Digital Commons Network^™

The Misalignment Of Incentives In Academic Publishing And Implications For Journal Reform, Jennifer S Trueblood, David B Allison, Sarahanne M Field, Ayelet Fishbach, Stefan D M Gaillard, Gerd Gigerenzer, William R Holmes, Stephan Lewandowsky, Dora Matzke, Mary C Murphy, Sebastian Musslick, Vencislav Popov, Adina L Roskies, Judith Ter Schure, Andrei R Teodorescu

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

For most researchers, academic publishing serves two goals that are often misaligned-knowledge dissemination and establishing scientific credentials. While both goals can encourage research with significant depth and scope, the latter can also pressure scholars to maximize publication metrics. Commercial publishing companies have capitalized on the centrality of publishing to the scientific enterprises of knowledge dissemination and academic recognition to extract large profits from academia by leveraging unpaid services from reviewers, creating financial barriers to research dissemination, and imposing substantial fees for open access. We present a set of perspectives exploring alternative models for communicating and disseminating scientific research. Acknowledging that …

Prediction Models Of Basal Energy Expenditure In Children And Adolescents Across The Bmi Spectrum Based On Room Calorimetry: A Cross-Sectional Cohort Study, Maurice Puyau, Roman Shypailo, Nancy F Butte, Salma Musaad, Fida Bacha

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Existing equations for prediction of basal energy expenditure (BEE) may not be accurate in children with overweight or obesity (OW/OB).

Objectives: We aimed to develop BEE prediction equations applicable to children and adolescents across a wide BMI spectrum using gold standard room calorimetry.

Methods: We measured weight, height, waist and hip circumferences, body composition (DXA), and BEE (whole room calorimetry) in a cross-sectional cohort of 1155 healthy children, 5-19 years of age. 67% of the males and 51% of the females were classified as OW/OB. We applied multiple linear regression analyses to develop BEE prediction models for each sex. …

Serotonin Neurons Integrate Gaba And Dopamine Inputs To Regulate Meal Initiation, Kristine M Conde, Hueyzhong Wong, Shuzheng Fang, Yongxiang Li, Meng Yu, Yue Deng, Qingzhuo Liu, Xing Fang, Mengjie Wang, Yuhan Shi, Olivia Z Ginnard, Yuxue Yang, Longlong Tu, Hesong Liu, Hailan Liu, Na Yin, Jonathan C Bean, Junying Han, Megan E Burt, Sanika V Jossy, Yongjie Yang, Qingchun Tong, Benjamin R Arenkiel, Chunmei Wang, Yang He, Yong Xu

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Obesity is a growing global health epidemic with limited orally administered therapeutics. Serotonin (5-HT) is one neurotransmitter which remains an excellent target for new weight-loss therapies, but a gap remains in understanding the mechanisms involved in 5-HT produced in the dorsal Raphe nucleus (DRN) and its involvement in meal initiation. Using an optogenetic feeding paradigm, we showed that the 5-HTDRN→arcuate nucleus (ARH) circuit plays a role in meal initiation. Incorporating electrophysiology and ChannelRhodopsin-2-Assisted Circuit Mapping, we demonstrated that 5-HTDRN neurons receive inhibitory input partially from GABAergic neurons in the DRN, and the 5-HT response can be enhanced by hunger. Additionally, …

Association Between Maternal Stress And Child Sleep Quality: A Nationwide Echo Prospective Cohort Study, Sarah Dee Geiger, Aruna Chandran, Marie L Churchill, Maxwell Mansolf, Cai Zhang, Salma Musaad, Courtney K Blackwell, Stephanie M Eick, Dana E Goin, Susan Korrick, Akram Alshawabkeh, Patricia A Brennan, Carrie V Breton, Jose F Cordero, Sean Deoni, Viren D'Sa, Anne L Dunlop, Amy J Elliott, Assiamira Ferrara, Arlene Keddie, Monique Lebourgeois, Kaja Z Lewinn, Daphne Koinis-Mitchell, Maristella Lucchini, Sara S Nozadi, Thomas O'Connor, Yeyi Zhu, Emily Zimmerman, Susan L Schantz

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Childhood sleep quality is associated with physical, cognitive, and behavioral health and predicts later sleep quality; it has many determinants, including developmental exposures.

Objectives: To examine associations between maternal stress during pregnancy and childhood sleep quality and determine whether postnatal stress mediates the association.

Method: Data from the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes cohort were used. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) T-scores were the exposure measure. Outcome measures were preschool Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) sleep syndrome scale and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Sleep Disturbance Parent Proxy short form 4a (PSD4a) T-scores at ages 4-8 years. Linear mixed-effects regression …

Leptin Receptor Neurons In The Dorsomedial Hypothalamus Require Distinct Neuronal Subsets For Thermogenesis And Weight Loss, Marie Francois, Laura Kaiser, Yanlin He, Yong Xu, J Michael Salbaum, Sangho Yu, Christopher D Morrison, Hans-Rudolf Berthoud, Heike Münzberg

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

The dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) receives inputs from the preoptic area (POA), where ambient temperature mediates physiological adaptations of energy expenditure and food intake. Warm-activated POA neurons suppress energy expenditure via brown adipose tissue (BAT) projecting neurons in the dorsomedial hypothalamus/dorsal hypothalamic area (dDMH/DHA). Our earlier work identified leptin receptor (Lepr)-expressing, BAT-projecting dDMH/DHA neurons that mediate metabolic leptin effects. Yet, the neurotransmitter (glutamate or GABA) used by dDMH/DHALepr neurons remains unexplored and was investigated in this study using mice. We report that dDMH/DHALepr neurons represent equally glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons. Surprisingly, chemogenetic activation of glutamatergic and/or GABAergic dDMH/DHA neurons were capable …

Validation Of A Brief Food Parenting Measure For Fathers: A Test Of Factorial Validity, Measurement Invariance, Internal Reliability, And Concurrent Validity, Brian K. Lo, In Young Park, Melissa Mcternan, Yilin Wang, Alejandra Cantu-Aldana, Brent A. Mcbride, Katherine W. Bauer, Jess Haines, Kirsten K. Davison

School of Medicine Publications

Fathers are underrepresented in food parenting research partly due to the lack of succinct, theory-informed, and father-mother equivalent food parenting measurement tools. To address this, we 1) tested the factorial validity of a brief food parenting measure utilizing a subset of items from the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire (CFPQ) to represent coercive control, structure, and autonomy support, 2) assessed the extent to which the brief tool works similarly in fathers and mothers (i.e., measurement invariance), and 3) evaluated its internal reliability and concurrent validity. Participants included 1071 fathers of children aged 2–6 years and 487 of their co-parents (mothers) from …

Sex-Specific Astrocyte Regulation Of Spinal Motor Circuits By Nkx61, Navish A Bosquez Huerta, Zhung-Fu Lee, Eun-Ah Christine Song, Junsung Woo, Yi-Ting Cheng, Debosmita Sardar, Ozlem Sert, Ehson Maleki, Kwanha Yu, Ekin Su Akdemir, Kaitlyn Sanchez, Juyeon Jo, Matthew N Rasband, Hyun Kyoung Lee, Akdes Serin Harmanci, Benjamin Deneen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Astrocytes exhibit diverse cellular and molecular properties across the central nervous system (CNS). Recent studies identified region-specific transcription factors (TF) that oversee these diverse properties; how sex differences intersect with region-specific transcriptional programs to regulate astrocyte function is unknown. Here, we show that the TF Nkx6.1 is specifically expressed in ventral astrocytes of the spinal cord and that its deletion results in sex-specific effects on astrocyte morphology. Astrocytes from males exhibit enhanced morphological complexity, accompanied by increased motor function and cholinergic synapses. In contrast, female astrocytes exhibit reduced complexity and no changes in motor function. Mechanistically, we found that Nkx6.1 …

The Adiponectin-Pparγ Axis In Hepatic Stellate Cells Regulates Liver Fibrosis, Shangang Zhao, Qingzhang Zhu, Wang-Hsin Lee, Jan-Bernd Funcke, Zhuzhen Zhang, May-Yun Wang, Qian Lin, Bianca Field, Xue-Nan Sun, Guannan Li, Mbolle Ekane, Toshiharu Onodera, Na Li, Yi Zhu, Christine M Kusminski, Terry D Hinds, Philipp E Scherer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are key drivers of local fibrosis. Adiponectin, conventionally thought of as an adipokine, is also expressed in quiescent HSCs. However, the impact of its local expression on the progression of liver fibrosis remains unclear. We recently generated a transgenic mouse line (Lrat-rtTA) that expresses the doxycycline-responsive transcriptional activator rtTA under the control of the HSC-specific lecithin retinol acyltransferase (Lrat) promoter, which enables us to specifically and inducibly overexpress or eliminate genes in these cells. The inducible elimination of HSCs protects mice from methionine/choline-deficient (MCD) diet-induced liver fibrosis, confirming their causal involvement in fibrosis development. We generated …

An Evaluation Of Sports Nutrition Knowledge And Influencing Factors In Ncaa Division Iii Athletes, Kerrie Berends, Michael J. Wierenga, Madeline Frens

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Introduction:This study evaluated the sports nutrition knowledge of NCAA Division III (DIII) athletes, examining the influence of demographic and sport-specific factors. Nutrition is a critical component of athletic performance, recovery, and overall health, yet prior research indicatescollegiate athletes often lack adequate nutrition knowledge.

Methods: A total of 412 athletes, representing 17 different sports across endurance, power, and skill categories, completed the validated Abridged Nutrition for Sport Knowledge Questionnaire (A-NSKQ). The sample included freshmen through fifth-year seniorathletes, predominantlyCaucasian (85%).

Results: The average A-NSKQ score was 17.1 out of 35 (48.9%), indicating suboptimal knowledge. Significant differences were found across …

Research Progress And Clinical Translation Potential Of Coronary Atherosclerosis Diagnostic Markers From A Genomic Perspective, Hanxiang Liu, Yuchen Zhang, Yueyan Zhao, Yuzhen Li, Xiaofeng Zhang, Lingyu Bao, Rongkai Yan, Yixin Yang, Huixian Zhou, Jinming Zhang, Siyuan Song

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Objective: Coronary atherosclerosis (CAD) is characterized by arterial intima lipid deposition, chronic inflammation, and fibrous tissue proliferation, leading to arterial wall thickening and lumen narrowing. As the primary cause of coronary heart disease and acute coronary syndrome, CAD significantly impacts global health. Recent genetic studies have demonstrated CAD's polygenic and multifactorial nature, providing molecular insights for early diagnosis and risk assessment. This review analyzes recent advances in CAD-related genetic markers and evaluates their diagnostic potential, focusing on their applications in diagnosis and risk stratification within precision medicine.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of CAD genomic studies from PubMed and …

Sex Differences In Response To Diet Enriched With Glutathione Precursors In The Aging Heart, Aude Angelini, Grecia Garcia Marquez, Anna Malovannaya, Marta L Fiorotto, Alexander Saltzman, Antrix Jain, Joann Trial, George E Taffet, Katarzyna A Cieslik

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Common features of the aging heart are dysregulated metabolism, inflammation, and fibrosis. Elevated oxidative stress is another hallmark of cardiac aging that can exacerbate each of these conditions. We hypothesize that by increasing natural antioxidant levels (glutathione), we will improve cardiac function. Twenty-one-month-old mice were fed glycine and N-acetyl cysteine (GlyNAC; glutathione precursors)-supplemented or control diets for 12 weeks. Heart function was monitored longitudinally, and the exercise performance was determined at the end of the study. We found that the GlyNAC diet was beneficial for old male but not old female mice, leading to an increase of Ndufb8 expression (a …

A Β-Hydroxybutyrate Shunt Pathway Generates Anti-Obesity Ketone Metabolites, Maria Dolores Moya-Garzon, Mengjie Wang, Veronica L Li, Xuchao Lyu, Wei Wei, Alan Sheng-Hwa Tung, Steffen H Raun, Meng Zhao, Laetitia Coassolo, Hashim Islam, Barbara Oliveira, Yuqin Dai, Jan Spaas, Antonio Delgado-Gonzalez, Kenyi Donoso, Aurora Alvarez-Buylla, Francisco Franco-Montalban, Anudari Letian, Catherine P Ward, Lichao Liu, Katrin J Svensson, Emily L Goldberg, Christopher D Gardner, Jonathan P Little, Steven M Banik, Yong Xu, Jonathan Z Long

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

β-Hydroxybutyrate (BHB) is an abundant ketone body. To date, all known pathways of BHB metabolism involve the interconversion of BHB and primary energy intermediates. Here, we identify a previously undescribed BHB secondary metabolic pathway via CNDP2-dependent enzymatic conjugation of BHB and free amino acids. This BHB shunt pathway generates a family of anti-obesity ketone metabolites, the BHB-amino acids. Genetic ablation of CNDP2 in mice eliminates tissue amino acid BHB-ylation activity and reduces BHB-amino acid levels. The most abundant BHB-amino acid, BHB-Phe, is a ketosis-inducible congener of Lac-Phe that activates hypothalamic and brainstem neurons and suppresses feeding. Conversely, CNDP2-KO mice exhibit …

Theory-Based Nutrition Education To Improve Food Security In Postsecondary Students, Tara Kelly

All ETDs from UAB

The high prevalence of food insecurity among college students is a public health concern that requires well designed interventions to address. College students experiencing food insecurity are more likely to practice diet-related behaviors that contribute to poor health, yet this population lacks the necessary knowledge and skills to make adequate behavior changes. The purpose of this present dissertation is to (1) assess preliminary data collected to inform the development of a theory-based nutrition education intervention; then (2) evaluate the feasibility of this novel intervention design and (3) its effectiveness at improving college students’ food security and factors that may impact …

Evaluating The Contributions Of Nutrition Knowledge And Food Skills As Predictors Of Dietary Behavior, Diet Competence, And Diet Autonomy In Pre-Hypertensive Rural And Micropolitan Dwelling African American Adults In Alabama, Mary Catherine Robertson Lawson

All ETDs from UAB

Introduction: African American (AA) adults living in rural, Southeastern communities experience disproportionately high rates of obesity-related chronic diseases. Many factors contributing to this health disparity are related to negative Social Determinants of Health that have individual and community level impacts. Nutrition knowledge (NK) and food skills (FS) are forms of health literacy that have been understudied in rural-dwelling AA adults. Understanding their relationships with self-perceived diet competence, autonomy, motivations, as well as diet behaviors and health outcomes could inform the development of future health research and policy. Methods: A scoping review was conducted to identify key trends and information gaps …

Exploring Nutritional Needs In Spinal Cord Injury: Dietitian Perspectives, Bowel Health, And Dietary Recommendations, Ayse Gul Zengul

All ETDs from UAB

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a global condition affecting millions of people and leading to life-altering health complications. It profoundly alters body composition and metabolic rate, which need to be addressed with SCI-specific nutritional strategies. Muscle atrophy, fat accumulation, and decreased energy expenditure often lead to secondary health complications such as chronic diseases and SCI-related health problems, including pressure injuries and bowel dysfunction. Although nutrition plays a critical role in SCI management, our understanding of specific dietary needs for this population remains incomplete. This dissertation aims to comprehensively investigate the nutritional challenges and needs of individuals with SCI, ultimately developing …

Effects Of Whole-Food, Plant-Centered Diets On Glycemic Control, Medication Use, Ectopic Fat, And Cardiovascular Health In Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Cody Hanick

All ETDs from UAB

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a global health and economic concern. Safe and effective treatments for T2D, including dietary approaches, are limited. Additionally, it remains unclear whether dietary carbohydrate quality or quantity matters more for managing T2D. Most nutrient-dense carbohydrate quality sources—such as fruit, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains—come from plant foods and are recommended for people with T2D by the American Diabetes Association. Furthermore, when these food groups are combined into a dietary pattern, a whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) diet is created. However, few studies have tested the effects of a WFPB diet or carbohydrate-rich food groups in people with …

Dietary Program For The Reduction Of Type 2 Diabetes Prevalence In A South Texas Border Region, Siddiqua Noor

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

PURPOSE The purpose of this project was to create a culturally sensitive dietary program template to serve as a guide to offer healthier food alternatives to reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes while not compromising on their Hispanic heritage.

BACKGROUND This project was implemented in a South Texas border community which has nearly twice the national average of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, which presents a significant public health challenge.

METHODOLOGY The project followed the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle and incorporated the Health Belief Model. A dietary pamphlet featuring local culturally relevant food options was developed. The material was presented at two …

Evaluating A Pilot Nutrition Education Curriculum For Autistic Young Adults: Rev It Up! For Asd, Samantha Schaap

Health and Nutritional Sciences Graduate Students Plan B Capstone Projects

Objective: People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have poor diet and exercise behaviors, which lead to higher prevalences of overweight/obesity and diet-related diseases. Young adults with ASD are particularly understudied regarding nutrition educational approaches; thus, our study aimed to examine the impact of Rev It Up! for ASD, an adapted Extension nutrition and physical activity curriculum adapted for this population.
Methods: The Rev It Up! curriculum was reviewed by four experts in autistic education to identify adaptations needed for the Rev It Up! for ASD pilot. The intervention was conducted in 10, 90-minute sessions from February-April 2025, where students participated …

Diabetes, Edwin Espinosa Vazquez

CSU Tower Day

1.2 million Americans are affected with diabetes each year.

○ Increase in hospitalizations, emergency room visits

● Diabetes has a higher rate of prevalence among the middle aged, older aged and non- Americans in the US.

● Diabetes presents a high risk of Cardiovascular Disease, Kidney failure, blindness, etc.

● Exercise, dietary changes, and medication can prevent or delay from the onset of type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Kinetics Of Protein And Amino Acids, S. Y. Liu, M. Toghyani, S. P. Macelline, P. H. Selle

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Protein and amino acid nutrition is key to poultry growth and sustainability, with synchrony between glucose and amino acid availability being critical for efficient feed conversion. While non-bound amino acids (NBAA) are rapidly absorbed and increasingly used to reduce crude protein levels, their fast uptake may disrupt amino acid balance and reduce nutrient utilization compared to protein-bound amino acids. Future research should redefine amino acid requirements in low-CP diets, explore the metabolic fate of NBAA, and investigate how protein sources affect gut microbiota and host metabolism.

Perspectives On Using Fats And Oils In Poultry Production, Brian J. Kerr

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

These proceedings describe lipid composition of fats and oils and outline fatty acid quality measurements. In addition, fat and oil energy composition and digestibility are presented. Finally, these proceedings describe ways to enhance lipid digestibility with emulsifiers and preventing lipid peroxidation with antioxidants.

Sustainable And Profitable Broiler Nutrition, Sergio R. Fernandez

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

These proceedings accompany a presentation on optimizing protein nutrition of broilers while minimizing environmental impacts of nitrogen excretion. The continual advancement of muscle development in modern broilers requires constant alignment of amino acid needs. These proceedings outline the importance and progression of feed grade amino acid supplementation in broiler nutrition.

Net Energy: The Precision Path To Sustainability, P. Srichana, A. C. Tay-Zar, M. Wongphatcharachai, C. Chanseyha

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Adaptation of the net energy system in broiler diets will increase least cost formulation flexibility. These proceedings outline a net energy system developed and implemented in practice. In addition to lower carbon and nitrogen inputs in dietary formulation, the net energy system reduced feed costs.

Layer Industry Update: Nutrition Associated With Changes In Production Systems, Kenneth E. Anderson, Ishab Poudel

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

This is not a hardcore research presentation but rather an overview of three North Carolina Layer Performance and Management Tests. I used the 39th, 40th, and 41st Layer Test Reports that cover the years 2013 through 2025. The proceedings cover white and brown egg strains as groups and the cage and cage-free production environments. Over all three of these tests the production environments were the same and met UEP Cage standards and the Humane Farm Animal Care cage-free standards. There are papers outlining the changes in more detail with all the statistics. This is an overview of visual trends in …

Field Experience And Production Challenges In Australia And New Zealand, Nick Rodgers

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Variability management represents the primary technical challenge facing the Australian and New Zealand (ANZ) broiler industry's vertically integrated operations. This analysis examines systematic approaches to controlling seasonal performance fluctuations, raw material quality variations, emerging disease pressures, and evolving welfare demands. Key variability sources include climatic extremes, season to season raw material quality and nutrient value variability and intermittent [mostly enteric] disease challenges, particularly in no antibiotics ever (NAE) production systems. Solutions require a scientific, data-driven approach with insights from field experience for causation identification and a collaborative approach within business functional units, and across industry collaborators such as suppliers and …

Nutrition Security – Why It Matters?, Priscilla Ayine, Veronica Oates

Extension Publications

No abstract provided.

Understanding Food Insecurity Among International Students At Ohio University, Kyle Butler, Joshua Osondu

Sustainable Living Hub Reports and Publications

Recently, food insecurity has emerged as a concern among the student body of Ohio University (OHIO), particularly among its international graduate students. This survey study was undertaken to provide data to inform OHIO’s response to food insecurity among its international graduate students.

The Effects Of A History Of Child Trauma On Breastfeeding Outcomes, Emily Flynn

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Breastfeeding provides significant health benefits for both parent and child, yet many parents discontinue earlier than recommended. While childhood sexual abuse has been associated with breastfeeding difficulties, limited research has examined the broader effects of other forms of childhood maltreatments on breastfeeding outcomes. This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between a history of childhood trauma and breastfeeding outcomes, with social support explored as a potential moderator. Participants (n = 194) were birthing parents of children under the age of five, recruited from online parenting communities. Measures included the Adverse Childhood Experience International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ), a breastfeeding duration item, and a …

Translating Cardiovascular Clinical Practice Guidelines On Nutrition Therapy: Validation Of The Portfolio Diet Toolkit For Healthcare Providers, Gabrielle Viscardi, Sahba Eskandari, Alyssa Chen, Nicholas Chiang, Meaghan E. Kavanagh, Songhee Back, Micheal Vallis, Mary J. Scourboutakos, Vasanti S. Malik, Cyril W.C. Kendall, David J.A. Jenkins, John L. Sievenpiper, Laura Chiavaroli

Department of Family and Community Medicine Faculty Publications

Background

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of death in Canada. Although the Portfolio Diet, a dietary pattern of cholesterol-lowering foods, is supported by CVD clinical practice guidelines, its uptake in clinical practice remains limited. This study assessed the content and face validity of a healthcare provider (HCP)-facing toolkit (infographic and video), designed to support implementation of the Portfolio Diet.

Methods

HCPs were recruited for a 2-round evaluation. They assessed the toolkit using a questionnaire. Content validity of the infographic was assessed using a 4-point Likert scale (1 = irrelevant to 4 = extremely relevant) and face validity of …

The Power Of Plate & Knowledge: Nutrition’S Role In Pcos Management For Asian American Women, Cassandra Curameng Diego Curameng

Nursing | Senior Theses

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common metabolic endocrine condition with symptoms that severely impair women's physical and reproductive health. However, individuals with PCOS, especially Asian American women, lack sufficient understanding of non-pharmacological symptom management options, such as dietary and lifestyle modifications. This research proposal explores whether culturally appropriate nutrition education can help manage PCOS symptoms and lessen the need for medical management. The literature critique focuses on addressing the knowledge gap regarding treatment management among women diagnosed with PCOS, health risks related to PCOS, ethnic differences, and nutrition. This proposal investigates the impact of a dietary education program tailored …