Digital Commons Network^™

The Sociological And Humanistic Problem Of ‘Fake News,’ As It Applies To All Subjects, Including Scientific Research And Theories In The Public Sphere, Andrée Rathemacher, Amanda Izenstark

Technical Services Faculty Presentations

The main file available here contains the notes taken by student note-taker Kaleigh Miech during the Café Salon Discussion “The Sociological and Humanistic Problem of ‘Fake News,’ As It Applies to All Subjects, Including Scientific Research and Theories in the Public Sphere.” The discussion took place on January 17, 2019 as part of the University of Rhode Island 11th Annual Academic Summit. It was facilitated by Profs. Andrée Rathemacher and Amanda Izenstark.

Supplemental files include:

• An opening introduction prepared by the facilitators
• The official 11th Annual Academic Summit Program
• Café Salon Facilitator Guide

The Flex Study School-Based Physical Activity Programs – Measurement And Evaluation Of Implementation, Catherine M. Wright, Virginia R. Chomitz, Paula J. Duquesnay, Sarah A. Amin, Christina D. Economos, Jennifer M. Sacheck

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Background

Increasing children’s physical activity (PA) at school is critical to obesity prevention and health promotion. Implementing novel, low-cost PA programs offers potential to contribute to children’s in-school PA, particularly in resource-constrained schools. This evaluation describes implementation fidelity, reach, and dose of two PA programs in the Fueling Learning through Exercise (FLEX) Study.

Methods

Thirteen diverse, low-income Massachusetts elementary schools were recruited and randomized to the 100 Mile Club walking/running program (n = 7) or CHALK/Just Move classroom activity break PA program (n = 6). Intervention programs were delivered across two school years. Surveys with program champions/teachers and …

Path Analyses Of Risk Factors For Linear Growth Faltering In Four Prospective Cohorts Of Young Children In Ghana, Malawi And Burkina Faso, Elizabeth L. Prado, Elizabeth Yakes Jimenez, Stephen Vosti, Robert Stewart, Christine P. Stewart, Jérôme Somé, Anna Pulakka, Jean Bosco Ouédraogo, Harriet Okronipa, Eugenia Ocansey, Brietta Oaks, Kenneth Maleta, Anna Lartey, Emma Kortekangas, Sonja Y. Hess, Kenneth Brown, Jaden Bendabenda, Ulla Ashorn, Per Ashorn, Mary Arimond, Seth Adu-Afarwuah, Souheila Abbeddou, Kathryn Dewey

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Stunting prevalence is an indicator of a country’s progress towards United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 2, which is to end hunger and achieve improved nutrition. Accelerating progress towards reducing stunting requires a deeper understanding of the factors that contribute to linear growth faltering. We conducted path analyses of factors associated with 18-month length-for-age z-score (LAZ) in four prospective cohorts of children who participated in trials conducted as part of the International Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements Project in Ghana (n=1039), Malawi (n=684 and 1504) and Burkina Faso (n=2619). In two cohorts, women were enrolled during pregnancy. In two other cohorts, infants were …

Prenatal Iron Deficiency And Replete Iron Status Are Associated With Adverse Birth Outcomes, But Associations Differ In Ghana And Malawi, Brietta M. Oaks, Josh M. Jorgensen, Lacey M. Baldiviez, Seth Adu-Afarwuah, Ken Maleta, Harriet Okronipa, John Sadalaki, Anna Lartey, Per Ashorn, Ulla Ashorn, Stephen Vosti, Lindsay H. Allen, Kathryn G. Dewey

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Background

Previous literature suggests a U-shaped relation between hemoglobin concentration and adverse birth outcomes. There is less evidence on associations between iron status and birth outcomes.

Objective

Our objective was to determine the associations of maternal hemoglobin concentration and iron status with birth outcomes.

Methods

We conducted a secondary data analysis of data from 2 cohorts of pregnant women receiving iron-containing nutritional supplements (20–60 mg ferrous sulfate) in Ghana (n = 1137) and Malawi (n = 1243). Hemoglobin concentration and 2 markers of iron status [zinc protoporphyrin and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR)] were measured at ≤20 weeks and …

Maternal And Infant Supplementation With Small-Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements Increases Infants’ Iron Status At 18 Months Of Age In A Semiurban Setting In Ghana: A Secondary Outcome Analysis Of The Ilins-Dyad Randomized Controlled Trial, Seth Adu-Afarwuah, Rebecca T. Young, Anna Lartey, Harriet Okronipa, Per Ashorn, Ulla Ashorn, Brietta M. Oaks, Mary Arimond, Kathryn G. Dewey

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Background

Interventions are needed to address iron deficiency in low-income settings.

Objective

This secondary outcome analysis aimed to compare the hemoglobin (Hb) and iron status [zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP)] of children born to women enrolled in the iLiNS-DYAD trial in Ghana.

Methods

Women ≤20 wk pregnant (n = 1320) were assigned to receive 60 mg Fe/d and 400 µg folic acid/d until delivery and placebo thereafter, and no supplementation for infants (IFA group); or multiple micronutrients containing 20 mg Fe/d until 6 mo postpartum and no supplementation for infants (MMN); or small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNSs) containing 20 mg Fe/d …

Momentum: Research & Innovation For Spring 2019, University Of Rhode Island

Publications (Research and Economic Development)

The Spring 2019 issue of Momentum: Research & Innovation, a periodical focused on research at the University of Rhode Island.

Using Interactive Nutrition Modules To Increase Critical Thinking Skills In College Courses, Jade Mcnamara, Sara Sweetman, Priscilla Connors, Ingrid E. Lofgren, Geoffrey Greene

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Objective: To understand how the addition of an evidence-based framework to an online nutrition module influences college students’ critical thinking decision making (CT-DM).

Design: Students were individually randomized into an intervention group or a control group. The nutrition modules focused on 2 topics related to different types of eating behavior. Students completed a CT-DM activity to generate a score.

Participants: College students, between 18 and 24 years old, recruited from introductory nutrition and agriculture science courses at 2 universities.

Intervention: Intervention and control received 2 nutrition modules. The intervention added a CT-DM framework that framed the topic as a problem, …

The Importance Of Isotopic Turnover For Understanding Key Aspects Of Animal Ecology And Nutrition, Wales A. Carter, Ulf Bauchinger, Scott R. Mcwilliams

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

Stable isotope-based methods have proved to be immensely valuable for ecological studies ranging in focus from animal movements to species interactions and community structure. Nevertheless, the use of these methods is dependent on assumptions about the incorporation and turnover of isotopes within animal tissues, which are oftentimes not explicitly acknowledged and vetted. Thus, the purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the estimation of stable isotope turnover rates in animals, and to highlight the importance of these estimates for ecological studies in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine systems that may use a wide range of stable isotopes. Specifically, …

Modeling Spatiotemporal Abundance Of Mobile Wildlife In Highly Variable Environments Using Boosted Gamlss Hurdle Models, Adam Smith, Benjamin Hofner, Juliet S. Lamb, Jason Osenkowski, Taber Allison, Giancarlo Sadoti, Scott R. Mcwilliams, Peter W. C. Paton

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

Modeling organism distributions from survey data involves numerous statistical challenges, including accounting for zero‐inflation, overdispersion, and selection and incorporation of environmental covariates. In environments with high spatial and temporal variability, addressing these challenges often requires numerous assumptions regarding organism distributions and their relationships to biophysical features. These assumptions may limit the resolution or accuracy of predictions resulting from survey‐based distribution models. We propose an iterative modeling approach that incorporates a negative binomial hurdle, followed by modeling of the relationship of organism distribution and abundance to environmental covariates using generalized additive models (GAM) and generalized additive models for location, scale, and …

Assessment Of Community-Based Activities To Reduce Human–Elephant Conflict In Nepal, Bill Buffum, Thomas P. Husband, Sandeep Shrestha

Natural Resources Science Faculty Publications

Human-elephant conflict (HEC) is a growing problem in Nepal. The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is the one of the most dangerous wildlife species in Nepal, causing more than 40% of wildlife conflicts with humans and 70% of human casualties. We developed an approach to assess the implementation of community-based HEC activities and tested it in the buffer zone of the Chitwan National Park in southern Nepal. We conducted focus group sessions in 17 villages, rated 15 attributes in each community, and tested for significant correlations between the attributes. The communities implemented a wide range of community-based HEC activities …

Exposure To A Slightly Sweet Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplement During Early Life Does Not Increase The Level Of Sweet Taste Most Preferred Among 4- To 6-Year-Old Ghanaian Children: Follow-Up Of A Randomized Controlled Trial, Harriet Okronipa, Mary Arimond, Charles D. Arnold, Rebecca R. Young, Seth Adu-Afarwuah, Solace M. Tamakloe, Maku E. Ocansey, Sika M. Kumordzie, Brietta M. Oaks, Julie A. Mennella, Kathryn G. Dewey

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Background: The impact of feeding a slightly sweet nutrient supplement early in life on later sweet taste preference is unknown.

Objective: We tested the hypothesis that the level of sucrose most preferred by 4–6-y-old children exposed to a slightly sweet lipid-based nutrient supplement (LNS) early in life would not be higher than that of children never exposed to LNS.

Design: We followed up children born to women (n = 1,320) who participated in a randomized trial in Ghana. In one group, LNS was provided to women on a daily basis during pregnancy and the first 6 …

Improving Nutrition And Physical Activity Environments Of Family Child Care Homes: The Rationale, Design And Study Protocol Of The ‘Healthy Start/Comienzos Sanos’ Cluster Randomized Trial, Patricia Markham Risica, Alison Tovar, Vanessa Palomo, Laura Dionne, Noereem Mena, Kate Magid, Diane Stanton Ward, Kim M. Gans

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Background: Early childhood is a crucial time to foster healthy eating and physical activity (PA) habits, which are critical for optimal child health, growth and development. Child care facilities are important settings to promote healthy eating and PA and prevent childhood obesity; however, almost all prior intervention studies have focused on child care centers and not family child care homes (FCCH), which care for over 1.6 million U.S. children.

Methods: This paper describes Healthy Start/Comienzos Sanos, a cluster-randomized trial evaluating the efficacy of a multicomponent intervention to improve nutrition and PA environments in English and Spanish-speaking FCCH. Eligible child care …

Maternal–Infant Supplementation With Small-Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements Does Not Affect Child Blood Pressure At 4–6 Y In Ghana: Follow-Up Of A Randomized Trial, Sika M. Kumordzie, Seth Adu-Afarwuah, Rebecca R. Young, Brietta M. Oaks, Solace M. Tamakloe, Maku E. Ocansey, Harriet Okronipa, Elizabeth L. Prado, Kathryn G. Dewey

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Background: In the International Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (iLiNS)-DYAD-Ghana trial, prenatal small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNSs) had a positive effect on birth weight. Birth weight may be inversely related to blood pressure (BP) later in life.

Objectives: We examined the effect of the intervention on BP at 4–6 y of age, and maternal and child factors related to BP.

Methods: The iLiNS-DYAD-Ghana study was a partially double-blind, randomized controlled trial which assigned women (n = 1320) ≤20 weeks of gestation to daily supplementation with: 1) iron and folic acid during pregnancy and 200 mg Ca for …

Prenatal And Postnatal Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplementation And Cognitive, Social-Emotional, And Motor Function In Preschool-Aged Children In Ghana: A Follow-Up Of A Randomized Controlled Trial, Maku E. Ocansey, Seth Adu-Afrawuah, Sika M. Kumordzie, Harriet Okronipa, Rebecca R. Young, Solace M. Tamakloe, Brietta M. Oaks, Kathryn G. Dewey, Elizabeth L. Prado

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Background: Adequate nutrition is necessary for brain development during pregnancy and infancy. Few randomized controlled trials of supplementation during these periods have measured later developmental outcomes.

Objective: Our objective was to investigate the effects of provision of prenatal and postnatal lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS) on child development at preschool age.

Methods: We conducted a follow-up study of 966 children aged 4–6 y in 2016, born to women who participated in the International Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements-DYAD trial conducted in Ghana in 2009–2014, representing 79% of eligible children. Women ≤20 weeks of gestation were randomized to daily LNS or …

Sex Differences In Lifestyle Behaviors Among U.S. College Freshmen, Melissa D. Olfert, Makenzie L. Barr, Camille C. Charlier, Geoffrey W. Greene, Wenjun Zhou, Sarah E. Colby

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Within lifestyle behavior research, the sex of populations causes differences in behaviors and outcomes of studies. This cross-sectional study investigated lifestyle behavior patterns in college students, examining sex differences in four areas: Nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and stress. Data from over 1100 college freshmen across 8 United States universities were used for this cross-sectional analysis. Self-reported data assessed fruit and vegetable intake, fat percent intake, physical activity, perceived stress, and sleep quality. Statistical analysis included Pearson chi-squared and Mann–Whitney’s U tests for scores by sex. Likewise, healthy cut-offs were used to determine frequency of participants within range of the five …

Micronutrient Adequacy In Preschool Children Attending Family Child Care Homes, Esther Cuarado-Soto, Patricia M. Risica, Kim M. Gans, Carly Ellis, Carolina D. Araujo, Ingrid E. Lofgren, Kristen C. Stowers, Alison Tovar

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Limited data is available on the micronutrient intake and adequacy in preschool children enrolled in family child care homes (FCCH). The goal of this paper is to describe the micronutrient adequacy relative to age-specific recommendations of preschool-aged children (aged 2–5 years) attending FCCH in Rhode Island (RI). Dietary data among younger preschoolers (aged 2–3 years), n = 245) and older preschoolers (aged 4–5 years), n = 121) in 118 RI FCCH (N = 366 children) were analyzed. Nutrient adequacy was assessed as the amount of nutrient per 1000 kcal of the diet that would meet the Institute of Medicine nutrient …

Geographic Differences In The Dietary Quality Of Food Purchases Among Participants In The Nationally Representative Food Acquisition And Purchase Survey (Foodaps), Maya Vadiveloo, Elie Perraud, Haley W. Parker, Filippa Juul, Niyati Parekh

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Objective grocery transactions may reflect diet, but it is unclear whether the diet quality of grocery purchases mirrors geographic and racial/ethnic disparities in diet-related diseases. This cross-sectional analysis of 3961 households in the nationally representative Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey evaluated geographic and racial/ethnic disparities in grocery purchase quality. Respondents self-reported demographics and recorded purchases over 7 days; the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2015 assessed diet quality. Survey-weighted multivariable-adjusted regression determined whether there were geographic and racial/ethnic differences in HEI-15 scores. Respondents were, on average, 50.6 years, non-Hispanic white (NHW) (70.3%), female (70.2%), and had attended some college (57.8%). HEI-15 …

Robustness Of Food Processing Classification Systems, Rachel Bleiweiss-Sande, Kenneth Chui, E. Whitney Evans, Jeanne Goldberg, Sarah A. Amin, Jennifer Sachek

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Discrepancies exist among food processing classification systems and in the relationship between processed food intake and dietary quality of children. This study compared inter-rater reliability, food processing category, and the relationship between processing category and nutrient concentration among three systems (Nova, International Food Information Council (IFIC), and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)). Processing categories for the top 100 most commonly consumed foods children consume (NHANES 2013–2014) were independently coded and compared using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Relative ability of nutrient concentration to predict processing category was investigated using linear discriminant analysis and multinomial logistic regression and compared …

Dietary Diversity Was Positively Associated With Psychological Resilience Among Elders: A Population-Based Study, Zhaoxue Yin, Melanie Sereny Brasher, Virginia B. Kraus, Yuebin Lv, Xiaoming Shi, Yi Zeng

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Publications

The association between dietary diversity (DD) and psychological resilience among older people is an underdeveloped area of research. This cross-sectional study explored the associations of DD with psychological resilience among 8571 community-based elderly individuals. The intake frequencies of food groups were collected, and dietary diversity was assessed based on the mean DD score. Psychological resilience was assessed using a simplified resilience score (SRS). Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression and logistic regression models. Poor DD was significantly associated with psychological resilience, with a β (95% CI) of −0.94 (−1.07, −0.81) for the SRS (p < 0.01) and an odds ratio (95% CI) of 1.83 (1.66, 2.01) for low SRS status. The interaction effects of age with DD were observed for the SRS (p < 0.001) and low SRS status (p < 0.001). Based on separate analyses by age group, the association of a low SRS with poor DD was more prominent in the younger elderly than the oldest old, with OR (95% CI) 2.32 (1.96, 2.74) and 1.61 (1.43, 1.82), respectively. Compared with younger participants with good DD, the risk of a low SRS was greater for younger participants with poor DD, the oldest old with good DD, and the oldest old with poor DD, with OR (95% CI) 2.39 (2.02, 2.81), 1.28 (1.09, 1.51), and 2.03 (1.72, 2.39), respectively. The greatest contribution to DD was from a high consumption of vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Our study suggested that poor DD was associated with a low psychological resilience among the Chinese elderly, especially the younger elderly. These findings suggest that augmentation of DD might promote psychological resilience.

Even Obligate Symbioses Show Signs Of Ecological Contingency: Impacts Of Symbiosis For An Invasive Stinkbug Are Mediated By Host Plant Context, Janelle Couret, Lynn Huynh-Griuffin, Ivan Antolic-Soban, Tarik Salam Acevedo-Gonzalez, Nicole M. Gerardo

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Many species interactions are dependent on environmental context, yet the benefits of obligate, mutualistic microbial symbioses to their hosts are typically assumed to be universal across environments. We directly tested this assumption, focusing on the symbiosis between the sap‐feeding insect Megacopta cribraria and its primary bacterial symbiont Candidatus Ishikawaella capsulata. We assessed host development time, survival, and body size in the presence and absence of the symbiont on two alternative host plants and in the insects' new invasive range. We found that association with the symbiont was critical for host survival to adulthood when reared on either host plant, with …

Prevalence And Correlates Of Food Insecurity Among U.S. College Students: A Multi-Institutional Study, Aseel El Zein, Karla P. Shelnutt, Sarah Colby, Melissa J. Vilaro, Wenjun Zhou, Geoffrey Greene, Melissa D. Olfert, Kirstin Riggsbee, Jesse Stabile Morrell, Anne E. Mathews

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Background: College students may be vulnerable to food insecurity due to limited financial resources, decreased buying power of federal aid, and rising costs of tuition, housing, and food. This study assessed the prevalence of food insecurity and its sociodemographic, health, academic, and food pantry correlates among first-year college students in the United States.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among first-year students (n = 855) across eight U.S. universities. Food security status was assessed using the U.S. Department of Agriculture Adult Food Security Survey Module. Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Eating Attitudes Test-26 were used …

Bacterial Community Dynamics In An Oyster Hatchery In Response To Probiotic Treatment, Rebecca J. Stevick, Saebom Sohn, Tejashree H. Modak, David R. Nelson, David C. Rowley, Karin Tammi, Roxanna Smolowitz, Kathryn Markey Lundgren, Anton F. Post, Marta Gomez-Chiarri

Cell and Molecular Biology Faculty Publications

Larval oysters in hatcheries are susceptible to diseases caused by bacterial pathogens, including Vibrio spp. Previous studies have shown that daily addition of the probiotic Bacillus pumilus RI06-95 to water in rearing tanks increases larval survival when challenged with the pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus. We propose that the presence of probiotics causes shifts in bacterial community structure in rearing tanks, leading to a net decrease in the relative abundance of potential pathogens. During three trials spanning the 2012–2015 hatchery seasons, larvae, tank biofilm, and rearing water samples were collected from control and probiotic-treated tanks in an oyster hatchery over a …

Identifying Drivers Of Genetically Modified Seafood Demand: Evidence From A Choice Experiment, Michael J. Weir, Thomas W. Sproul

Environmental and Natural Resource Economics Faculty Publications

The aquaculture industry has expanded to fill the gap between plateauing wild seafood supply and growing consumer seafood demand. The use of genetic modification (GM) technology has been proposed to address sustainability concerns associated with current aquaculture practices, but GM seafood has proved controversial among both industry stakeholders and producers, especially with forthcoming GM disclosure requirements for food products in the United States. We conduct a choice experiment eliciting willingness-to-pay for salmon fillets with varying characteristics, including GM technology and GM feed. We then develop a predictive model of consumer choice using LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator)-regularization applied …

Urinformed Fall 2019, Urinformed

URInformed: The URI Employees' Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Complex Transboundary Movements Of Marine Megafauna In The Western Indian Ocean, Amanda N. Barkley, Matthew Gollock, Melita Samoilys, Fiona Llewellyn, Mahmood Shivji, Bradley M. Wetherbee, Nigel E. Hussey

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Transboundary marine species have an increased risk of overexploitation as management regimes and enforcement can vary among states. The complex geopolitical layout of exclusive economic zones (EEZs) in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) introduces the potential for migratory species to cross multiple boundaries, consequently a lack of scientific data could complicate regional management. In the current study, we highlight both the relative lack of spatial data available in the WIO, and the prevalence of transboundary movements in species that have previously been studied in the region. Five tiger sharks Galeocerdo cuvier were tracked with near real‐time positioning (SPOT) satellite tags …

Digital Literacy And Propaganda, Renee Hobbs, Igor Kanizaj, Luis Pereira

Communication Studies Faculty Publications

N/A

Rural-Urban Variation In Weight Loss Recommendations Among Us Older Adults With Arthritis And Obesity, Mary L. Greaney, Steven Cohen, Christie L. Ward-Ritacco, Deborah Riebe

Public Health Faculty Publications

Purpose: Weight loss is advantageous for individuals with obesity and arthritis. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine if there are differences by rural-urban status among older adults with these conditions who reported being advised by a health care provider to lose weight for arthritis or to ameliorate arthritis symptoms. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. Respondents reported if they had been diagnosed with arthritis and if they received a provider weight loss recommendation (WLR). The analytic sample was limited to older adults aged 60–79 living in the five states that …

Associations Between Timing And Quality Of Solid Food Introduction With Infant Weight-For-Length Z-Scores At 12 Months: Findings From The Nurture Cohort, Maya Vadiveloo, Alison Tovar, Truls Østbye, Sara E. Benjamin-Neelon

Nutrition Faculty Publications

This study assesses associations of the timing and quality of solid foods introduced during infancy with weight-for-length (WFL) z-scores at 12 months within the Nurture cohort. Women from North Carolina self-reported sociodemographics, the timing and type of solid food introduction, and reasons for introducing solids; infant anthropometrics were measured every 3 months through 1 year (n = 666). Frequency (0–5x/day) infants consumed fruits and vegetables was used to compute a mean (4–12 months) healthy food score (HFS), and sweets, french fries, snacks, and ice cream was used to compute a mean unhealthy food score (UnHFS). Multivariable-adjusted generalized linear models …

Loss Of Bcaa Catabolism During Carcinogenesis Enhances Mtorc1 Activity And Promotes Tumor Development And Progression, Russell E. Ericksen, Siew Lan Lim, Eoin Mcdonnell, Wai Ho Shuen, Maya Vadiveloo, Phillip J. White, Zhaobing Ding, Royston Kwok, Philip Lee, George K. Radda, Han Chong Toh, Matthew D. Hirschey, Weiping Han

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Tumors display profound changes in cellular metabolism, yet how these changes aid the development and growth of tumors is not fully understood. Here we use a multi-omic approach to examine liver carcinogenesis and regeneration, and find that progressive loss of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolism promotes tumor development and growth. In human hepatocellular carcinomas and animal models of liver cancer, suppression of BCAA catabolic enzyme expression led to BCAA accumulation in tumors, though this was not observed in regenerating liver tissues. The degree of enzyme suppression strongly correlated with tumor aggressiveness, and was an independent predictor of clinical outcome. Moreover, …

Associations Of Less Healthy Snack Food Consumption With Infant Weight-For-Length Z-Score Trajectories: Findings From The Nurture Cohort Study, Amy M. Moore, Maya Vadiveloo, Alison Tovar, Karen Mccurdy, Truls Østbye, Sara E. Benjamin-Neelon

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Little is known about the impact of less healthy snack foods on weight trajectories during infancy. This secondary analysis of data from the Nurture cohort explored prospective associations of less healthy snack foods with infant weight trajectories. Pregnant women were recruited and, upon delivery of a single live infant, 666 mothers agreed to participate. Mothers completed sociodemographic and infant feeding questionnaires, and infant anthropometrics were collected during home visits at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Less healthy snack food consumption was assessed by asking how frequently baby snacks and sweets were consumed each day during the previous three months. …