Nutrition Commons^™

Mechanisms Of Decreased Cholesterol Absorption Mediated By Phytosterols In The Intestinal Lumen, Andrew W. Brown

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Phytosterols and their fatty acyl esters have been known for decades to lower LDL cholesterol, making them powerful nutraceuticals in lowering cardiovascular disease risk. The mechanisms by which phytosterols lower cholesterol, though, have been incompletely characterized. Three studies were executed to examine three aspects of cholesterol and phytosterol interactions in the intestinal lumen. In the first study, the ability of pancreatic cholesterol esterase to hydrolyze phytosterol esters was examined. Pancreatic cholesterol esterase hydrolyzed phytosterol esters, but the rate of hydrolysis proved sensitive to the structures of both the sterol and ester components. In the second study, cholesterol micellarization was challenged …

Body Mass Index Is Associated With Dietary Patterns And Health Conditions In Georgia Centenarians, Dorothy B. Hausman, Mary Ann Johnson, Adam Davey, Leonard W. Poon

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Associations between body mass index (BMI) and dietary patterns and health conditions were explored in a population-based multiethnic sample of centenarians from northern Georgia. BMI ≤20 and ≥25 was prevalent in 30.9% and 25.3% of study participants, respectively. In a series of logistic regression analyses controlled for gender and place of residence, the probability of having BMI ≥25 was increased by being black versus white and having a low citrus fruit, noncitrus fruit, orange/yellow vegetable or total fruit and vegetable intake. The probability of having BMI ≤20 was not associated with dietary intake. When controlled for race, gender, residence, and …

The Role Of Histone H4 Biotinylation In The Structure Of Nucleosomes, Nina A. Filenko, Carol Kolar, John T. West, S. Abbie Smith, Yousef I. Hassan, Gloria E. O. Borgstahl, Janos Zempleni, Yuri L. Lyubchenko

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Post-translational modifications of histones play important roles in regulating nucleosome structure and gene transcription. It has been shown that biotinylation of histone H4 at lysine-12 in histone H4 (K12Bio-H4) is associated with repression of a number of genes. We hypothesized that biotinylation modifies the physical structure of nucleosomes, and that biotin-induced conformational changes contribute to gene silencing associated with histone biotinylation.

Methodology/Principal Findings: To test this hypothesis we used atomic force microscopy to directly analyze structures of nucleosomes formed with biotin-modified and non-modified H4. The analysis of the AFM images revealed a 13% increase in the length of …

Adipose Tissue Abca1 Contributes To Hdl Biogenesis In Vivo, Soonkyu Chung, Janet K. Sawyer, Abraham K. Gebre, Nobuyo Maeba, John S. Parks

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background—Adipose tissue (AT) is the body’s largest free cholesterol (FC) reservoir and abundantly expresses ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), a key cholesterol transporter for HDL biogenesis. However, the extent to which AT ABCA1 expression contributes to HDL biogenesis in vivo is unknown.

Methods and Results—Adipocyte-specific ABCA1 knockout mice (ABCA1^−A/−A) were

generated by crossing ABCA1floxed mice with aP2 cre transgenic mice. AT from ABCA1^−A/−A mice had −^A/−A mice had a twofold increase in FC content, compared to WT mice, and failed to efflux cholesterol to apoA-I. …

Qualitative Study To Determine Quality Of Life Factors Based On Reported Efnep Success Stories, Megan L. Hlavacek

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of how adult participants describe quality of life during or after participation in the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) at sites across the United States. The study analyzed success stories submitted by EFNEP staff and participants from sites in nine states from the years 2004 to 2010. A total of 1,057 success stories were analyzed.

The success stories were descriptions of the participants’ experiences with EFNEP. The stories were analyzed by highlighting words, phrases, and/or sentences, and creating a short one to three word codes that would best …

Feeding Corn Milling Co-Products To Feedlot Cattle, 3rd Edition, Galen E. Erickson, Crystal D. Buckner, Terry J. Klopfenstein

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Introduction

Two primary types of milling processes currently exist, resulting in quite different feed products. These processing plants produce and market a variety of feed products, but in general, the dry milling process produces distillers grains plus solubles (DGS), and the wet milling process produces corn gluten feed (CGF). These feeds can be marketed as wet feeds, or they can be dried and marketed as either dry corn gluten feed (DCGF) or dry distillers grains (DDG) with or without solubles.

For the purposes of this report, wet corn gluten feed (WCGF), wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS), DCGF and dried …

A Pilot Study Of The Relationship Of Calcium Intake And Frequency Of Injuries In High School Athletes, Jeffrey K. Ebert

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Little information is available related to adolescent calcium intake and relationships with injuries they might suffer from sport participation. To determine calcium intake of high school athletes, to assess their self reported injury rates, and to examine the relationship between the two over a 12 month period of time. Participants received a questionnaire at their school and completed it anywhere they found convenient. Adolescent athletes in the Lincoln Public School system (n=43) that participated in at least one sport in the past year. Four age groups participated in the study with sixteen year olds having a significantly higher calcium intake …

Feeding Corn Milling Co-Products To Forage Fed Cattle, 1st Edition, Aaron Stalker, Rick Rasby, Galen E. Erickson, Crystal Buckner, Terry J. Klopfenstein

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Introduction

Beef calves from weaning until they enter feedlots, developing heifers, and beef cows are fed primarily forage diets. Especially in the winter, forages are low in protein and phosphorus and need to be supplemented. Corn milling co-products are excellent sources of both protein and phosphorus and fi t nicely into winter supplementation programs. Corn milling co-products are also an excellent source of energy and are particularly well suited to forage based diets.

Two primary types of milling processes currently exist, resulting in quite diff erent feed products. The dry milling process produces distillers grains plus solubles (DGS), and the …

Interaction Between Roughages And Corn Milling Byproducts In Finishing Cattle Diets, Joshua R. Benton

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

During ethanol production, starch is the primary nutrient fermented and the remaining byproducts are excellent sources of fiber and protein. In addition, inclusion of byproducts in finishing diets may reduce the incidence of acidosis. As a result, roughage level and quality could potentially be reduced in finishing diets containing byproducts. Three experiments were conducted to examine the effects of roughage and wet corn gluten feed (WCGF) in finishing cattle diets containing corn distillers grains plus solubles. Cattle fed finishing diets containing wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS) with no roughage had decreased DMI and ADG compared to cattle fed roughage. …

Regulation Of Atp Binding Cassette Transporter A1 And G1 Expression By Fatty Acids, Chai Siah Ku

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

High density lipoprotein (HDL) is an atheroprotective element which is critical in the reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) pathway to eliminate excess cholesterol from the periphery of the body. A low plasma HDL cholesterol levels indicate a higher risk of getting cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Formation and metabolism of HDL largely rely on ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) and G1 (ABCG1) that are transporters to facilitate the efflux of cellular cholesterol to outside of cells. ABCA1 in the liver and small intestine is the major contributing factor for HDL formation. On the other hand, ABCA1 and ABCG1 present in macrophages contribute …

Food Handling Practices, Knowledge And Beliefs Of Families With Young Children Based On The Health Belief Model, Adeline Lum

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Objective: To determine current food handling practices, knowledge and beliefs of primary food handlers with children 10 years old and the relationship between these components.

Design: Surveys were developed based on FightBac!™ concepts and the Health Belief Model (HBM) construct.

Participants: The majority of participants (n= 503) were females (67%), Caucasians (80%), aged between 30 to 49 years old (83%), had one or two children (83%), prepared meals all or most of the time (76%) and consumed meals away from home three times or less per week (66%).

Analysis: Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (rho) …

Holocarboxylase Synthetase-Dependent Biotinylation Of Histone H4, Luisa F. Rios Avila

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Holocarboxylase synthetase (HCS) catalyzes the binding of biotin to lysine (K) residues in histones H3 and H4. Histone biotinylation marks play important roles in the repression of genes and retrotransposons. Preliminary studies suggested that K16 in histone H4 is a target for biotinylation by HCS. Here we demonstrated that H4K16bio is overrepresented in repeat regions {pericentromeric alpha satellite repeats; long terminal repeats (LTR)} compared with euchromatin promoters. H4K16bio was also enriched in the repressed interleukin-2 gene promoter. The enrichment at LTR22 and promoter 1 of the sodium-dependent multivitamin transporter (SMVT) depended on biotin supply; and was significantly lower in fibroblasts …

Assessing Dietary Intake, Eating And Exercise Attitudes And Fitness Levels In College-Aged Students, Katie J. James

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

BACKGROUND The transition from high school to college can be a stressful lifestyle change for young adults. During this transition students develop a variety of health attitudes and behaviors that may have a negative impact on their overall wellbeing. OBJECTIVE To determine the correlation of BMI to dietary intake, fitness level and eating and exercise attitudes of college students. SETTING Participants completed an eating and exercise attitude survey, 2-day diet recall, and preformed three fitness tests at a Midwestern University through their Campus Recreational Center. PARTICIPANTS 772 students between the ages of 18-25 from a Midwestern University between the years …

Modulation Of Lipid Metabolism By Phytosterol Stearates And Black Raspberry Seed Oils, Mark Mckinley Ash

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Naturally occurring compounds and lifestyle modifications as combination and mono-therapy are increasingly used for dyslipidemia. Specficially, phytosterols and fatty acids have demonstrated an ability to modulate cholesterol and triglyceride metabolism in different fashions. In two separate studies, the lipid-lowering effects of black raspberry seed oil and three different phytosterol stearates were examined in order to elucidate the effects of these dietary components and the factors influencing their therapeutic actions.

The first study examined high cholesterol diets supplemented with crude and refined black raspberry seed oils, coconut oil or soybean oil. The crude and refined raspberry seed oil (RSO) treatments significantly …

Combined Therapy Of Dietary Fish Oil And Stearoyl-Coa Desaturase 1 Inhibition Prevents The Metabolic Syndrome And Atherosclerosis, J. Mark Brown, Soonkyu Chung, Janet K. Sawyer, Chiara Degirolamo, Heather M. Alger, Tam M. Nguyen, Xuewei Zhu, My-Ngan Duong, Amanda L. Brown, Caleb Lord, Ramesh Shah, Matthew A. Davis, Kathryn Kelley, Martha D. Wilson, Jennifer Madenspacher, Michael B. Fessler, John S. Parks, Lawrence L. Rudel

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background—Stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) is a critical regulator of energy metabolism and inflammation. We have previously reported that inhibition of SCD1 in hyperlipidemic mice fed a saturated fatty acid (SFA)-enriched diet prevented development of the metabolic syndrome, yet surprisingly promoted severe atherosclerosis. In this study we tested whether dietary fish oil supplementation could prevent the accelerated atherosclerosis caused by SCD1 inhibition.

Methods and Results—LDLr^-/-, ApoB^100/100 mice were fed diets enriched in saturated fat or fish oil in conjunction with antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) treatment to inhibit SCD1. As previously reported, in SFA-fed mice, SCD1 inhibition dramatically protected against …

Predicting Successful Aging In A Population-Based Sample Of Georgia Centenarians, Jonathan Arnold, Jianliang Dai, Lusine Nahapetyan, Ankit Arte, Mary Ann Johnson, Dorothy Hausman, Willard L. Rodgers, Robert Hensley, Peter Martin, Maurice Macdonald, Adam Davey, Ilene C. Siegler, S. Michal Jazwinski, Leonard W. Poon

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Used a population-based sample (Georgia Centenarian Study, GCS), to determine proportions of centenarians reaching 100 years as (1) survivors (43%) of chronic diseases first experienced between 0–80 years of age, (2) delayers (36%) with chronic diseases first experienced between 80–98 years of age, or (3) escapers (17%) with chronic diseases only at 98 years of age or older. Diseases fall into two morbidity profiles of 11 chronic diseases; one including cardiovascular disease, cancer, anemia, and osteoporosis, and another including dementia. Centenarians at risk for cancer in their lifetime tended to be escapers (73%), while those at risk for cardiovascular disease …

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors And Associations With Indicators Of Body Fat, Diet, And Physical Activity In U.S. Children Ages 6–11, Melissa A. Masters

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Research was conducted to determine the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors in U.S. children ages 6-11 and associations with body fat, diet, and physical activity. Data for 685 children ages 6-11 was obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). NHANES data was examined to determine the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors in these children, the impact of indicators of body fat on cardiovascular disease risk factors, the association between cardiovascular disease risk factors and dietary components, and the relationship between physical activity and cardiovascular disease risk factors among U.S. children. Children were also evaluated for …

Nutrition-Related Practices And Attitudes Of Kansas Skipped-Generation(S) Caregivers And Their Grandchildren, Mary Meck Higgins, Bethany J. Murray

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Despite growing numbers, the nutrition practices and attitudes of skipped-generation(s) kinship caregivers regarding feeding the dependent children in their care have not been examined. In this qualitative study, transcriptions of semi-structured interviews with 19 female and four male skipped-generation(s) Kansas caregivers (ages 47 to 80, 92% non-Hispanic whites, 83% female, 78% grandparents and 22% great-aunt or great-grandparent caregivers; caring for a range of one to four children, ages three to 18, for an average of nine years) were content analyzed for how their nutrition-related practices and attitudes had changed since parenting the first time. Sub-themes regarding practices included: being more …

Liver Injury In Acute Fatty Liver Of Pregnancy: Possible Link To Placental Mitochondrial Dysfunction And Oxidative Stress, Sathish Kumar Natarajan, Kavitha R. Thangaraj, C. E. Eapen, Anup Ramachandran, Ashis Mukhopadhya, Mathews Mathai, Lakshmi Seshadri, Abraham Peedikayil, Banumathi Ramakrishna, Kunnissery A. Balasubramanian

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP) is a rare disorder which is fatal if not recognized and treated early. Delivery of the feto-placental unit results in dramatic improvement in maternal liver function, suggesting a role for the placenta. However, the mechanisms by which defects in the fetus or placenta lead to maternal liver damage are not well understood and form the focus of this study. Placenta and serum were obtained at delivery from patients with AFLP, and placental mitochondria and peroxisomes were isolated. Placental mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, and fatty acid composition as well asserumantioxidants, oxidativeandnitrosative stress markers,andfatty acid analysis …

Targeted Deletion Of Hepatocyte Abca1 Leads To Very Low Density Lipoprotein Triglyceride Overproduction And Low Density Lipoprotein Hypercatabolism, Soonkyu Chung, Jenelle M. Timmins, Myngan Duong, Chiara Degirolamo, Shunxing Rong, Janet K. Sawyer, Roshni R. Singaraja, Michael R. Hayden, Nobuyo Maeda, Lawrence L. Rudel, Gregory S. Shelness, John S. Parks

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Loss of ABCA1 activity in Tangier disease (TD) is associated with abnormal apoB lipoprotein (Lp) metabolism in addition to the complete absence of high density lipoprotein (HDL). We used hepatocyte-specific ABCA1 knock-out (HSKO) mice to test the hypothesis that hepatic ABCA1 plays dual roles in regulating Lp metabolism and nascent HDL formation. HSKO mice recapitulated the TD lipid phenotype with postprandial hypertriglyceridemia, markedly decreased LDL, and near absence of HDL. Triglyceride (TG) secretion was 2-fold higher in HSKO compared with wild type mice, primarily due to secretion of larger TG-enriched VLDL secondary to reduced hepatic phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling. HSKO mice …

‘Food For Life’: Looking Beyond The Horizon, Charles A. Francis, John W. Doran

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Our real challenge appears to be anticipating what the major challenges and constraints will be to food production and distribution a decade or more into the future. This could be called ‘Beyond the Horizon’ thinking. Today there is little disagreement over the massive depletion on a global scale of two essential inputs to agriculture: fossil fuels and fresh water. We also recognize that phosphorus is found in concentrated form in only a few deposits in nature, and that agriculture is rapidly using this limited resource and dispersing it through harvested products and soil loss from fields in forms that make …

Killing Of Treponema Denticola By Mouse Peritoneal Macrophages, P. Gaibani, C. Vocale, S. Ambretti, F. Cavrini, Jacques Izard, L. Miragliotta, M. T. Pellegrino, V. Sambri

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Treponema denticola has been identified as an important cause of periodontal disease and hypothesized to be involved in extra-oral infections. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of T. denticola cell length and motility during mouse peritoneal macrophages in vitro uptake. Macrophages, incubated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, produced a similar amount of TNF-α when stimulated with Escherichia coli LPS. The uptake of FlgE- and CfpA-deficient mutants of T. denticola was significantly increased compared with the wild-type strain, due to cell size or lack of motility. Opsonization with specific antibodies considerably improved the treponemes’ uptake. …

Hypocholesterolemic Effect Of Nostoc Commune Var. Sphaeroides Kützing, An Edible Blue-Green Alga, Heather E. Rasmussen, Kara R. Blobaum, Elliot D. Jesch, Chai Siah Ku, Young-Ki Park, Fan Lu, Timothy P. Carr, Ji-Young Li

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background Intake of an edible blue-green alga Nostoc commune var. sphaeroides Kützing (N. commune) has been shown to lower plasma total cholesterol concentration, but the mechanisms behind the hypocholesterolemic effect have not been elucidated. Aim of the study To elucidate the mechanisms underlying the cholesterol-lowering effect of N. commune in mice. Methods Male C57BL/6J mice were fed the AIN-93 M diet supplemented with 0 or 5% (wt/wt) dried N. commune for 4 weeks. Lipid levels in the plasma and liver, intestinal cholesterol absorption, and fecal sterol excretion were measured. Expression of hepatic and intestinal genes involved in cholesterol …

Alteration Of The Gastrointestinal Microbiota Of Mice By Edible Blue-Green Algae, H. E. Rasmussen, I. Martínez, J. Y. Lee, J. Walter

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Aims: To characterize the effect of edible blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) on the gastrointestinal microbiota of mice. Methods and Results: C57BL⁄6J mice were fed a diet supplemented with 0% or 5% dried Nostoc commune, Spirulina platensis, or Aphanizominon flos-aquae (w⁄w) for 4 weeks. Molecular fingerprinting of the colonic microbiota using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis revealed that administration of N. commune induced major alterations in colonic microbiota composition, while administration of S. platensis or A. flos-aquae had a more subtle impact. Community profile analysis revealed that administration of N. commune did not reduce microbial diversity indices of the colonic microbiota. …

Acute Effects Of A Thermogenic Nutritional Supplement On Cycling Time To Exhaustion And Muscular Strength In College-Aged Men, Ashley A. Walter, Trent J. Herda, Eric D. Ryan, Pablo B. Costa, Katherine M. Hoge, Travis W. Beck, Jeffrey R. Stout, Joel T. Cramer

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: The purpose of the present study was to examine the acute effects of a thermogenic nutritional supplement containing caffeine, capsaicin, bioperine, and niacin on muscular strength and endurance performance.

Methods: Twenty recreationally-active men (mean ± SD age = 21.5 ± 1.4 years; stature = 178.2 ± 6.3 cm; mass = 76.5 ± 9.9 kg; VO_{2 PEAK} = 3.05 ± 0.59 L/min^-1) volunteered to participate in this randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. All testing took place over a three-week period, with each of the 3 laboratory visits separated by 7 days (± 2 hours). During the initial …

Effects Of Β-Alanine Supplementation And High-Intensity Interval Training On Endurance Performance And Body Composition In Men; A Double-Blind Trial, Abbie E. Smith, Ashley A. Walter, Jennifer L. Graef, Kristina L. Kendall, Jordan R. Moon, Christopher M. Lockwood, David H. Fukuda, Travis W. Beck, Joel T. Cramer, Jeffrey R. Stout

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Intermittent bouts of high-intensity exercise result in diminished stores of energy substrates, followed by an accumulation of metabolites, promoting chronic physiological adaptations. In addition, β-alanine has been accepted has an effective physiological hydrogen ion (H⁺) buffer. Concurrent high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and β-alanine supplementation may result in greater adaptations than HIIT alone. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effects of combining β-alanine supplementation with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on endurance performance and aerobic metabolism in recreationally active college-aged men.

Methods: Forty-six men (Age: 22.2 ± 2.7 yrs; Ht: 178.1 ± 7.4 cm; Wt: …

Effects Of Β-Alanine Supplementation And High-Intensity Interval Training On Endurance Performance And Body Composition In Men; A Double-Blind Trial, Abbie E. Smith, Ashley A. Walter, Jennifer L. Graef, Kristina L. Kendall, Jordan R. Moon, Christopher M. Lockwood, David H. Fukuda, Travis W. Beck, Joel T. Cramer, Jeffrey R. Stout

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Intermittent bouts of high-intensity exercise result in diminished stores of energy substrates, followed by an accumulation of metabolites, promoting chronic physiological adaptations. In addition, β-alanine has been accepted has an effective physiological hydrogen ion (H⁺) buffer. Concurrent high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and β-alanine supplementation may result in greater adaptations than HIIT alone. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effects of combining β-alanine supplementation with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on endurance performance and aerobic metabolism in recreationally active college-aged men.

Methods: Forty-six men (Age: 22.2 ± 2.7 yrs; Ht: 178.1 ± 7.4 cm; Wt: …

Initial Interaction Of Apoa-I With Abca1 Impacts In Vivo Metabolic Fate Of Nascent Hdl, Anny Mulya, Ji-Young Lee, Abraham K. Gebre, Elena Y. Boudyguina, Soonkyu Chung, Thomas L. Smith, Perry L. Colvin, Xian-Cheng Jiang, John S. Parks

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

We investigated the in vivo metabolic fate of preb HDL particles in human apolipoprotein A-I transgenic (hA-I Tg) mice. Pre-b HDL tracers were assembled by incubation of [125I]tyramine cellobiose-labeled apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) with HEK293 cells expressing ABCA1. Radiolabeled pre-b HDLs of increasing size (pre-b1, -2, -3, and -4 HDLs) were isolated by fast-protein liquid chromatography and injected into hA-I Tg-recipient mice, after which plasma decay, in vivo remodeling, and tissue uptake were monitored. Pre-b2, -3, and -4 had similar plasma die-away rates, whereas pre-b1 HDL was removed 7-fold more rapidly. Radiolabel recovered in liver and kidney 24 h after tracer …

Lipid Extract Of Nostoc Commune Var. Sphaeroides Kützing, A Blue-Green Alga, Inhibits The Activation Of Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Proteins In Hepg2 Cells, Heather E. Rasmussen, Kara R. Blobaum, Young-Ki Park, Sarah J. Ehlers, Fan Lu, Ji-Young Lee

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Nostoc commune var. sphaeroides Kützing (N. commune), a blue-green alga, has been used as both a food ingredient and in medicine for centuries. To determine the effect of N. commune on cholesterol metabolism, N. commune lipid extract was incubated at increasing concentrations (25–100 mg/L) with HepG2 cells, a human hepatoma cell line. The addition of N. commune lipid extract markedly reduced mRNA abundance of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGR) and LDL receptor (LDLR) (P < 0.05), with a concomitant decrease in their protein expression (P < 0.001). Reduced HMGR activity by 90% with N. commune lipid extract confirmed the inhibitory role of N. commune in cholesterol synthesis (P < 0.006). To elucidate a molecular mechanism underlying the repression of HMGR and LDLR by N. commune lipid extract, expression of sterol regulatory …

Effects Of A Supplement Designed To Increase Atp Levels On Muscle Strength, Power Output, And Endurance, Trent J. Herda, Eric D. Ryan, Jeffrey R. Stout, Joel T. Cramer

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: The present study examined the acute effects of a nutritional supplement intended to improve adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentrations on vertical jump height, isometric strength of the leg extensors, leg extension endurance, and forearm flexion endurance.

Methods: Twenty-four healthy men (mean age ± SD = 23 ± 4 yrs, stature = 181 ± 7 cm, and body mass = 82 ± 12 kg) volunteered to complete a familiarization trial plus 2 randomly-ordered experimental trials separated by a 7-day washout period. Participants received either 6 (body mass < 91 kg) or 8 (body mass ≥ 91 kg) tablets of the treatment (TR; 625 mg of adenylpyrophosphoric acid and calcium pyruvate, 350.8 mg of cordyceps sinensis extract and yohimbine hydrochloride) or placebo (PL; 980 mg of microcrystalline cellulose) 1 hour prior to the following tests: countermovement vertical jump (CVJ), forearm flexion repetitions to exhaustion, isometric maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) of the leg extensors, and a 50-repetition maximal concentric isokinetic leg extension endurance test.

Results: There were no differences between the TR and PL trials for CVJ height …