bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Dried Plum's Unique Ability to Prevent and Reverse Bone Loss in Ovarian Hormone Deficiency: Efficacy and Possible Mechanisms
Authors: Arjmandi Bahram H. , Johnson Sarah A. , Pourafshar Shirin H. , Navaei Negin H. , George Kelli S. , Akhavan Neda S. 
Published: June 2021

Osteoporosis is a chronic disorder associated with aging that is characterized by a loss of bone mass and quality leading to an increased risk of fragility fractures. Postmenopausal women are at the greatest risk of developing osteoporosis due to a cessation in ovarian hormone production, thus leading to accelerated bone loss. As the demographic shifts to a more aged population, a growing number of postmenopausal women will be afflicted with osteoporosis. A search for promising non‐pharmacological alternative therapies for osteoporosis is of prime importance as medications used for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis can be associated with side effects and low compliance. Certain lifestyle factors, including nutrition, are known to reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis and therefore play an important role in bone health. In terms of nutrition, dried plum (prune) has been shown to be one of the most efficacious interventions for preventing and reversing bone loss in an ovariectomized rat model of osteoporosis as well as in postmenopausal women. The purpose of this presentation is to provide an overview of the efficacy of dried plum for preventing and reversing bone loss associated with ovarian hormone deficiency and to highlight possible mechanisms of action. We end with the results of a follow‐up study demonstrating that postmenopausal women taking dried plums during our one year clinical trial conducted five years earlier retained bone mineral density compared to the control. Overall, these findings suggest that dried plum is a promising functional food therapy for postmenopausal bone loss with the potential for a long‐lasting bone‐protective effect.Support or Funding InformationUSDA, California Dried Plum, Abbott Laboratories
The remarkable, recently extinct “mole‐duck” Talpanas lippa (Aves: Anseriformes) from Kauai, Hawaii: behavioral implications of its neuroanatomy and skull morphology
Authors: Witmer Lawrence M. , Ridgely Ryan C. , James Helen F. , Olson Storrs L. , Iwaniuk Andrew N. 
Published: June 2021

Divergent evolution of island birds is well documented, and Talpanas lippa, from ~5400‐year‐old lake deposits in Kauai, may be among the strangest cases. Talpanas has synapomorphies of Anatidae and potentially oxyurines. Postcranial bones indicate that Talpanas was probably flightless and terrestrial. We microCT scanned the preserved skull elements followed by 3D visualization of the brain endocast and inner ear. We also microCTed heads of other ducks (Anas, Mergus, Oxyura), as well as those of potential analogs (kiwi, platypus), and generated brain cast, inner ear, eyeball, and skull models. The neuroanatomy of Talpanas was like that of no other known bird. The visual system was extraordinarily reduced, as evidenced by the small optic nerves and the almost indiscernible optic lobes, which, consistent with the small eyeball size as judged by orbital osteology, suggest that Talpanas was not very reliant on sight. Kiwis (Apteryx) also have very reduced visual systems, but not to the extent seen in Talpanas. Kiwis, on the other hand, have dramatically expanded the olfactory apparatus, but, in Talpanas, the olfactory bulbs were unexpanded and comparable to those of other anatids. Without question, the major sensory modality used by Talpanas was the somatosensory (touch) system, as shown by the unparalleled expansion of the trigeminal system. Kiwis and, to a lesser extent, oxyurines have enlarged trigeminal ganglia, but in Talpanas they were enormous, dominating the ventral aspect of the brain cast and excavating the skull internally and externally. Perhaps a better extant analog for Talpanas is the platypus, which likewise has reduced vision, moderate olfaction, and is a somatosensory specialist with an expanded trigeminal system. The palate and braincase indicate that Talpanas had a broad low bill that was richly supplied with tactile nerve endings. Muscle scars and mandibular differences may signal a feeding apparatus that also diverged from its dabbling duck heritage. The picture of Talpanas that emerges is of a very different duck: a flightless, weakly‐sighted, potentially nocturnal animal foraging with its broad sensate bill in the moist underbrush of Kauai.Support or Funding InformationUS National Science Foundation (IOB‐0517257, IOS‐1050154, IOS‐1456503 to LMW), and the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
Dietary Flavonoid Intake and Body Measures Related to CVD Risk: Results from What We Eat in America, NHANES 2007–2010
Authors: Sebastian Rhonda S , Enns Cecilia Wilkinson , Goldman Joseph D , Moshfegh Alanna J 
Published: June 2021

Flavonoids appear to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Obesity, especially abdominal obesity, increases CVD risk. Whereas multiple studies have found inverse associations between flavonoid intake and either BMI or waist circumference (WC), no research has examined whether flavonoid intake is related to class of CVD risk as based on a combination of these variables. The purpose of this study was to investigate in a large, nationally representative sample of U.S. adults whether flavonoid intake is related to having combined body measures that put one at very or extremely high risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, and CVD (hereafter termed “very high CVD risk”). Data from one 24‐hour recall for 5,232 males and 5,306 non‐pregnant, non‐lactating females age ≥20 years participating in What We Eat in America (WWEIA), NHANES 2007–2010 were analyzed. CVD risk was assessed based on BMI and WC, as described in NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute guidelines. Very high CVD risk was defined as either BMI = 30.0–34.9 and large WC (>102 cm for men, >88 cm for women) or BMI ≥ 35.0 (any WC). Intakes of total flavonoids and five flavonoid classes (anthocyanidins, flavan‐3‐ols, flavanones, flavones, and flavonols) were determined using the recently released, comprehensive database Flavonoid Values for USDA Survey Foods and Beverages 2007–2010. For total flavonoids and for each class, individuals were divided into four categories of intake. Percentages of individuals at very high CVD risk by category of flavonoid intake were estimated using logistic regression with adjustment for confounding variables. Trends in the percentage at very high CVD risk were assessed via orthogonal polynomial contrasts. One‐third of adults (34%) were classified at very high CVD risk. For all adults, inverse trends were observed between percentages of individuals at very high CVD risk and intakes of anthocyanidins, flavan‐3‐ols, and flavanones (p<0.01). Having very high CVD risk was less likely among individuals in the highest versus those in the lowest intake category for anthocyanidins (OR: 0.65; 99% CI: 0.54, 0.79) and flavan‐3‐ols (OR: 0.68; 99% CI: 0.54, 0.85). Higher anthocyanidin intake was associated with a lower percentage of individuals at very high CVD risk among both men and women; for flavan‐3‐ols, this relationship was observed for men only, and for flavanones it was found for women only. No significant associations were seen between intakes of total flavonoids, flavones, or flavonols and very high CVD risk. Among U.S. adults, intakes of some classes of flavonoids, in particular those contributed primarily by tea and fruits (but not vegetables), are inversely associated with levels of BMI and WC that are predictive of high or extremely high CVD risk.Support or Funding InformationARS, USDA.
Metals and immunity
Authors: Nolan Elizabeth M. 
Published: June 2021

Metal‐sequestering innate immune proteins participate in the host/pathogen interaction. The S100 protein family includes calprotectin (S100A8/S100A9), psoriasin (S100A7), and S100A12, and these proteins exhibit antimicrobial activity that results from their ability to chelate transition metals in the extracellular space and thereby reduce the availability of essential metal nutrients to pathogens. Calprotectin is a versatile metal‐sequestering protein that can capture a number of divalent first‐row transition metals at an unusual hexahistidine site, whereas psoriasin and S100A12 can selectively deplete zinc. Recent biochemical and biophysical studies that address the coordination chemistry and host‐defense function of these abundant human proteins will be presented.Support or Funding InformationThis research was supported by the NSF (CHE‐1352132), the Camille & Henry Dreyfus Foundation, and the MIT Center for Environmental Health Sciences (NIH Grant P30‐ES002109).
Vitamin K Content of U.S. Dairy Foods and the Association with Fat Content
Authors: Fu Xueyan , Harshman Stephanie G , Shen Xiaohua , Haytowitz David , Booth Sarah L 
Published: June 2021

Vitamin K is an essential nutrient that has been implicated in cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases. There are multiple forms of vitamin K. Phylloquinone (PK, vitamin K1) is plant‐based and has been well‐quantified in the US diet. Menaquinones (MK, vitamin K2) are a class of vitamin K compounds that differ from PK in the length and saturation of their side chain. Although MK are found in animal products and fermented food, their contents of foods have not been well characterized. The objectives of this study were to: 1) quantify, using mass spectrometry technology, the different forms of MK (MK4 through MK13 in the following commonly consumed dairy foods: milk (n=40 samples), yogurt (n=17), Greek yogurt (n=16), and cheeses (n=81); and 2) compare the MK contents of full‐fat, reduced‐fat and non‐fat milk, yogurt, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese and cheddar cheese. All dairy samples were either obtained through USDA's National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program or purchased from retail outlets.Total vitamin K concentrations in full fat yogurt, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese and cheddar cheese were 28.1±18.9, 30.1±6.5, 54.2±8.3 and 28.2±41.3 μg/100 g, respectively. The total vitamin K content of blue cheese, fresh cheese, soft‐ripened cheese and semi‐soft cheese was 439±129, 309±204, 495±214 and 310±126 μg/100 g, respectively. Non‐fermented cheeses, like processed cheese, contained lower amounts of vitamin K (90.9±37.9 μg /100 g). Full fat dairy products contained appreciable amounts of MK, primarily in the forms of MK9, MK10 and MK11, which together accounted for 90% of total vitamin K in dairy foods. We also measured modest amounts of MK4 and MK12. In contrast, there was little MK5, MK6, MK7 or MK13 detected in the majority of dairy products.Total vitamin K content of full fat milk, 2% milk, 1% milk and non‐fat milk was 38.1±8.6, 19.4±7.7, 12.9±2.0 and 7.7±2.9 μg/100 g, respectively. Reduced fat or fat free dairy products (Greek yogurt, yogurt, cottage cheese and cheddar cheese) contained 8–22% of the vitamin K found in full fat products.To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of MK contents of U.S. dairy products. The vitamin K contents are influenced by the fat content of the dairy products. If biological activity of MK from foods is established, dairy could have an important dietary role in vitamin K nutrition.Support or Funding InformationSupported by the USDA, Agricultural Research Service under Cooperative Agreement No. 58‐1950‐7‐707 and No. 58‐1235‐1‐193, and Dairy Management Inc.
Metallothionein‐2A mRNA in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Reflects Dietary Zinc Intake in Healthy Adults
Authors: Hennigar Stephen R. , Karl J. Philip , Kelley Alyssa M. , Anderson Bradley J. , Armstrong Nicholes J. , McClung Holly L. , Berryman Claire E. , McClung James P. 
Published: June 2021

Zinc is an essential nutrient for humans;however, a sensitive biomarker to assess zinc status has not been identified. Metallothionein(MT)‐1 and –2 are ubiquitously expressed proteins that bind cellular zinc with high affinity. MT expression is induced through binding of zinc to metal‐regulatory transcription factor 1, which then binds to metal‐responsive elements in the promoter of the metallothionein gene. The objective of this study was to determine whether expression of MT1 and/or MT2 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) is associated with dietary zinc intake in healthy human adults. Forty‐three male and female volunteers (33.6 ± 14.3 y, BMI 25.6 ±2.86 kg/m2) completed a Block Food Frequency Questionnaire (v. 2014)to assess habitual dietary zinc intake. Blood was collected and plasma and PBMCs were isolated. RNA was isolated from PBMCs and expression of MT1A and MT2A mRNA was determined by RT‐qPCR. Plasma MT2A protein was determined by ELISA and plasma zinc concentration was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Average daily zinc intake was 15.5 ± 7.44 mg/d (range: 4.89‐31.7mg/d). Plasma zinc concentration (10.8 ± 1.01 μmol/L) did not reflect dietaryzinc intake (r=0.0890; P=0.586). PBMC MT2Aexpression was 9‐fold greater than MT1A (11.5E‐3± 0.0127, 1.30E‐3 ± 0.00527; P<0.05). MT1Aexpression in PBMCs was not correlated with dietary zinc intake (r=0.137; P=0.383). MT2A expression in PBMCs was positively correlated with dietary zinc intake (r= 0.302; P<0.05) and increased with increasing levels of dietary zinc (<11 mg zinc/d, 7.29E–3 ± 0.00881; 11–20mg zinc/d, 9.93E–3 ± 0.0141; >20 mg zinc/d, 15.4E–3 ± 0.0114; P<0.05). Plasma MT2A protein was not correlated with dietary zinc intake (r=−0.0840;P=0.605). Findings suggest that MT2A mRNA in PBMCs reflects dietary zinc intake in healthy adults and may be a component in determining zinc status.Support or Funding InformationThe views expressed in this abstract are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy of the Department of Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government. Support provided by USAMRMC.
Seven Day Blackberry Feeding Lowers the Respiratory Quotient in Males And Improves Insulin Sensitivity
Authors: Solverson Patrick , Rumpler William , Leger Jayme L , Redan Benjamin , Ferruzzi Mario G , Baer David J , Novotny Janet A 
Published: June 2021

Berries and/or berry extracts have been shown to reduce adiposity in animal models consuming a high fat diet, possibly due to alterations in energy substrate utilization. The objective of this research was to test the effect of berry intake on energy substrate use in humans consuming a high fat diet. In a placebo controlled crossover study design with 2 treatment periods, overweight/obese men (n=27) were fed a high fat diet (40% en fat) containing either 600 g/d blackberries (BB, 1200 mg/d flavonoids) or 600 g/d sweetened gelatin (calorie matched, flavonoid‐free control) for 1 week prior to a meal‐based glucose tolerance test (MTT) (75 g of sugar from waffle and syrup) and 24h stay in a room‐sized indirect calorimeter. Across the 24 hr period, the average RQ was significantly lower with the BB treatment (0.810 vs. 0.817, BB vs. gelatin, p=0.040) while energy expenditure (EE) was not different (2485 vs. 2439 kcal, p=0.11, BB vs. gelatin treatments). During the MTT, AUC of glucose was not different between BB and gelatin treatment (3488 vs. 4070 mg*min/dL, respectively, p=0.12). However, AUC of insulin was lower after consumption of BB compared to gelatin (6485 vs. 8245 uU*min/ml, p=0.0002). During this 4 hr MTT period, EE was not statistically different between the 2 treatments (BB, 452 kcal; gelatin, 440 kcal, p=0.20). However, there was a significant reduction in the RQ with BBs (BB, 0.84; gelatin, 0.85, p=0.004) which was independent of age or BMI. During the 4 hr period that started with dinner, the comparisons were similar, where a reduction in RQ and an increase in fat oxidation were observed with the BB treatment (0.818 vs. 0.836, 28 vs. 24 g, respectively; BB vs. gelatin treatments) with no difference in EE (493 vs. 483, p=0.26, BB vs. gelatin). The 24 hr stay in the calorimeter included 30 min of treadmill walking in the afternoon following lunch. During this time period, again there was a significant reduction in RQ with BB treatment (0.856 vs 0.871; BB vs. gelatin). Blackberry consumption may contribute to increased fat oxidation and improved glucose sensitivity in overweight males on a high fat diet. This is the first study to demonstrate the potential for blackberries to combat the metabolic effects of a high fat diet in human subjects. Mechanistic studies aimed at describing biochemical changes leading to these observations are underway.Support or Funding InformationSupported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Show Them You Care: Faculty Responsiveness Augments Student Buy‐in to Active Learning
Authors: Chen Xinnian , Cavanagh Andrew , Graham Mark 
Published: June 2021

It has been well documented that positive teacher behavior can improve student motivation, self‐efficacy, and learning. However, less is known regarding the extent to which student‐faculty interactions can further benefit student learning within active learning classroom environments. In this study, we focus on the impact of faculty responsiveness on student learning by examining ways in which student perceptions of faculty responsiveness predict buy‐in to active learning.To quantify student buy‐in to active learning, we used an Exposure‐Persuasion‐Identification‐Commitment (EPIC) process model. In addition, we explored potential predictors of buy‐in, including perceptions of instructor responsiveness and growth mindset. Instructor responsiveness was assessed using a student survey based on Reis and Clark's (2004) interpersonal relationship theoretical framework adapted by the authors for the classroom setting. We utilized a validated 3‐item measure to assess growth mindset among student participants.We examined student (N=245) perceptions of instructor responsiveness as a key predictor of student performance in an undergraduate science course featuring active learning. Regression analyses indicated a statistically significant association between perceived instructor responsiveness and student buy‐in to active learning. Growth mindset (i.e., student views of intelligence as malleable) was also found to significantly predict buy‐in to active learning. Student buy‐in to active learning was positively associated both with engagement in self‐regulated learning, and with students' overall course performance. Interestingly, we found that perceived responsiveness also impacted students' views on intelligence, which in turn affects their likelihood of buy‐in. Implications for best practice in securing student buy‐in and engagement are discussed.Support or Funding InformationNSF 1323079
First detailed anatomical study of bonobos exposes just‐so stories of human evolution, anatomy, variations, bipedalism and tool use
Authors: Diogo Rui 
Published: June 2021

Just‐so stories are prominent in human evolution literature because of our tendency to create simple progressionist narratives about our history and how special and unique we are. One point that is particularly striking about such stories is how confident their authors are about the origin and evolution of our specific soft tissues and their ‘functional adaptations’, despite the fact that they are almost exclusively based on hard tissue data. How can we be so certain about stories on the evolution of human facial communication, bipedalism, tool use, or speech that were put forward without any phylogenetic analysis including muscle data or detailed knowledge of the internal anatomy of one of the two extant species more closely related to us, the bonobos? Here I show how many of these stories now becomes obsolete, after such a comprehensive knowledge is finally put together with the first detailed study of bonobo soft tissues. Each and every muscle that has been long accepted to be unique for humans and to provide ‘crucial singular functional adaptations’ for our bipedalism, tool use and/or vocal/facial communication, is actually present as variants or even as the normal phenotype in bonobos and/or other apes.Support or Funding InformationThis project has received funding from NSF grants 1516557 and 1440624 to RD.
Biomechanics and the Evolution of the Crocodyliform Skull
Authors: Sellers Kaleb C , Middleton Kevin M , Davis Julian L , Holliday Casey M 
Published: June 2021

The evolution of the derived crocodyliform skull from that of basal suchians involved the acquisition of a number of functionally salient features. Skull flattening resulted in a reorganization of the jaw muscles and a rotation of the quadrate, placing the jaw joint caudal to the braincase. These changes were preceded by an expansion of the pterygoid buttress, which in crocodyliforms is elaborated into a second articulation of the skull with the mandible known as the pterygomandibular joint (PMJ). While the fossil record demonstrates the pattern of morphological changes, the biomechanics of the system is less well known. This study uses high‐fidelity biomechanical modeling to investigate muscle, bite, and joint force magnitude and orientation in Prestosuchus, protosuchians, and Alligator. We made finite element and free body models to estimate how individual muscles contribute to cranial forces. Osteological correlates of jaw muscle attachments informed reconstructed muscle maps on 3D models built through the Boneload computational modeling workflow. Three‐dimensional muscle force vectors were projected into ternary space to visualize how muscular geometry changes with osteology. The orientations of joint surface and joint reaction force were also compared. Results show a progressive increase in medially‐oriented muscle force along the lineage leading to crocodyliforms concomitant with the expansion of the pterygoid buttress and PMJ. Results also reveal that jaw joint reaction forces align with the quadrate across the transition in quadrate orientation, suggesting that a shift in muscular geometry in more derived taxa increased the rostral and medial components of jaw joint reaction force, thereby avoiding excessive bending of the suspensorium.Support or Funding InformationNSF IOS‐1457319; NSF‐EAR 1631684; Missouri ResearchBoard; Missouri Research Council; University of Missouri Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences
Genetic and environmental factors that regulate tandem repeat variation in coding regions
Authors: Fuchs Stephen M 
Published: June 2021

More than 10% of all proteins harbor a region of repetitive amino acid sequence. Instability within the DNA that codes for these sequences tunes protein function by varying the number of tandem repeats that are expressed and contributes to phenotypic diversity. Based on the repetitive C‐terminal domain of RNA polymerase II subunit Rpb1p, Our lab has developed a powerful reporter system for measuring expansion and contraction of tandem repeats in coding regions (Morrill et al., J. Biol. Chem, 2016). Here we use this system to identify the pathways involved in both repeat expansion and contraction in the budding yeast S. cerevisiae. We also uncovered a direct role between environmental stress and repeat variation and provide links to how TR variation may be contributing to organismal adaptation to stress.Support or Funding InformationArmy Research Office