bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Food Insecurity, Glycemic Control, and Heart Rate Variability among Latinos with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Bermúdez‐Millán Angela , Pérez‐Escamilla Rafael , Lampert Rachel , Segura‐Pérez Sofia , Damio Grace , Chhabra Jyoti , Wagner Julie 
Published: November 2023

Food insecurity disproportionately affects Latinos. Whether food insecurity as a stressor, is associated with decreased heart rate variability (HRV), a non‐invasive measure of autonomic status which predicts poor cardiovascular outcomes, is unknown. This study examined the relationship between food insecurity and HRV among U. S. Latinos with type 2 diabetes. Secondary data analysis of baseline data from the CALMS‐D stress management trial was conducted. Participants completed surveys of food insecurity, demographics, and socioeconomic status. Participants wore a 7‐lead, 3‐channel ambulatory ECG monitor (Holters) for 24 hours. HRV indices included standard deviation of the R‐R interval (SDNN), and log‐normalized very low frequency (lnVLF) 0.0033 to < 0.04 Hz; low frequency (lnLF) 0.04 to <0.15 Hz; and high frequency (lnHF) 0.15 to 0.40 Hz. ANOVA and ANCOVA were used for statistical analyses. Of the 94 participants, 46 reported diabetes‐related food insecurity and 48 reported diabetes‐related food security. Participants who were diabetes‐related food insecure (“In the past year, has it happened to you that you did not have enough money to buy the food you should eat for your diabetes?”) had lower SDNN, lnVLF, lnLF, and lnHF, all p<.05, even after adjusting for glycemic control and socioeconomic hardship. Food insecurity is a powerful and unique form of social adversity. Efforts to address food insecurity may benefit diabetes outcomes.Support or Funding InformationThis study was funded by the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (grant number 5 R01 MD005879 to J.W. and R.P.‐E., principal investigators) and by the American Diabetes Association (7‐13‐TS‐31 to J.W., principal investigator).
The prevalence status of overweight and obesity in Chinese teenagers aged 15–17
Authors: Fang Hongyun 
Published: November 2023

Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China, People's Republic of Objective To analyze the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Chinese teenagers aged 15–17. Methods A total of 8 333 subjects aged from 15 to 17 years old were retrieved from China National Nutrition and Health Surveillance 2010–2012 and enrolled in this study(4 173 people in urban, 4 160 people in rural areas). Overweight and obesity were defined according to the WHO recommended BMI for age and sex in 2007. Age‐standardized results were calculated incorporating a complex sample weighting using the population data from the sixth national census conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics in 2010. Results The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Chinese teenagers aged 15–17 were 8.6% and 2.8% respectively, the sum of the two is 11.4%. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in male were 9.6%, 4.0% respectively, while 7.5%, 1.5% in female. Conclusions 11.4% of Chinese teenagers aged 15–17 are overweight or obese. China currently has more than 1/10 of 15–17 year olds overweight or obese, nearly 6 million people. The prevalence of overweight and obesity of boys is higher than that of girls, with city boys as the main risk group.Support or Funding InformationThe major projects of health care reform‐Monitoring of nutrition and health status of Chinese Residents (2010–2012), supported by National Health and Family Planning Commission (formerly Ministry of Health)
Morphologic analysis of spinal cord ischemia ‐ reperfusion injury caused by aortic cross clamping in a rat model
Authors: Bobinac Dragica , Celic Tanja , Vukelic Iva 
Published: November 2023

BackgroundSpinal cord ischemia and paralysis of lower extremities are devastating postoperative complications that accompany surgery of aortic aneurysm. Spinal cord ischemia ‐ reperfusion injury (I/R) results in overproduction of reactive species leading to tissue oxidative stress, which impact the neuronal network in spinal cord as well as supporting white matter cells. Here, we report the longitudinal analysis of activity and number of neurologic cells in the area of aortic clamping.MethodsTransient aortic occlusion was produced in rats by cross – clamping of the abdominal aorta for 45 minutes. Animals were sacrificed at several time points after reperfusion; 1, 6 and 48h; to determine time correlated changes in activity and number of neurologic cells in spinal cord. Spinal cord tissue was analyzed by immunofluorescence using specific primary antibodies, glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) and NeuN. Also, we wondered whether survival of neurons was related to their expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2), an oxidative stress protective protein.ResultsIn the present study, ischemia – reperfusion injury of spinal cord was manifested by moderate loss of neurons in dorsal horn after 6h of reperfusion, and significant loss of neurons in dorsal horn after 48h of reperfusion compared to sham animals. Neurons located ventrally and laterally indicated no change in number. Surviving neuron cells, howerver, showed expression of Nrf2 with its nuclear translocation escpecially pronounced in neurons located in ventral horn. Longitudinal analysis of neuronal number showed that loss of neurons in dorsal horn was limited to lumbar part of spinal cord. Analysis of GFAP positive cells revealed moderate increase in number 6h post reperfusion in lateral part of spinal cord, while 48h post reperfusion this increase was even more pronounced compared to sham animals. Increase of number of GFAP positive cells was followed with astrocyte activation in lateral part of spinal cord presented as increased GFAP positive area in the same part of spinal cord. Longitudinal analysis of spinal cord revealed that astrocyte activation is present even in thoracic parts of spinal cord, higher than segments which were targeted by aortal clamping.ConclusionOur data indicate that I/R spinal cord injury induces changes in number of GFAP and NeuN positive cells and these changes correlate to duration of reperfusion time. The surviving neurons express Nrf2 in their nucleus, which shows the involvement of Nrf2 pathway in neuron survival.Support or Funding InformationGrant approved and financed by Faculty of Medicine University of Rijeka
Developmental Localization of the Kv1.3 Voltage‐gated Potassium Channel and Insulin Receptor in Hypothalamic Nuclei Governing Energy Homeostasis
Authors: Doczi Megan Anne , Yacawych Warren 
Published: November 2023

The Kv1.3 voltage‐gated potassium channel is expressed in various cell types associated with metabolic function including skeletal muscle, adipocytes, and neurons. Pharmacological Kv1.3 blockade has been shown to profoundly affect the regulation of body weight and energy homeostasis, suggesting that this channel may play a key role in regulating metabolic processes. In addition, the insulin hormone can suppress Kv1.3 ionic current through the tyrosine kinase activity of the insulin receptor (IR), suggesting a link between insulin signaling and Kv1.3 channel activity. Recent evidence from our laboratory has identified Kv1.3 gene expression in the embryonic avian hypothalamus, a brain region critical for maintaining metabolic homeostasis, although the specific protein localization remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify the localization of Kv1.3 and IR in the developing embryonic avian hypothalamus to establish a future model for in ovo insulin delivery, ultimately determining whether insulin affects the expression and function of Kv1.3 during development. Western blot analysis was used to validate monoclonal antibody binding for both the Kv1.3 channel and IR in embryonic day 12 (E12) avian whole brain lysates (n = 3). In accordance with the observed insulin‐dependent current suppression of the channel, we tested the hypothesis that Kv1.3 is localized to hypothalamic nuclei governing food intake and energy expenditure. Immunohistochemical analysis of hypothalamic brain sections from E12 embryos indicate that IR protein is localized to the ventromedial hypothalamus and arcuate nucleus (n = 3), while Kv1.3 channels are expressed more widely throughout this brain region, including enhanced staining within the subventricular zone (n = 3). This study demonstrates the hypothalamic expression of both Kv1.3 and IR in the developing avian embryo and suggests a role for voltage‐gated ion channel regulation in the physiological patterning of embryonic hypothalamic circuits. Further understanding the localization and function of insulin‐sensitive Kv1.3 channels during hypothalamic embryogenesis may provide insight into the developmental mechanisms of metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity.Support or Funding InformationSupport made possible by the Vermont Genetics Network through Grant Number P20GM103449 from the INBRE Program of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) and the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Television Food and Beverage Marketing to Children in Costa Rica: Is a Regulatory Policy Needed?
Authors: Corrales Irina Zamora , Jensen Melissa L. , Kroker‐Lobos Fernanda , Vandevijvere Stefanie , Ramírez Manuel 
Published: November 2023

BackgroundChildhood overweight and obesity is a global public health concern, affecting 21.4% and 20.8% of Costa Rican children (5–12 years of age) and adolescents (13–19 years of age), respectively. Marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages (i.e. those high in saturated fat, sugar and/or sodium) has been shown to influence children's food preferences and consumption.Little is known, however, regarding the scope of the problem in Costa Rica. This study aimed to examine the extent and nature of television food advertisements which children are likely to be exposed to, as well as the nutrition profile of the foods and beverages advertised in Costa Rica.MethodsTelevision data were recorded for four weekdays and four weekend days, between 6:00 am and midnight, for four channels (two national and two cable), that were selected based on audience measurement data and a clear focus on children (i.e. cartoon channels). We obtained a total sample of 288 hours of television broadcasting, during the months of September and November 2016.ResultsAcross all channels, 8983 advertisements (ads) were identified, of which 20.75% were for foods and beverages (F&B). Cable channels showed a higher number of F&B advertisements during weekends compared to weekdays. On average, the two national channels presented 70.9 (SD=19.2) F&B ads/day on weekdays, and 29.8/day (SD=16.2) on weekends; whereas the two cable channels resulted in a mean 57.8 (SD=16.6) F&B ads/day on weekdays and 74.6 (SD= 31.8) F&B ads/day on weekends. A total of 224 F&B items were advertised, many of which generally considered high in fat, sugar and/or sodium: fast‐food (10.71%), candy and chocolates (9.38%), sugar sweetened beverages (5.36%), snack foods (4.91%%), canned and dehydrated meal helpers and soups (4.91%), processed meats (4.02%) and sauces and dressings (4.02%).ConclusionsChildren and adolescents living in Costa Rica are exposed to television marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages daily. Due to the link between food marketing, preferences and consumption, our findings help justify the need for regulatory actions by national authorities.Support or Funding InformationThis study was supported by a research training grant from IDRC‐CRDI and CIIPEC‐INCAP
Assessing The Impact of The Diet on Cardiometabolic Outcomes: Are Two Consecutive Measures Post‐Intervention Really Necessary?
Authors: Allaire Janie , Talbot Denis , Couture Patrick , Tchernof André , Jones Peter JH , Etherton Penny K , West Sheila , Connelly Philip W , Jenkins David JA , Lamarche Benoît 
Published: November 2023

BackgroundImportant day‐to‐day variations in the blood concentrations of risk factors may lessen our ability to detect significant effects of any given nutritional intervention on cardiometabolic risk. In theory, relying on several consecutive measurements of a biomarker outcome should decrease variability and hence increase statistical power. However, there is very little empirical evidence supporting such a theory in nutrition research. The purpose of this study was to examine how using the mean of two consecutive measures vs. only one measure post treatment influences the capacity to detect a change in often‐used cardiometabolic risk factors in response to nutritional interventions.MethodsWe used data from two randomized double‐blind crossover trials that have assessed the impact of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on cardiometabolic risk factors, the first one in the context of a supplementation study and the second one in the context of fully‐controlled feeding conditions. We used equations and simulations to compare the effect of using the mean of two consecutive measures vs. only one measure post treatment on the capacity to detect a change in often‐used cardiometabolic risk factors in response to nutritional interventions.ResultsWe found that the reduction in sample size or the gain in statistical power attributed to using the mean of two consecutive measures vs. a single measure is marginal for serum total cholesterol (C), non‐HDL‐C, HDL‐C, LDL‐C, apolipoprotein B100, triglycerides (TG) and C‐reactive protein, even when attempting to assess small effect sizes. For example, the difference in the required sample size to detect a medium effect size (e.g. 0.5) for the change in TG in response to supplemented DHA between using one vs. the mean of two consecutive TG measurements post treatment is 4 subjects (71 vs. 67 subjects respectively). For LDL‐C, this difference is 2 subjects (67 vs. 65 subjects).ConclusionsThese data indicate that the reduction in sample size and hence the gain in statistical power attributed to using the mean of two measures taken on consecutive days vs. a single measure is small and unjustified to detect a change in cardiometabolic risk factors in response to DHA in the context of crossover nutritional studies.Support or Funding InformationJA is a recipient of PhD Scholarships from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQ‐S).
Does the copulatory plug cause pseudopregnancy in female mice?
Authors: Lough‐Stevens Michael J , Dean Matthew D. 
Published: November 2023

Female choice is the pre‐ and post‐copulatory responses of females to male phenotypes and behaviors. The neuroendocrine and anatomical responses of females to mating within the context of sexual selection is poorly characterized. One possible target of female choice is the copulatory plug, which is an epoxy formed of multiple seminal proteins post‐ejaculation in the vagina of many mammals. The protein TGM4 is an essential protein for forming the copulatory plug. TGM4 knockout male mice, although indistinguishable anatomically and behaviorally from wild type males, cannot form a copulatory plug, which makes them an ideal study system for understanding its function. Successful copulation and deposit of the copulatory plug is hypothesized to be required for successful implantation of zygotes in mice, a physiological state called pseudopregnancy. Females hours after receiving an ejaculation and copulatory plug from a male exhibit increased neuronal activity of the transcription factor c‐Fos in the ventromedial hypothalamus, a proposed site of sexual arousal in female rodents. Subsequently within days the uterine lining begins to thicken in anticipation of implantation of zygotes.We hypothesize that pseudopregnancy may represent a previously unrecognized form of female choice. To characterize better the role of the copulatory plug in pseudopregnancy, we mated females against TGM4 wild type and knockout males. Pseudopregnancy in the brain was assessed through immunohistochemical assay of c‐Fos activity in the ventromedial hypothalamus. Pseudopregnancy in the uterus was assessed via non‐surgical injection of ConcavaninA beads, which mimic zygote size, into the uterus 2.5 days after copulation and examination of the uterus on day 4.5 for sites of implantation. Our study can perhaps offer insight into the neuroanatomical and uterine basis for female choice in female mice.Support or Funding InformationFunded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Attenuation of Obesity by Ornithine Enriched Blueberry Liquid Starter in 3T3‐L1 Preadipocyte and High‐Fat Diet Fed Obese Mouse Model
Authors: Oh Suk‐Heung , Kim Mina , Yu Ok‐Kyeong , Kim Su‐Gon , Cha Youn‐Soo 
Published: November 2023

The primary objective of this study was to assess ornithine enriched blueberry liquid starter (OB) potential in inhibiting the adipogenesis process in 3T3‐L1 preadipocytes and attenuating obesity related parameters in high‐fat diet induced obese mice. OB did not show any cytotoxic effect, however, treatment with OB resulted in reduction in triglyceride accumulation compared to the blueberry liquid (BB) and non‐treatment control (C). Four‐week‐old C57BL/6J mice were fed with control diets containing 10% kcal from fat (CD) or high‐fat diets containing 60% kcal from fat (HD). Treatment groups were given high fat diet; the samples OB, BB, ornithine (OR) were administrated orally. Compare to the HD control group, the animals given OB showed significant reduction in body weight gain. Furthermore, obesity related parameters like serum lipid profiles were attenuated in the OB treated group. Overall, these results demonstrated the potential of OB in making processed food products which could be capable of attenuating obesity.Support or Funding InformationThis research was financially supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE), Korea, under the “Regional Specialized Industry Development Program” supervised by the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT).
Tributyltin exposure alters post‐embryonic growth and intestinal microbiota assembly in zebrafish
Authors: de la Torre Canny Sol Gomez , Mueller Olaf , Rawls John Franklin 
Published: November 2023

Obesity is a ubiquitous public health problem that warrants the study of environmental factors that, by regulating energy balance, promote the storage of excess energy in adipose tissue. Two important environmental factors that promote adipose tissue size are microbial communities residing in the intestine, and environmental chemicals that may act as obesogens. We developed an in vivo model to test the obesogenic effect of chronic tributyltin (TBT) exposure in post‐embryonic zebrafish and to study the effect that this chemical has on intestinal microbiota. Zebrafish develop multiple adipose tissue depots, which consist of white adipocytes that display morphological and molecular homologies with those of mammals. Using fluorescent lipophilic dyes to measure adipose tissue in vivo, we found that microbiota colonization, as in mammals, promotes adipose tissue accumulation in zebrafish. Also, we show that 21‐day exposure to TBT at a nominal dose of 1 ug/l was sufficient to increase the growth of adipose tissue in zebrafish compared to control animals. Unexpectedly, TBT exposure also inhibited somatic growth as early as 14 days post‐exposure and at a dose as low as 0.1 ug/l. High‐throughput sequencing of 16S rDNA revealed specific effects of TBT on intestinal bacterial communities by 14 days post‐exposure, such as an increased Chitinibacter spp. abundance. Together, our results indicate that TBT exposure promotes adipose tissue deposition even in the absence of a high fat diet, and affects other distinct aspects of post‐embryonic growth and intestinal microbiota assembly. This work provides the first comprehensive analysis of the effect of a chemical obesogen on zebrafish somatic growth, adipose tissue accumulation, and intestinal microbiota composition, providing a critical frame of reference for future studies to test for mechanistic interactions between environmental toxins, microbiota, and animal hosts.Support or Funding InformationNIH grants R21‐ES023369 and R24‐OD016761
Alleviation of paraquat‐induced oxidative stress and pulmonary fibrosis by betaine in rats
Authors: Na Jong Deok , Choi Yeo Jin , Kim Young Chul 
Published: November 2023

Paraquat (PQ), a widely used herbicide, is highly toxic to both plants and animals. A toxic dose of PQ can result in severe lung injury in which oxidative stress is suggested to play a major role. Betaine is a methyl donor utilized in remethylation of homocysteine to methionine, which is mediated by betaine‐homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT) mostly localized in the liver. However, our recent study revealed that the metabolism of sulfur‐containing substances in extrahepatic tissues was also influenced significantly by betaine intake, probably via a change in supply of sulfur‐containing amino acids in blood. In this study, we determined the effect of betaine against PQ‐induced oxidative stress and pulmonary fibrosis in rats. Rats were instilled with PQ (0.3 mg/kg) intratracheally. Betaine was provided in drinking water (1 %) from 2 weeks before the PQ challenge. In 2 weeks after PQ instillation, 4‐hydroxyproline levels in the lung and oxidative DNA damage measured by the Comet assay were increased significantly. Similar results were shown in histopathological assessment of the lung. Betaine supplementation effectively inhibited the fibrogenic changes in the rats treated with PQ. PQ instillation decreased methionine levels in the lung, but betaine supplementation elevated methionine and S‐adenosylmethione (SAM) levels significantly. Putrescine and spermidine levels were also elevated by betaine supplementation. On day 4 after PQ instillation, the metabolomics of sulfur‐containing substances was changed markedly, but glutathione (GSH) and its metabolic substrates, including methionine, SAM and cysteine, were all elevated in the lung by betaine supplementation. Taken together, the results suggest that betaine may protect the lung from PQ‐induced oxidative stress and pulmonary fibrosis most probably via enhancement of antioxidant capacity and polyamine synthesis.Support or Funding InformationSupported by National Research Foundation (NRF) grants (No. 2014‐R1A2A1A11052967 and No. 2009‐0083533) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST), Korea.