bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Reducing Added Sugar Intake Increases the Relative Reinforcing Value of High‐Sugar Foods
Authors: Flack Kyle David , Roemmich James , Johnson LuAnn 
Published: June 2021

ObjectiveTo determine whether reducing added sugar intake to <10% of calories for 1 week changes the relative reinforcing value (RRV) of foods high in sugar in non‐overweight and obese adults.BackgroundThe 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines of Americans (DGA) focuses on 5 overarching guidelines for healthy eating patterns, including limiting calories from added sugars to less than 10% of calories/day. Foods high in added sugars (e.g., soda, desserts, candy) are reinforcing and reducing their consumption in order to adhere to the DGA may paradoxically increase their RRV.MethodsTwenty seven adults aged 18–39 y with a BMI below 25 kg/m2 (n=18) or above 30 kg/m2 (n=9) who reported consuming >10% of daily calories from added sugar completed a 1‐week controlled feeding intervention. Participants consumed ~3% of their daily calories from added sugar while maintaining energy balance and the average macronutrient distribution for adults over the age of 20 (~16% En pro, 51% En CHO, 33% En fat). Prior to and on the seventh day of the dietary intervention participants completed an operant responding task that used independent progressive ratio schedules of reinforcement to earn a high‐added (e.g. skittles, tootsie roll) and a low‐added (e.g. potato chips, pretzels) sugar food. The RRV of added sugar foods was calculated as the number of sessions completed for access to a high‐added sugar food/(sessions completed for high‐added sugar food + sessions for low‐added sugar food). Hunger and satiety were measured prior, and calories consumed of the earned food measured after, RRV tests.ResultsRRV of high‐added sugar foods increased (47%, p<0.001) from 0.51 at baseline to 0.77 post with no significant effects of weight status, hunger or satiety on RRV change. All but 2 participants earned high added sugar food Pre, but all earned high‐added sugar foods Post (p = 0.15). For low‐added sugar foods, all but 2 participants earned some Pre, but only 14 of 27 earned any Post (p < 0.001).ConclusionsIn adults, the RRV of foods high in added sugar increases when access to these foods is reduced for 7 days below their base rate to meet the DGA. This presents a potential mechanistic barrier to meeting the DGA recommendations for reducing added sugar and why many Americans have difficulty making food choices that promote adherence to a reduced added sugar intake diet.Support or Funding InformationThis study was supported by USDA‐ARS Project USDA‐ARS 3062‐51000‐051‐00D
Diversity of the primate musculoskeletal system: modularity, integration, and anatomical variation in humans and their relatives
Authors: Molnar Julia L 
Published: June 2021

The concepts of modularity and integration help to explain how morphological transformations during primate evolution enabled modern humans to carry out complex functions such as speaking, chewing, and using tools while also being able to respond to selective pressures. We used anatomical network analysis (AnNA) to assess modularity and integration in the head and upper limb of extant primates. AnNA is the study of complex morphological structures using tools and statistics from network theory. In this context, a module is a group of anatomical elements (e.g., bones and muscles) with more connections (i.e., more integrated) among them than to any other elements outside the group. These modules are identified using community detection algorithms. We analyzed the networks of the head and upper limbs of 20 taxa representing all the major extant primate groups based on dissection of hundreds of specimens, observation of skeletons, and an extensive literature review to ensure that the total sample sizes per taxon would be sufficient to determine the normal muscle phenotype for each taxon. Our results reveal patterns of evolutionary change that are highly relevant for biological and physical anthropology and primatology. For example, the division into left and right orofacial muscle modules seen in humans is not found in bonobos or common chimps, meaning that this division may be related to the more complex, asymmetrical facial expressions displayed by humans.Support or Funding InformationNSF grant 1516557 (2015–16) to Rui Diogo and American Association of Anatomists Innovations Program
Sexual Dimorphism in Bones of the Thenar and Hypothenar Aspects of the Hand
Authors: Williams Avery A. , Patel Biren A. , Tocheri Matthew W. , Orr Caley M. 
Published: June 2021

Osteoarthritis of the pollical carpometacarpal joint is significantly more prevalent in females than in males. Although a number of hypotheses to explain sex differences in the prevalence of thumb osteoarthritis have been proposed, one possibility is that it is a product of sexual dimorphism where female hands have smaller joint surfaces relative to muscle strength, which results in higher stresses on the joints. Although dimorphism of the skull and long bones has been extensively researched, there are few basic data on female‐versus‐male differences in the short and irregular bones. Therefore, it is unclear whether sexual dimorphism is a relevant avenue of investigation for determining the cause of such sex‐based differences in hand pathology. Because powerful precision gripping is dependent on the thenar and hypothenar muscles, the hand bones with muscle attachments or that are directly subjected to transarticular loading by these muscles are of particular interest. Therefore, we investigated four hand bones contributing to the first and fifth carpometacarpal articulations in a sample of humans of African and European descent, and it was predicted that females would have smaller overall bone volumes and areas, smaller individual joint surface areas, as well as different joint and muscle attachment shapes. The hamate, trapezium, first metacarpal (Mc1), and fifth metacarpal (Mc5) of each individual were laser scanned to generate 3D surface polygon models. Volume and surface area were calculated for each bone as a whole in addition to the areas of specific joint surfaces. The shape of the pollical carpometacarpal joint (proximal Mc1 and distal trapezium) was assessed with quadric fitting functions to determine their dorsovolar and radioulnar curvatures. For the hamate, the orientation of the triquetrohamate joint surface relative to the proximodistal axis was quantified, and for the hamulus (which provides attachments for the flexor digiti minimi brevis, opponens digiti minimi, and flexor carpi ulnaris) its length, width, breadth, and angle were measured. The results indicate that females tend to have bones that are significantly smaller in overall size with correspondingly smaller joint surfaces, and a hamulus that differs in both size and shape. Future work will diversify the sample and incorporate measurements of relative thenar and hypothenar muscle force potential to further evaluate the biomechanical consequences of skeletal dimorphism. Such an approach may allow us to better investigate more specific factors contributing to the increased osteoarthritis risk in the hands of females.Support or Funding InformationNational Science Foundation (BCS‐1539741, BCS‐1317047), Wenner‐Gren Foundation, Leakey Foundation
A novel, high precision multiple‐meal stable isotope method to compare iron absorption from extruded FePP‐fortified rice containing different zinc compounds, citric acid/trisodium citrate and EDTA in Ghanaian children
Authors: Hackl Laura , Abizari Abdul‐Razak , Zungbey‐Garti Helene , Zeder Christophe , Speich Cornelia , Cercamondi Colin I. , Zimmermann Michael B. , Moretti Diego 
Published: June 2021

Rice fortification can be a viable approach to combat iron deficiency in rice‐consuming populations, but it is crucial to identify micronutrient formulations with high iron bioavailability and acceptable sensory properties. To date, ferric phosphates are the only iron compounds resulting in sensory acceptable iron fortified rice grains.We measured fractional iron absorption (FAFe) from isotopically labeled ferric‐pyrophosphate (54FePP, 57FePP, 58FePP) in a cross‐over multiple meal absorption study. Fortified extruded rice meals either contained: zinc oxide (ZnO; 54FePP+ZnO), zinc sulphate (ZnSO4; 57FePP+ZnSO4), alone or in combination with a citrate buffer CA/TSC (54FePP+ZnO+CA/TSC or 57FePP+ZnSO4+CA/TSC) or ZnO, CA and edetate (EDTA; 58FePP+ZnO+CA+EDTA).Iron depleted school‐age children with and without anemia (N=26) in Northern Ghana were fed six different rice meals (all meals containing 2mg iron) over the course of six weeks. Each type of meal was administered twice daily for five consecutive days. FAFe was compared from meals 54FePP+ZnO, 57FePP+ZnSO4, 54FePP+ZnO+CA/TSC, 57FePP+ZnSO4+CA/TSC, 58FePP+ZnO+CA+EDTA versus non‐fortified extruded rice with 58FeSO4 (reference) added after cooking. FAFe was measured as erythrocyte‐incorporation of stable iron isotopes at least 11 days after meal‐administration.Geometric mean FAFe (95% CI) from meals 54FePP+ZnSO4+CA/TSC (6.3%; 5.3,7.4) and 58FePP+ZnO+CA+EDTA (6.5%; 5.3,8.1) did not differ from the reference (6.6%; 5.4,8.1). FAFe between 57FePP+ZnSO4 (3.5%; 2.7,4.5) and 54FePP+ZnO+CA/TSC (4.4%; 3.6,5.5) was not different, but both differed from 54FePP+ZnSO4+CA/TSC, 58FePP+ZnO+CA+EDTA and the reference (P<0.038), however, 54FePP+ZnO (2.3%; 1.9,2.8) showed the lowest FAFe and significantly differed from all other meals (P<.035).ConclusionsIron absorption from FePP‐fortified rice is affected by both the zinc source (ZnO or ZnSO4) and absorption enhancers (CA/TSC and CA+EDTA). For maximal iron absorption, rice fortification should be implemented using ZnSO4 as the zinc fortificant and CA/TSC or CA+EDTA as iron absorption enhancers.Support or Funding InformationThis study was funded by the Laboratory of Human Nutrition, DSM Nutritional Products, USAID and Abbott Nutrition.
Ablation of systemic SIRT1 activity promotes nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by affecting liver‐mesenteric adipose tissue fatty acid mobilization
Authors: Cheng Junrui , Liu Chun , Hu Kangquan , Greenberg Andrew , Wu Dayong , Ausman Lynne M. , McBurney Michael W. , Wang Xiang‐dong 
Published: June 2021

The incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is escalating paralleled with obesity rates in both adults and children. Mammalian sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a highly conserved NAD+‐dependent protein deacetylase, has been identified as a metabolic regulator of lipid homeostasis and a potential target for NAFLD prevention and treatment. However, the mechanism of how SIRT1, in particularly its deacetylase activity, affects NAFLD has not been well investigated. The current investigation addressed the causal effect of systemic SIRT1 activity on NAFLD development and the potential mechanism involved in both liver and mesenteric adipose tissue. At 6 weeks of age, both SIRT1 homozygous mice carrying a point mutation (H355Y, SIRT1Y/Y, n=10) that ablates the catalytic activity and their corresponding wild type littermates (WT, n=10) were fed with high fat diet (HFD, 60% calories from fat) for 34 weeks. Results showed no changes of body weight, liver weight and body composition (anlyzed by EchoMRI‐700) between WT and SIRT1Y/Y mice, but SIRT1Y/Y mice showed significantly higher level of hepatic triglyceride, and a trend of more severe hepatic steatosis by pathological analysis, which was accompanied with higher protein levels of LXRα, SREBP‐1, SCD1, involved in lipogenesis, and decreased phosphorylation of LKB1 and AMPK in the liver. In the mesenteric adipose tissue, mRNA expression of lipogenic genes (lxrα, srebp‐1c, scd1 and fas) increased significantly in SIRT1Y/Y mice, as compared with those of wild‐type mice. Fatty acid oxidation biomarkers (acox1, acox3, cpt, ucp1, sirt3) in both liver and mesenteric adipose tissue were comparable between groups. Interestingly, we observed that in SIRT1Y/Y mice, the mRNA level of hormone sensitive lipase (hsl), adipose triglyceride lipase (atgl) and perilipin‐2, involved in lipolysis, significantly increased in mesenteric adipose tissue (not in epididymal adipose tissue), as compared with those of WT. These changes were correlated with higher circulating free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations and higher hepatic mRNA expression of cd36 for FFA uptake. Taken together, the present study provided novel experimental evidence that under HFD‐induced metabolic surplus, the lack of SIRT1 catalytic activity promoted release of FFA from mesenteric fat into systemic circulation and escalated NAFLD by interfering with lipid homeostasis in both liver and mesenteric adipose tissue.Support or Funding InformationSupported by USDA/NIFA (2015‐67017) and USDA/ARS (58‐1950‐0014)
Introduction of Enzymatic Polymer Degradation to enhance the Undergraduate Polymer Chemistry Curriculum
Authors: Neely Amy E , Davis Nicole Y , Weiland Mitch H 
Published: June 2021

Changes to the 2015 ACS Guidelines and Evaluation Procedures for Bachelor's Degree Programs included mandatory instruction in polymers and macromolecules for the ACS‐certified degrees. To satisfy this mandate, we have begun developing a series of undergraduate laboratory exercises involving the synthesis, degradation, and characterization of poly(aspartic acid) (PAA). PAA, a biodegradable, water‐soluble synthetic polymer, could potentially replace commonly used poly(acrylic acid), which is a non‐biodegradable polymer that possess environmental risks. In this module of experiments, PAA is prepared in the organic chemistry laboratory course by polymerizing aspartic acid to form poly(succinimide) as an intermediate, which is converted to PAA by base induced ring‐opening. The synthetic PAA, composed of both β‐amide (70%) and α‐amide units (30%), is then transferred to the biochemistry laboratory course for enzymatic biodegradation using two enzymes, PAA hydrolase‐1 (PAAH‐1) and PAA hydrolase‐2 (PAAH‐2). A proposed mechanism suggests that PAAH‐1 hydrolyzes β‐β amide linkages, resulting in oligo (aspartic acid), wherein PAAH‐2 completes the degradation process by cleaving the oligo (aspartic acid) units into monomeric aspartic acid. Current progress on the development of this biochemistry laboratory exercise including overexpression of recombinant PAAH‐1 and PAAH‐2, purification, and characterization will be presented.Support or Funding InformationDUE 1611988
Profiling of DNA methylation patterns in response to inorganic arsenic exposure and reversal of exposure
Authors: Eckstein Meredith Lee , Rea Matthew , Eleazer Rebekah , Fondufe‐Mittendorf Yvonne 
Published: June 2021

Epigenetic modifications are heritable changes in gene expression not encoded in the DNA sequence. One such epigenetic mark that has been extensively studied is DNA methylation as it is most stable and also reversible. Recent studies suggest that epigenetic regulation through DNA methylation could be responsible for cellular transformation instigated by environmental toxins, such as inorganic arsenic. Research has been done to investigate DNA methylation and gene expression patterns at specific genes during this process; but so far, a comprehensive understanding of the impact of DNA methylation changes on gene expression patterns is missing. This study presents a comprehensive genome‐wide DNA methylation analysis in response to chronic, low‐dose inorganic arsenic exposure and the removal of this toxin. We aim to determine how inorganic arsenic exposure leads to the epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition in cellular transformation and to understand mechanistically the importance of DNA methylation in driving this process. We show that several key genes are differentially expressed during this process and that some of these expression states revert when inorganic arsenic is removed. To understand the functional role of DNA methylation in this process, we profiled DNA methylation changes at individual CpG loci using the Infinium Methylation EPIC Bead Chip Methylation array. We found that chronically inorganic arsenic‐exposed cells showed changes in DNA methylation corresponding with changes in their expression profiles. Many of the methylation changes were concentrated at upstream promoter regions and gene regulatory regions, suggesting a functional relevance in inorganic arsenic‐mediated cellular transformation. Our studies indicate that inorganic arsenic‐mediated transformation is instigated, in part, by DNA methylation pattern changes that cause alterations in gene expression and reversal of inorganic arsenic treatment moderately reverses the methylation and gene expression changes.Support or Funding InformationNSF (MCB 1517986‐YFM), NIEHS (R01‐ES024478‐YFM)
Acetaminophen Hepatotoxicity testing using 3D rat hepatocyte cultures
Authors: Paliwal Vipin , Clapham Margaret 
Published: June 2021

Animal models are currently used for drug development and testing but are expensive and often inaccurate. Monolayer (2D) cell culture models have been utilized due to lower cost, but have proven less reliable because they are unable to preserve the functionality of the liver in vitro. This study aimed to establish a more accurate and inexpensive pharmaceutical testing method that has reliability and reproducibility. H35 Rat Reuber hepatoma cells were grown in both two‐dimensional (2D) and three‐dimensional (3D) cell cultures. Cell cultures were treated with different concentrations of acetaminophen (APAP) and analyzed quantitatively for cytotoxicity using a Neutral Red Dye. Cell function was then assessed by quantification of albumin secretion using ELISA. Results showed that both 2D and 3D cultures declined in albumin production after 48 hrs treatment with 2.25 mM APAP treatment. After 72 hrs of treatment, 3D cells showed an 81.2% decline in albumin secretion even with a much lower dose of 0.15 mM APAP whereas 2D cells in fact increased albumin secretion slightly by 0.63% at this concentration.We conclude that when cells are grown in 3D cultures, an environment physiologically more similar to that of the liver, they have much higher sensitivity to acetaminophen hepatotoxicity.Support or Funding Information1) National Science Foundation, 2) Milwaukee School of Engineering and 3) Medical College of Wisconsin
Peptide Facilitated Intracellular Delivery of Quantum Dots for Live‐Cell Imaging
Authors: Vera Claudia Ivette Rivera 
Published: June 2021

Semiconductor Quantum Dots (QDs) are luminescent colloidal nanocrystals that display unique optical properties resulting from a combination of their core semiconductor materials and their nanometer‐sized quantum confined effects. QDs are composed of semiconductor cores, which are often coated with one or more shell(s) consisting of another semi‐conductor material with suitable lattice parameters and higher band gap energy (for type I QDs; e.g., CdSe/ZnS core/shell or CdSe/CdS/ZnS core/shell/shell QDs). The photophysical properties of QDs can be controlled by their core sizes, the shell thickness, the composition of the cores/shell(s), and partly by their surface ligands. Thus, the final absorption and emission features of QDs can be tuned from the UV to the near‐IR to fit the desired spectral characteristics, making them ideally suited for many spectroscopic and imaging applications. Due to their outstanding photophysical properties, QDs are suited for a wide range of applications as labels and sensors in biochemistry, biotechnology and medicine (e.g. fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy as well as FRET‐based assays and diagnostics).In order to create stable, bio‐functional QDs, hydrophobic surface capping ligands are either exchanged with or converted to hydrophilic ligands that interact with the QD shell surface (e.g., amphiphilic polymers, dithiols) and provide a surface layer that affords aqueous solubility and allows further conjugation to proteins, DNA or other biomolecules, for example, The Medintz group at Naval Research Laboratories (NRL) has developed several types of QD‐functionalizing ligands that offer a variety of chemistries for bioconjugation.In this study we aim to passively deliver QDs‐bioconjugates to the cytosol of cells for subsequent live cell imaging experiments, the results will be discussed.Support or Funding InformationNSF
Tracking the flow of carbon toward oil synthesis in an emerging crop lesquerella (Physaria fendleri)
Authors: Cocuron Jean Christophe , Tsogtbaatar Enkhtuul , Alonso Ana Paula 
Published: June 2021

Lesquerella (Physaria fendleri) is a Brassicaceae that produces hydroxy fatty acids (HFAs) in its embryos; a type of oil that is very valuable and widely used in the industry of cosmetics, coatings, greases, plastics, paints, and biofuel, among others. The current source of HFAs is ricinoleic acid which comes from castor (Ricinus communis). Unfortunately, its large‐scale production has been banned from the United States because castor contains the highly toxic compound ricin. On the other hand, free of toxins and rich in HFAs, lesquerella is an attractive alternative to imported castor oil, and is hence in the verge of commercialization. Moreover, lesquerella has tremendous potentials for oil production, has a short maturity time and is not used for food compared to other oilseed crops. However, to become economically viable, lesquerella first must be engineered to synthesize more HFAs. A lack of knowledge of the metabolic pathways underlying oil synthesis in lesquerella embryos presents a major constraint.In plants, fatty acid synthesis occurs in plastids and requires carbon in the form of acetyl‐CoA units as well as reducing power and energy. In order to assess the contribution of the pathways involved in fatty acid biosynthesis in terms of carbon, reductant and energy, a 13C‐Metabolic Flux Analysis, aka fluxomics, is being conducted. 13C‐labeling of developing embryos is required for this purpose. Our most recent work done towards meeting this goal is: (i) obtaining culture conditions for growing lesquerella embryos in vivo so that their biomass composition matches that of embryos grown in planta, (ii) determining the efficiency at which the embryos convert carbon into biomass (iii) tracking the flow of carbon towards oil synthesis using labeled substrates (13C‐glucose or 13C‐glutamine). The combination of the data from the above studies will permit to construct a flux map that will unravel possible “road blocks” in fatty acid production. Future work will consist in targeting these limiting steps through metabolic engineering to increase total fatty acids in lesquerella embryos.Support or Funding InformationAgriculture and Food Research Initiative competitive grant # 2016‐67013‐24605 of the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.