growth And Fillet Quality, Bahareh Adami

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this study, analyses were conducted to compare fillet quality attributes of 4 rainbow trout families (40, 102, 159, and 187) fed fish meal (FM) and a fishmeal free diet (FMF), to two age endpoints, 9 and 11 months.

Previous studies with rainbow trout have evaluated the effect of age, diet, and family on growth performance and fillet quality. However, a comprehensive analysis of variables is lacking for rainbow trout, one of the main aquatic foods for domestic and international consumers.

Separable muscle as a percent whole body weight was not affected by diet, family, age, and the interaction of …

Development Of A Vitamin K Database For Commercially Available Food In Australia, Claire R. Palmer, Henrietta Koch, Sujata Shinde, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst, Joshua Lewis, Kevin D. Croft, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Marc Sim

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Vitamin K content of foods is known to vary substantially by geographical location. In Australia, no Vitamin K database of food exists, thereby creating ambiguity when trying to develop national dietary intake guidelines. This investigation aimed to develop a Vitamin K database for commonly consumed foods that are commercially available in Australian supermarkets. The Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone; PK) and K2 (menaquinone; MK4, MK7) content of 60 foods known to contain Vitamin K were assessed (e.g., vegetables fruits, oils, animal products, dairy and fermented foods). A liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LCMS/MS) method was developed and used to measure PK …