bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Biotech Explorers Pathway: Teams Taking First Steps Toward Scientific Challenges
Authors: Cascella Barbara G. , Jez Joseph M.
Published: November 2023

The Biotech Explorers Pathway (BEP) is a new HHMI‐funded two‐year academic program at Washington University in St. Louis for underclassmen of varying academic interests. The primary goal of the BEP is to provide real‐world context for scientific concepts to help students assimilate the material of introductory STEM courses. A breadth of biotech topics are covered in the semester‐long introductory BEP course (Bio2010: Science of Biotech), with students synthesizing connections between science, technology, engineering, and business by working in small teams to research, write, and present case studies of St. Louis‐area biotech companies. In the second‐semester seminar course (Bio2020: Biotech Entrepreneurs Seminar), continuing students will learn directly from local biotech executives and entrepreneurs about the process and challenges of bringing an idea to fruition as a real product. Students will use what they learned from the first‐year BEP courses as they write proposals, pitch their ideas, and receive feedback from their peers and a small advisory board during the second‐year BEP course (Bio3010: Biotech Project). Active learning through team‐based inquiry and application of knowledge are the hallmarks of the BEP, with student learning monitored through pre‐ and post‐course assessments. Gains in student learning of basic and advanced scientific concepts, as well as changes in student career goals and general attitudes toward science, will be evaluated. We anticipate that the first cohort of 18 BEP students will demonstrate enhanced understanding of scientific concepts in the introductory Biology and Chemistry courses when compared with traditional STEM students, as shown by overall STEM grade point average. Additionally, we hypothesize that the STEM attrition rate will be lower for BEP students when compared to their peers.

Support or Funding Information

HHMI Professor grant awarded to Joseph M. Jez
Teaching Matters: Undergraduate Grant Writing Curriculum
Authors: Miller Keith Russell
Published: November 2023

Little literature on grant writing courses/assignments in undergraduate education exists. To gather data and best practices, a semester long undergraduate grant writing assignment was developed as an introduction to the grant writing process. This assignment was tested in both a seven‐week advanced biochemistry laboratory setting and semester long advanced biochemistry lecture course. The goal of the assignment was to progress student learning from passive to active engagement as the students developed their own solutions to self‐identified problems in biochemistry using primary literature. To achieve this goal, scaffolding of assignments, graded rubrics for all drafts, peer reviews and one‐on‐one meetings were utilized. Assessment of the assignment was completed using student evaluations, unsolicited emails, student writing samples, student peer reviews/reflections, and research faculty assessment of their students. Conclusions drawn from these various areas demonstrated that students were better prepared for research, had improved scientific communication skills, and had developed real world skills.

Support or Funding Information

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Mount Union
Increasing integration and retention of metabolic pathways by undergraduate biochemistry majors through creation of a concept map
Authors: Del Gaizo Moore Victoria
Published: November 2023

Recently, undergraduate STEM educators have moved away from rote memorization of facts. One reason for this change is a shift in emphasizing understanding and integration of concepts, as summarized in “Vision and Change”(AAAS, 2009). Metabolic pathways are fundamental part of advanced biochemistry curriculum, and historically students had to memorize enzymes and molecules involved. Furthermore, advanced biochemistry students typically treat each metabolic pathway and process as a discrete entity, when in fact most metabolic pathways are linked in one or many ways, and they all involve mitochondria. In order to move away from memorizing pathways and introduce more integrative learning, I have developed and implemented a semester‐long concept map project for biochemistry II students. A concept map is a visual representation of information that not only organizes information but also indicates links among different concepts. The project involves generating a concept map containing all of the metabolic pathways we cover over the course of the semester (glucose, amino acid, lipid and DNA metabolism). Named “the giant mitochondria”, students have to center their concept map on a sketch of a mitochondria and place the pathways and how they interact with mitochondria, as well as links between pathways and central molecules. Multiple iterations of the giant mitochondria are constructed by each student over the course of the semester, with successive addition of concepts as they are covered in lecture. The methodical addition and re‐drawing of metabolic pathways requires spatial organization of the material thereby leading to deeper learning. Therefore, this assignment is beneficial to students on multiple levels by promoting analysis, critical thinking, integration of concepts, and metacognition.
Research as a Tool for Undergraduate Education using Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Rogers Ryan Patricia
Published: November 2023

Drosophila melanogaster have a myriad of applications in biological research. However, it is the ease of maintenance and availability of their fully sequenced genomes that make them a practical and constructive tool for undergraduate experiential learning. Using these organisms allows students to apply routine laboratory techniques to develop independent protocols, rather than following a pre‐derived approach. Students receive preliminary training in Drosophila husbandry as well as molecular and genetic lab techniques early in the semester in the form of short inquiry based labs and then apply learned techniques to independently developed questions. This setting recapitulates the environment of a research‐intensive lab and provides valuable experience for scientific careers. The abstraction of such an assignment forces independent thinking and practice with multiple techniques; thus, it directly engages students in the learning process by allowing them to take ownership of the project and incorporate individuality into their approaches. Further, students are immersed in a situation where they must apply themselves, think critically, and extrapolate from limited information in order to devise an appropriate course of action. Since there is no correct answer for this type of exercise, students are more willing to vary their approaches, take risks with techniques, and leave the lab with a better understanding for problem solving methods. Such skills are not specific to science, as all careers require critical thinking and troubleshooting. Early exposure to such conditions provides a basis for approaching challenging situations. Students that have successfully completed the course have been able to secure positions in competitive internships, co‐ops, and go on to research‐based careers.

Support or Funding Information

This work was supported by funds from the Department of Sciences at Wentworth Institute of Technology
A Collaboration between the ASBMB and Course Source to Promote the Use of Active Learning Strategies in BMB Courses
Authors: Fox Kristin M , Grover Neena
Published: November 2023

Over the last few years workshops have been held around the country to develop a set of core concepts for undergraduates completing a major in biochemistry and molecular biology. These concepts and associated learning goals have been published at: www.asbmb.org/education/teachingstrategies/foundationalconcepts/. A second aim of the project was to develop a network of faculty interested in improving the education of undergraduates. This was accomplished by involving the community of BMB educators from a wide variety of institutions. To date, more than 700 participants from 475 institutions have been involved. This year the workshops were adapted to develop in‐class materials that encourage active learning approaches. These materials are designed to guide students toward mastering one or more of the earning goals related to the core concepts. We will provide several examples of activities developed at the workshops. In order to make these activities available to the BMB community at large, we have set up a collaboration with Course Source (coursesource.org), an online, open‐access journal. The activities will be peer‐reviewed by members of the BMB community, and linked with the learning goals that have already been developed. In order to make this a robust resource, we encourage members of the BMB community to submit activities they have developed. Most materials used in classes are eligible for publication on Course Source: from detailed case studies to short, 15‐min. in‐class activities that teach a single concept. These activities should have been tested in at least one class, but detailed data on outcomes is not required for publication on Course Source.

Support or Funding Information

Supported by NSF RCN‐UBE grant #0957205
Collaborative Undergraduate Research Laboratory (CURL): Engaging Students in Research Using Yeast Molecular Genetics
Authors: Munshi Azad Hossain , Johnson Tracy L.
Published: November 2023

A growing body of data suggests that undergraduate research enhances the learning experience of students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Moreover, these data also show that engaging undergraduate students in research enhances student learning outcomes and the likelihood of their retention in science. We have developed a course, the CURL, to engage freshman undergraduate students in research‐based scientific learning. The course was constructed to eliminate the need for prerequisite courses by blending classroom learning and hands‐on laboratory experiments so that students reinforce their understanding of the material by applying it to solve real‐world research problems. The students performed the experiments in pairs, built their own hypotheses, and presented their work both orally and in written form.

The research problem we addressed was to understand the role of DExH/D‐box ATPases in pre‐mRNA splicing. To this end, the CURL students carried out a screen to identify suppressors of the yeast temperature sensitive (ts) mutant prp2‐1 using a yeast transposon library. Prp2 is a DExH/D‐box ATPase and an essential component of the splicing machinery. Suppressor screening has not been previously carried out, so we anticipate that the results of the screen could lead to novel insights into the mechanism of Prp2 activity, which could be pursued beyond the course and would be of interest to the broader scientific community. The mutant prp2‐1 cells grow at the permissive temperature (25°C) but are unable to grow at the non‐permissive temperature (35°C). We have isolated a number of suppressors of prp2‐1, which grow at the non‐permissive temperature and suppress the splicing defects of prp2‐1 mutant when cells are grown at 35°C. Identification of the suppressors is being performed by next generation sequencing. This study provides first‐year undergraduate students with a rigorous, guided research experience with the goal of enhancing their self‐identification as researchers, while simultaneously addressing a fundamental scientific question.

Support or Funding Information

This works is supported by HHMI (HHMI program award to T.L.J)
Transformation and Assessment Mapping of a Course Undergraduate Research Experience
Authors: Clase Kari , Zissimopoulos Angelika
Published: November 2023

Course undergraduate research experiences (CURE) can help engage a large number of students in a research experience and address valuable learning outcomes. It is a challenge to develop learning outcomes and design assessments to measure both student learning gains and the impact of the research experience. Many different types of CURES exist and the research objectives, implementation, assessments and student experiences are diverse. Recent papers have highlighted the importance of assessing the impact of CURES and the alignment of specific outcomes with specific components of the CURE. The objective of our study was to transform an existing CURE for undergraduate students at a large land grant institution. Learning outcomes and objectives were developed and assessment mapping was performed for the CURE through a course redesign program on campus. The course transformation was guided by overall university core learning outcomes and the research framework and recommendations for course undergraduate research experiences.

Participants included approximately 80 students from primarily science and engineering majors within their second year of study. Within the two course CURE, students engaged in activities to help them think like scientists including weekly troubleshooting of experiments, documenting their laboratory progress in an electronic lab notebook, annotating genomes using authentic bioinformatics tools, and communicating their data and results using both traditional and virtual technologies. Students also learned how to collaborate and share data using virtual resources in addition to practical laboratory skills. A virtual group tool was used to help manage and assess student teams. Opportunities were also provided for both undergraduate and graduate students to build leadership and teaching experiences by serving as undergraduate peer leaders or graduate student teaching assistants in the CURE.

Both qualitative and quantitative assessment data supports that the CURE transforms students’ view of the process of research and science, increases student confidence to pursue and secure additional opportunities in industry, government and academia, and improves learning outcomes. Students’ perception of the classroom learning environment, and their degree of competence, relatedness, autonomy, and perceived knowledge transfer scale were positive. Due to the increased demand for the course, we are currently exploring the scale up of the CURE to multiple laboratory sections and also further refining the assessments to better address desired learning outcomes of systems thinking and quantitative literacy.

Support or Funding Information

Support for the project was provided by the Provost Office, Polytechnic Institute, College of Agriculture and College of Science at Purdue University and by Howard Hughes Medical Institute through the Science Education Alliance.
Creating Authentic Research Experiences For Student Engagement And Success
Authors: Makhluf Huda A.
Published: November 2023

Undergraduate research experiences are considered high impact educational practices. In a laboratory course for pre‐health sciences, students collected household toothbrushes and cultured bacterial isolates while learning microbial aseptic techniques on selective and differential media. Students were also asked to formulate their own scientific questions and hypotheses. Research methodology, data collection and analysis were emphasized throughout the course. We tested the hypothesis that adapting an authentic research approach to our curriculum could lead to increased student satisfaction and enhanced learning. To that end, we performed a preliminary assessment of the Classroom Undergraduate Research Experience using pre and post surveys and collected student artifacts for assessment.

Students found that up to half of toothbrushes stored in bathrooms were contaminated with fecal matter, but when sterilized in a home dishwasher or had leftover toothpaste on them prior to culturing yielded no colony growth. The results triggered lively discussions on oral flora, hygiene and proper storage of toothbrushes to avoid fecal contamination. Students were shocked that there would be fecal traces on their toothbrushes albeit while living in a microbial world. Student engagement ‐ by doing relevant and current research activities ‐ and subsequently student satisfaction were increased compared to a control class.

Support or Funding Information

Source: The intentional educational design of this activity was based on a presentation (primary source) at the 2015 General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology held May 31‐June 2, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Identfication of Microbial Symbionts Harbored by the Chesapeake Bay Sponge, Clathria prolifera
Authors: Kerins Helene , Rubenstein Kristen , Hill Malcolm , Dattelbaum Jonathan D
Published: November 2023

Marine sponges are a rich source of pharmaceutically‐interesting compounds. Many of these chemicals are produced by bacterial symbionts that live in tight association with the host sponge. Given the potential therapeutic importance of some of these compounds, there is interest in assessing factors that contribute to our ability to cultivate these bacteria so that compounds may be mass‐produced. We explored carotenoid production in marine sponges because bacterial symbionts likely produce these compounds given that animals are incapable of synthesizing the pigment. Thus, exploring the manner of pigment production in the sponge may shed light on metabolic and biochemical integration between the symbiont and host. We isolated more than unique 50 pigmented colonies cultured from the progeny of the Chesapeake Bay sponge, Clathria prolifera. Pigmented colonies were specifically selected to begin to answer questions about the incorporation of potential antioxidants into the sponge. Freezer stocks were prepared from single colonies and were then grown in marine broth overnight at room temperature. Genomic DNA was isolated from these colonies and nested PCR of the DNA was performed to amplify the 16S rDNA. Bands were cut out from these PCR samples, gel extracted, and sequenced. We created phylogenetic trees to look for relatedness among the microbial species identified. We believe that our study may begin to identify and answer questions about the symbiotic structure harbored by C. prolifera.
Construction of a Maltose Biosensor using the Thermotoga maritima Maltose Binding Protein
Authors: Masson Laura , Dattelbaum Jonathan D
Published: November 2023

Thermotoga martima is a thermophilic, gram‐negative bacterium found primarily in hotsprings and hydrothermal vents. Its thermophilic characteristics mean that proteins found in this microbe should be extremely stable, even at very high temperatures, making them ideal for manipulation and biosensor design. The protein of interest for our project is MBP, or maltose binding protein, which is found in the periplasm of the bacteria and is responsible for binding maltose. Ultimately, we hope to design a TmMBP biosensor that is stable, can bind molecules other than maltose, and will fluoresce when the target molecule is bound. MBP contains a region known as the binding pocket that allows the protein to recognize and bind the maltose molecule. Using site‐directed mutagenesis of residues in and around the binding pocket, we constructed six single cysteine mutants in TmMBP. Proper folding of the mutants was monitored by circular dichroism as compared to the wild type TmMBP. We covalently attached environmentally‐sensitive fluorophores (ABD, NBD, and acrylodan) such that when maltose is bound, the environment surrounding the fluorophore changes and causes a change in the fluorescence intensity, thus giving a quantitative indicator of whether or not maltose is bound to the protein. Using fluorescence intensity measurements, the dissociation constants for these mutants were determined to vary from 9–70 μM. A stable and efficient TmMBP biosensor would be a quick and inexpensive way of testing samples for the presence of specific molecules, including those that may currently be difficult to detect.
Identification of Genetic Sequences Recognized by Human SC35 Protein Using Artificial Neural Networks: A Deep Learning Approach
Authors: Luke Alex Joseph , Fergione Sarah
Published: November 2023

Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) are “biologically‐inspired” mathematical models and algorithms that have been designed to mimic the sophisticated information processing and knowledge acquisition methods of the human brain. The application of ANNs toward predicting complex biological processes – ranging from simple cellular responses to disease progression and outcomes – could expedite the discovery of novel cellular mechanisms underlying a range of diseases. Using Neural Network Toolbox™ in MATLAB®, an ANN prototype was constructed and trained for use to test a set of genetic sequences to determine if they promote splicing in nuclear extract complemented by human SC35. SC35 belongs to the evolutionarily conserved family of serine‐and‐arginine‐rich (SR) proteins, which play a critical role in controlling gene expression in all organisms and plants by regulating general splicing factors, alternative splicing, mRNA nuclear export, as well as multiple other factors.
Do the TWIST: Transcription and Regulation of Estrogen Receptor Operon
Authors: Krishnaswamy Aditya , Eshleman Campbell , Fortier Abigail , Kahn Maya , Kepner Alisa , Naderi Aurian , Om Seyun , Baxley Ann , Link Tina , Nowak Scott
Published: November 2023

Twist is a 202‐residue basic helix‐loop‐helix (HLH) transcription factor encoded by the TWIST1 gene. Known Twist functions in humans include the generation of stem cells and regulation of the tumor suppressor protein E‐cadherin. In Twist gene, nonsense or duplication, rather than missense, mutations comprise a majority of errors. The majority of mutations linked to cancer progression are missense mutations located in the first exon of the gene, which subsequently impacts the DNA binding (HLH) domain. Correspondingly, these mutations result in a loss of function, as observed in Saethre‐Chotzen Syndrome. Further, elevated Twist levels are predictive of poor overall survival in patients with breast cancer. Twist is thought to hyperactivate histone deacetylase in breast cancer tumors, which subsequently suppresses the activity of the Estrogen Receptor (ER) gene promoter, and leads to tumor formation. For this project, the research team designed a three‐dimensional model of the Twist protein to investigate how the structure of the protein affects the function of this critical regulator of a variety of cancers.

Support or Funding Information

Walton High School SMART (Students Modeling a Research Topic) Team is sponsored by Milwaukee School of Engineering.
Characterization of rare oncogenic mutations in the kinase domain of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR)
Authors: Ruan Zheng , Katiyar Samiksha , Kannan Natarajan
Published: November 2023

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is activated by a variety of oncogenic mutations, many of which map to the intracellular protein kinase domain. While several recurrent mutations in the kinase domain are well characterized, mining of the Protein Kinase Ontology (ProKinO), which relates mutations to key functional motifs, reveals recurrent, but poorly characterized mutations in key functional regions. R776H and M766T are two such mutations in the alphaC‐beta4 and regulator spine of EGFR. We recently showed that the R776H functions as a “superacceptor” when paired with WT EGFR and exerts lateral phosphorylation activity (2). Molecular dynamics simulations identified a critical auto‐inhibitory interaction mediated by R776 that is relieved in the R776H mutant (2). M766T, on the other hand, activates EGFR by disrupting the inactive hydrophobic packing between the C‐helix and DFG motif, and stabilizing a water mediated hydrogen bond with the K745‐E762 salt bridge, formation of which is critical for kinase activation. Our experimental and computational studies provide new insights into kinase mutational activation and framework for identifying and characterizing rare drivers in the cancer kinome.

Support or Funding Information

Funding for N.K. from the American Cancer Society (RSG‐10‐ 188‐01‐TBE), Georgia Cancer Coalition (GCC) and University of Georgia is acknowledged. This study was supported in part by resources and technical expertise from the Georgia Advanced Computing Resource Center, a partnership between the University of Georgia's Office of the Vice President for Research and Office of the Vice President for Information Technology.
Screening Unnatural Fluorescent Amino Acids for Incorporation into E. Coli Cellular Machinery
Authors: Mammoser Claire , Dhar Shilpa , Kelly Brett , Rowe Laura
Published: November 2023

Fluorescence can be used in optical imaging to view cell activity in vivo. Fluorescent proteins and organic dyes are the primary method of visually tracking biomolecules in vivo. However, several research groups have also incorporated unnatural fluorescent amino acids (UFAAs) into proteins for in vivo analysis of said proteins. However, only a handful of UFAAs have been successfully incorporated into proteins using this method (sometimes called the amber suppression method)1. To expand the library of UFAAs viable for cell imaging, several UFAAs were tested in a Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) screening system to determine if these UFAAs could be incorporated into GFP in response to an amber stop codon using previously developed ‘promiscuous’ tRNA‐aaRS (aminoacyl tRNA synthetase) pairs2. This incorporation was quantified by fluorescence readings of mutated green fluorescent protein (GFP). The GFP was mutated to have a TAG (stop) codon deactivating its fluorescence. This deactivation could be overcome by the incorporation of a UFAA in response to the TAG codon, achieved by insertion of the UFAA by the tRNA specific to this codon. Several different UFAAs and several different amber suppression based tRNA/aaRS pairs were analyzed with this screening system, and the viability of these UFAAs to be incorporated into proteins using available amber suppression systems assessed.
Teaching students to see biologically relevant interactions when you can't see them; Protein visualization instruction in the online classroom
Authors: Dean Diane M.
Published: November 2023

Biochemists use visualization of protein structures as a means to understand stability, ligand interactions and protein‐protein interactions. Papers that involve protein structure analysis are common in the biochemical literature. Students are shown the pictures and exposed to the conclusions of these analyses but are rarely explicitly taught to examine the images. Teaching master's level students in the online environment presented an additional barrier to teaching molecular visualization, because the students are remote from both the instructor and the institution, hands‐on instruction was impossible. However, biochemistry students must be taught this incredibly valuable tool. Lessons that first help the student navigate the Cn3D software were developed. These were expanded upon with a lesson that uses a literature reference and examines a protein‐protein interaction utilized in vaccine development. Students can use the paper and the protein database files to examine the interactions of different amino acids in the Cn3D generated images of the structures. The assignment also requires students to reflect upon the learning and expand it to another biological topic of interest. The reflection should encourage students to appreciate the value of the tool because it helps him/her to consider the use of this type of analysis to explore biological questions. The learning is then tested in both the midterm and the final exam as students are required to examine protein structures and explain the importance of different interactions viewed through images the students produce using the Cn3D software. Finally, students must demonstrate mastery of developing a hypothesis for potential protein structural changes caused by mutations as part of the culminating comprehensive examination for the MS degree. Hence I will present a series of assignments that explicitly develop student's appreciation of the power of protein visualization and its use to solve important biological questions.
Taxonomy of Biochemistry External Representations Applied to Biochemistry Textbooks
Authors: Linenberger Kim
Published: November 2023

Several studies have looked at the impact of representations on students understand of biochemistry and the types of representations used to teach and assess biochemistry concepts. No study to date has looked at the representations available to both instructors and students in the textbook. This study analyzed the representations in the top three purchased one‐semester biochemistry textbooks on Amazon in spring 2015. After establishing inter‐rater reliability, all representations were coded according to the Taxonomy of Biochemistry External Representations (TOBER) as symbolic, macroscopic, particulate, microscopic, or schematic. Analysis of the representations show specific patterns regardless of textbook in the representations used to teach specific content with little use of representations of application such as those of at the macroscopic level.
Reviving “Byron's Bender”: Hands‐on Molecular Visual and Tactile Learning at the Most Basic Level
Authors: Hazzard James T. , Issaian Aaron
Published: November 2023

“Byron's Bender” is a unique device (still commercially available) that converts a rolled steel wire into dynamic protein structures that can be used in both educational and research settings. Originally designed by Byron Rubin, this unique device has been used in undergraduate and high school classes illustrating fundamental protein folding principles. It can be used to represent protein synthesis processes occurring at the ribosome, as well as the forces leading to formation of secondary structure as a result of the nature of amino acid sidechains which are the underpinning of Christian Anfinsen's Nobel Prize in 1972. In addition, the wire models have been successfully used by visually impaired students who have difficulty viewing computer generated protein structures. Finally, limitations of using the device due to the original Fortran bend angle program have been overcome by developing a MatLab based program that gives great flexibility in dealing with modern PDB files. A hands‐on demonstration of “The Bender” is planned.
Iron Nutritional Status of Overweight and Obese Subjects. Relation with BMI and Inflammation
Authors: Zago Liliana , Pandolfo Marcela , Carbia Claudio , Lardo Mabel , Weisstaub Adriana , Felipoff Ana Lia , Dupraz Hernán , Presner Natalia , Perdomo Clara , Río María Esther , Infantino Carlos González
Published: November 2023

Iron deficiency is one of the most prevalent nutritional problems in the world. There is evidence that the prevalence is even higher in overweight and obese individuals. As part of a project in which the relationship between nutritional deficiencies and obesity are studied, we evaluate nutritional status of iron, its relationship to diet and presence of inflammation in 175 overweight and obese subjects, from which, 14 consumers of vitamin and mineral supplements were discarded. The final group were 130 female (F) and 31 males (M). There were 46 overweight (OW), 58 Obese (Ob) degree I, 27 Ob II and 30 Ob III. Iron was assessed through measurements of hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), serum iron (SI), total iron binding capacity (TIBC) and transferrin saturation (TS %). The following levels were considered compatible with iron deficiency: Hb <12 g/dl in F and <13 g/dl in M; Hematocrit <36% in F and <40% in M; SI <60 mg/dl in both sexes; TIBC >400 mg/dl and TS% <20%. Inflammation was assessed by ultrasensitive C‐Reactive Protein (CRPu), which can detect low levels of inflammation, considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Iron intake was estimated by using food frequency data analyzed by SARA program (Health Ministry of Argentina). Deficit values occurred in 5.0% of cases by Hct, 6.2% by Hb, 9.3% by SI, 10.6% by TIBC and 16.8% by TS%, being those last values taken for further analysis. As expected, deficit values from fertile age women (22%) were higher than that from postmenopausal (15%), which were similar to men (13%). When data were divided into OW, Ob I, Ob II and Ob III groups, a gradient of percentage of subjects with low TS% values were obtained: 8.7%, 15.5%, 22.2% and 26.7% (P=0.0275). No differences among mean iron intake of 4 groups were obtained, but a higher level of inflammation with a greater degree of obesity was founded: mean±SD CRPu was 2.6±1.9 in OW, 3.9±3.4 in Ob I, 6.6±5.6 in Ob II and 6.8±4.3 in Ob III (P<0.0001; ANOVA). When data were divided into CRPu quartiles, subjects with iron deficiency were 7.1%, 20.0%, 21.1% and 19.5% for quartiles 1 to 4, being only the first quartile different from the others. The obtained results indicate that incidence of iron deficiency was associated with the degree of obesity. The higher degree of inflammation of obese subjects justify in part iron deficiency, but the association between iron deficiency and obesity was stronger than that between iron deficiency and inflammation.

Support or Funding Information

Supported by UBACyT 20720130100006BA
The Trend of Korean Staple Food Intake and Prevalence of Obesity in Korean Adults: the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 1998–2012
Authors: Kim Seong‐Ah , Ha Kyungho , Kim Jiyoon , Paik Hee Young , Joung Hyojee
Published: November 2023

Over the past several decades, South Korea's rapid socioeconomic growth resulted in lifestyle changes, such as diet that has led to an increase in obesity rates. This study was performed to identify the longitudinal trend of staple food intake and prevalence of obesity in Korean adults using the dietary survey data from Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (KNHANES) 1998–2012.

We used a 24‐hr dietary recall and anthropometric data from 54,042 people aged over 20 who participated in KNHANES 1998, 2001, 2005, 2007–2009, and 2010–2012. The 16 kinds of cooked rice were selected from the previous research as main Korean traditional staple dishes and foods.

During the period 1998–2012, the average intake from grains and cooked rice decreased in both gender: for grains and cooked rice, from 1343.7, 1056.4 kcal to 1265.9, 936.6 kcal in men (p < 0.0001); and, 1122.8, 843.8 kcal to 1004.1, 699.6 kcal in women (p < 0.0001), respectively. Also the proportion of the total energy intake from grain and cooked rice decreased in both gender: for grains and cooked rice, from 63.5, 51.1% to 57.5, 44.0% in men (p < 0.0001); and, 66.2, 51.8% to 61.3, 43.9% in women (p < 0.0001). Among the cooked rices, cooked white rice (ssalbap) was the most contributing dish to the total energy intake, followed by rice with assorted grains (japgokbap). The caloric intake from cooked white rice was decreased from 587.9 kcal/day in 1998 to 244.2 kcal/day in 2012, but the caloric intake from rice with assorted grains intake increased gradually from 145.2 kcal/day in 1998 to 309.5 kcal/day in 2012.

The average body mass index (BMI) and the prevalence of obesity (BMI≥25kg/m2) increased markedly in men and slightly in women during this period. Obese men and women showed a different pattern in energy intake from grains and rice; a higher proportion of total energy consumption from grains and rice was shown in obese men (p < 0.0001) while a lower proportion was found in obese women (p < 0.0001).

These results showed distinct consumption trends of Korean traditional staple dishes, depending on the obesity status and gender. Our findings are waiting for further research to examine the association between intake of staple food and the prevalence of obesity or other chronic diseases.

Support or Funding Information

This work is carried out with the support of ‘Research Program for Agricultural Science and Technology Development’, National Academy of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea (Project No. PJ011637022015).
Oregano Essential Oil and Carvacrol reduce Cryptosporidium parvum infectivity of HCT‐8 Cells
Authors: GAUR SHASHANK , Kuhlenschmidt Theresa B , Kuhlenschmidt Mark S , Andrade Juan E
Published: November 2023

Lipid‐based nutrition supplements (LNS) are commonly used to treat moderate acute undernutrition in children. However, existing LNS products mainly focus on providing nutrients and do not address other immediate causes of undernutrition, such as parasitic infection and gut inflammation. Enteric parasites are known to reduce nutrient digestion and absorption, cause chronic gut inflammation, iron deficiency anemia, protein‐energy malnutrition, and reduce growth and cognitive development in children. Oregano essential oil (OEO) is known to have anti‐bacterial and anti‐fungal activity, however its anti‐parasitic properties are poorly understood. This study systemically investigated the effect of OEO and its main bioactive, carvacrol (CV), on prevention of Cryptosporidium parvum infectivity of HCT‐8 (human colon carcinoma) cells in vitro, for potential incorporation of these bioactives into LNS products. HCT‐8 cells were seeded (1 × 106) in 96‐well microtiter plates until confluency (2 days). HCT‐8 cell viability at various concentrations of either OEO or CV was measured using a Live/Dead cell imaging kit. Confluent HCT‐8 cell monolayers were seeded with C. parvum oocytes (1 × 104) in two modalities: 1) 4 h co‐culture of C. parvum oocysts, cells and several dosages (0 μg/mL to 250 μg/mL) of CV or OEO in complete medium, followed by PBS washing and replacement with bioactive‐free media; and 2) 4 h co‐culture of C. parvum oocysts and cells alone, followed by PBS washing and treatment with several dosages (0 μg/mL to 250 μg/mL) of CV or OEO. In either modality, plates were incubated at 37°C and 5% CO2, and after 2‐day incubation, cells and C. parvum were fixed with methanol: acetic acid solution (9:1 v/v). Infectivity was assessed via immunofluorescence detection using C. parvum‐specific antibody staining (Sporo‐Glo™) and phase contrast/fluorescent microscopy. Deformation of cell monolayers and loss of cell viability was found at 50 μg/mL CV, whereas no loss in cell viability was observed in cells treated with OEO at dosages as high as 125 μg/mL (containing similar concentrations of CV). In modality 1 experiments, cells simultaneously treated with C. parvum and various dosages of OEO or CV presented similar amounts of infection after 4 h incubation as those cells treated with C. parvum alone. In modality 2 experiments, after 2‐day treatment with bioactives, a 50% reduction in C. parvum infectivity was observed at 25 μg/mL of CV and at 125 μg/mL of OEO. C. parvum is one of the most resilient enteric parasites and prevalent in most of the developing world. Incorporation of OEO or CV into LNS formulas may provide double benefit to at risk populations afflicted by undernutrition and gut infection living in low‐income settings.

Support or Funding Information

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), India
Caffeine Consumption and its Association with Mitochondrial Specific Oxidative Stress in People Living with HIV in the Miami Adult Studies on HIV Cohort
Authors: Ramamoorthy Venkataraghavan , Campa Adriana , Sales Sabrina , Rubens Muni , Fleetwood Christina , Stewart Tiffanie , Alvarado Glenda , Khan Hafiz , Liuzzi Juan P. , George Florence , Baum Marianna
Published: November 2023

Objective

High caffeine consumption has been associated with compromised serum antioxidant nutrients in people living with HIV (PLWH). This could adversely affect mitochondrial oxidative status. This study examines the relationship between caffeine consumption and a marker of mitochondrial oxidative stress.

Methods

After consenting 130 PLWH on stable antiretroviral therapy recruited from the Miami Adults Studies on HIV (MASH) cohort, caffeine intake was measured using standardized questionnaires. Blood was drawn for mitochondrial‐specific 8‐oxo‐2′‐deoxyguanosine (mt‐specific 8‐oxo‐dG), a marker of mitochondrial oxidative stress. CD4 cell counts and HIV viral load were obtained from medical records with written permission from participants. SPSS version 21 was used for statistical analyses. More than 250 mg of caffeine intake or the equivalent of 3–4 cups of coffee daily was considered the cut‐off point for high consumption. This study was approved by the Florida International University Institutional Review Board.

Results

Mean age of this group was 47.9 ± 6.4 years, 60.8% were men, and 75.4% were Black. Mean caffeine intake was 337.63 ± 304.97 mg/day. Levels of mt‐specific 8‐oxo‐dG were higher in participants reporting >250 mg/day of caffeine consumption (0.40±0.34 vs 0.54±0.40 ΔCt [=Ct2 – Ct1], P=0.049). High caffeine consumption was significantly correlated with high mt‐specific 8‐oxo‐dG levels (r=0.212, P=0.028), and significantly predicted higher mt‐specific 8‐oxo‐dG levels (β=0.693, P=0.049), adjusting for CD4 counts and viral load.

Conclusion

High caffeine intake adversely affected mitochondrial‐specific oxidative status in PLWH in the MASH cohort. Further studies are needed to elucidate the bio‐chemical mechanisms for these adverse effect.

Support or Funding Information

Funded by NIDA and FIU Graduate School Dissertation Year Fellowship.
Acute vs. Delayed Iron: Effect on Red Blood Cell Iron Incorporation in Uncomplicated Malaria
Authors: Cusick Sarah E , Georgieff Michael K , Opoka Robert O , John Chandy , Abrams Steven , Mupere Ezekiel
Published: November 2023

Background

Giving iron with anti‐malarial treatment is the standard of care for concurrent iron deficiency and malaria. However, iron given during a malaria episode may not be well absorbed or utilized due to malaria‐induced inflammation and consequent impaired iron absorption and utilization.

Methods

We enrolled 100 children 6–59 months with malaria and hemoglobin 5–9.9 g/dL who presented to Mulago Hospital into a randomized trial of iron supplementation started at the time of vs. four weeks after anti‐malarial treatment. All children received iron stable isotope 57Fe on Day 0 and 58Fe on Day 28, permitting measurement of percentage iron incorporation into red blood cells on those days. Children were randomized to start a 27‐day course of daily oral ferrous sulfate (2 mg/kg) that began the day after antimalarial treatment, on Day 1 (immediate iron group, n=50) or four weeks after antimalarial treatment, on Day 29 (n=50). We compared iron incorporation at the time of the start of supplementation (Day 0 immediate group vs. Day 28 delayed group, Aim 1) and hematological recovery at Day 56 between groups (Aim 2).

Results

Iron incorporation was significantly greater at the time of initial supplementation in children whose iron was delayed four weeks (16.3% delayed vs. 8.1% immediate, p=<0.001). However, at Day 56, arithmetic mean (sd) hemoglobin [immediate vs. delayed: 11.6 (1.0) vs. 11.5 (1.2) g/dL, p=0.69], and geometric mean (95% CI) ferritin [40.4 (13.6, 60.0) vs. 39.6 (28.8, 54.6) μg/L, p=0.94], zinc protoporphyrin [115 (101, 130) vs. 132 (114, 152), p=0.14], soluble transferrin receptor [4.7 (4.3, 5.3) vs. 5.7 (4.9, 6.6) mg/L, p=0.05], and hepcidin [32.6 (21.5, 49.4) vs. 31.7 (24.8, 43.1) nmol/L, p=0.91] were not significantly different between the groups.

Conclusions

In children with malaria and anemia, delaying the start of iron supplementation by four weeks is associated with better iron incorporation into red blood cells, but not better hematological recovery after 56 days. Whether longer‐term outcomes of neurobehavioral development are improved with delayed iron remains to be established.

Support or Funding Information

R03 5R03HD74262‐2 (NIH/NICHD)

KL2 Scholar Award, ULIT000114 (NIH/NCATS)
Filling a dietary data gap? Estimating individual nutrient intakes from household‐level data in Ethiopia and Bangladesh
Authors: Coates Jennifer , Rogers Beatrice , Blau Alexander , Lauer Jacqueline
Published: November 2023

Dietary intake data are needed for a wide variety of food policy purposes but are not consistently collected in many low‐income countries. Many countries collect household level data in Household Consumption and Expenditure Surveys (HCES), and efforts have been made to use these data to estimate individual food and nutrient intake, often based on the assumption that food is allocated to individual members according to their proportional energy requirements relative to an adult male (called an adult male equivalent, or AME). This study sought to validate the AME‐based method of estimating individual information from household‐level data using data sets from Bangladesh and Ethiopia that measured both household consumption and individual intakes. The study compared the allocation of nutrients (energy, protein, animal protein (ASP), and iron) predicted using the AME assumption with individual intakes across ten age‐sex groups. The study compared the accuracy of using AMEs based on energy with AME based on the relevant nutrient (protein, iron) and assessed the effect of further adjusting the data for meal partakers. Judged against the intakes reported by the food preparer, the energy‐weighted AME predictions resulted in more accurate intake estimates than the nutrient‐specific AME predictions. AME‐based predictions were accurate within ten percentage points of individually reported intakes in most cases, but were inaccurate among certain groups, notably infants 6–23 mo and (for some nutrients) children in Bangladesh. The AME was less accurate in predicting ASP than other nutrients. AME predictions were more accurate in Ethiopia than in Bangladesh. Adjusting for meal partakers did not consistently improve the AME‐based predictions. The authors conclude use of the energy AME can produce useful results for food and nutrition policy analysis but should be complemented with a subsample of individual intake data for further validation.

Support or Funding Information

This research work is made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under Agreement No. AID‐663‐A‐11‐00017. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of the researcher & do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
Lipid profile, glucose and insulin are affected differently by physical activity, nutrition education or their combination in Mexican adolescents
Authors: Valdes‐Ramos Roxana , Velasco Rosa Martha , Tlatempa‐Sotelo Patricia , Guadarrama‐López Ana Laura , Benítez‐Arciniega Alejandra Donají , Martínez‐Carrillo Beatriz Elina
Published: November 2023

Intervention programs for overweight/obese adolescents have shown limited results. We analyzed changes in the metabolic profile of 12–14 year old overweight/obese adolescents, with a nutritional education (NE), physical activity (PA) or combined program (CP). Six groups of adolescents from public schools in Tuxtla Gutierrez or Toluca in Mexico, participated during 26 weeks. Total, HDL‐and LDL‐cholesterol, triacylglycerols, glucose and insulin were measured at baseline and weeks 14 and 26. We did multivariate analysis. Highly significant (p<0.001) effects in total cholesterol by time and with study site, intervention or both were observed. HDL‐cholesterol showed a highly significant (p<.001) change by time and time by study site, intervention and study site with gender. LDL‐cholesterol, had a highly significant variation (p<0.001) in time and time by study site and a slightly significant effect (p<0.05) by time and intervention. Triacylglycerols did not show specific change patterns, with significant effects of time (p<0.01) and time by study site and intervention (p<0.001). Glucose decreased at week 14; at week 28 increases were found in females with PA and in both genders with NE from Toluca. The same was found for females with PA or NE from Tuxtla Gutiérrez. Significant effects were observed by time (p<0.001), time by study site (p<0.05) and time by intervention (p<0.01). We observed highly significant (p<0.001) effects on insulin of time by study site and a slightly significant (p<0.05) effect of time by intervention and gender. We found no consistent pattern within the programs. Apparently, any intervention can be beneficial in adolescents.

Support or Funding Information

This project was financed by Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México