Typical American Research Articles

The Omega-3 Index Response to an 8 Week Randomized Intervention Containing Three Fatty Fish Meals Per Week Is Influenced by Adiposity in Overweight to Obese Women.

BackgroundThe Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommends consuming ~225 g/wk of a variety of seafood providing >1.75 g/wk of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids to reduce cardiovascular disease risk, however individual responses to treatment vary.ObjectiveThis study had three main objectives. First, to determine if a DGA-conforming diet (DGAD), in comparison to a typical American diet (TAD), can increase the omega-3 index (OM3I), i.e., the red blood cell mol% of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) + docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Second, to identify factors explaining variability in the OM3I response to dietary treatment. Third to identify factors associated with the baseline OM3I.DesignThis is a secondary analysis of a randomized, double-blind 8 wk dietary intervention of overweight/obese women fed an 8d rotating TAD (n = 20) or DGAD (n = 22) registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02298725. The DGAD-group consumed 240 g/wk of Atlantic farmed salmon and albacore tuna in three meals with an estimated EPA + DHA of 3.7 ± 0.6 g/wk. The TAD-group consumed ~160 g/wk of farmed white shrimp and a seafood salad containing imitation crab in three meal with an estimated EPA + DHA of 0.45 ± 0.05 g/wk. Habitual diet was determined at baseline, and body composition was determined at 0 and 8wks. Red blood cell fatty acids were measured at 0, 2 and 8 wk.ResultsAt 8 wk, the TAD-group OM3I was unchanged (5.90 ± 1.35–5.80 ± 0.76%), while the DGAD-group OM3I increased (5.63 ± 1.27–7.33 ± 1.36%; p < 0.001). In the DGAD-group 9 of 22 participants achieved an OM3I >8%. Together, body composition and the baseline OM3I explained 83% of the response to treatment variability. Baseline OM3I (5.8 ± 1.3%; n = 42) was negatively correlated to the android fat mass (p = 0.0007) and positively correlated to the FFQ estimated habitual (EPA+DHA) when expressed as a ratio to total dietary fat (p = 0.006).ConclusionsAn 8 wk TAD did not change the OM3I of ~6%, while a DGAD with 240 g/wk of salmon and albacore tuna increased the OM3I. Body fat distribution and basal omega-3 status are primary factors influencing the OM3I response to dietary intake in overweight/obese women.

Care of the Immigrant Child.

Care of the Immigrant Child.

Patterns of Egg Consumption Can Help Contribute to Nutrient Recommendations and Are Associated with Diet Quality and Shortfall Nutrient Intakes.

Limited data are available on how eggs are consumed in the typical American eating pattern and the contribution to usual intakes, diet quality and in meeting recommendations. The objectives of the present analysis included identifying how eggs are consumed within U.S. dietary patterns and how these patterns are associated with the usual intakes of shortfall nutrients and diet quality (Healthy Eating Index 2015) using data from the combined National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2001–2016. An additional objective included assessing the differences between egg consumers and egg non-consumers in nutrient intakes and nutrient adequacy. Several egg-containing dietary patterns were identified, and two egg patterns were associated with a greater diet quality compared to a no egg pattern (p < 0.0001). Most egg patterns identified were similar in diet quality scores when compared to the no egg pattern; however, the two egg patterns had lower diet quality scores. Egg consumption combined with a greater intake of total protein foods, seafood and plant protein, total vegetables, total fruit, whole fruit, whole grains and dairy foods, and a lower intake of refined grains and added sugars contributed to an improved diet quality, supporting that no one food is responsible for a healthy dietary pattern. Egg consumers demonstrated significantly higher intakes of dietary fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium, total choline, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D and vitamin E when compared to egg non-consumers. A comparison of egg consumers and egg non-consumers found egg consumers had significantly less percentages of the population below the EAR for calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E. Similarly, the percentage of the population above the recommendations for potassium and choline were greater for egg consumers vs. egg non-consumers. In egg consumers, 24.4% of the population was above the AI for dietary choline when compared to 4.3% of egg non-consumers (p < 0.0001). Findings from the present analysis demonstrate that eggs and egg-containing foods can be an important part of a healthy dietary pattern when balanced accordingly with other nutrient-dense foods.

Motion and Sash Height (MASH) alarms for efficient fume hood use

Ventilation, including fume hoods, consumes 40–70% of the total energy used by modern laboratories. Energy-conscious fume hood usage—for example, closing the sash when a hood is unused—can significantly reduce energy expenditures due to ventilation. Prior approaches to promote such behaviors among lab users have primarily relied on passive feedback methods. In this work, we developed a low-cost fume hood monitoring device with active feedback to alert lab users when a fume hood is left open and unused. Using data collected by the building management system, we observed a 75.6% decrease in the average sash height after installation of these “Motion and Sash Height” (MASH) alarms, which would result in a reduction roughly equal to 43% of the annual carbon emissions of a typical American vehicle, for each fume hood. The MASH alarm presented here reduced energy costs by approximately $1,159 per year, per hood, at MIT.

Effects of a diet based on the Dietary Guidelines on vascular health and TMAO in women with cardiometabolic risk factors

Background and aimsRecent evidence links trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) to endothelial dysfunction, an early indicator of cardiovascular disease. We aimed to determine whether short-term consumption of a diet patterned after the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) would affect endothelial function, plasma TMAO concentrations, and cardiovascular disease risk, differently than a typical American Diet (TAD). Methods and resultsAn 8-wk controlled feeding trial was conducted in overweight/obese women pre-screened for insulin resistance and/or dyslipidemia. Women were randomized to a DGA or TAD group (n = 22/group). At wk0 (pre-intervention) and wk8 (post-intervention) vascular age was calculated; endothelial function (reactive hyperemia index (RHI)) and augmentation index (AI@75) were measured using EndoPAT, and plasma TMAO was measured by LC-MS/MS. Vascular age was reduced in DGA at wk8 compared to wk0 but TAD wk8 was not different from wk0 (DGA wk0: 54.2 ± 4.0 vs. wk8: 50.5 ± 3.1 (p = 0.05), vs. TAD wk8: 47.7 ± 2.3). Plasma TMAO concentrations, RHI, and AI@75 were not different between groups or weeks. ConclusionConsumption of a diet based on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans for 8 weeks did not improve endothelial function or reduce plasma TMAO. Clinicaltrials.govNCT02298725.

Abstract P246: Relationship Between Urinary Sodium/potassium Ratio And Systolic Blood Pressure In Salt Sensitive Subjects In The Dash-sodium Trial

Excessive salt intake is associated with hypertension and cardiovascular morbidity. However, identifying those at risk of salt sensitive hypertension (SSH) remains a challenge due to its unequal distribution among populations and inaccurate assessment of dietary sodium (Na) and potassium (K) intake. The objective of this study was to compare indices of dietary Na intake in relation to systolic blood pressure (SBP) in salt sensitive (SS) and salt resistant (SR) subjects from the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)-Sodium trial. We hypothesized that when compared to urinary Na or K independently, Na/K ratio is a better predictor of SSH when defined as a 5-10 mmHg change in SBP from low to high dietary Na. Among 404 Black and White subjects, baseline classifications included 177 SS and 227 SR. After diet randomization, on the control 107 were SS and 92 SR and on the DASH 70 were SS and 135 SR. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, followed by linear regression models for baseline and multilevel mixed-effects models after intervention were used to assess the relationship between SBP and dietary Na (as measured by urinary Na/K ratio or Na and K independently) using SS as a categorical factor. SBP was consistently associated with SS, Na/K ratio, and age in all models . At baseline, SBP was significantly higher in SS and SR subjects of the same race and sex, after controlling for age and urinary Na/K ratio and was highest for White females, SS:142.3 (138.8, 145.7) vs. SR:133.2 (130.7, 135.7), and for Black males, SS:137.0 (133.8, 140.1) vs. SR: 129.6 (127.0, 132.3). On average, SBP increased 1.02 (0.065, 1.98) mmHg with each unit increase in Na/K ratio and 3.30 (2.41, 4.19) mmHg with each 10-year increase in age. After randomization and exposure to increasing levels of sodium, SBP increased in SS subjects on the control diet:125.3 (123.2, 127.3) to 136.8 (134.8, 138.9), an effect that was greater in White vs Black females and in Black vs White males. SBP increased in SS subjects on the DASH diet: 121.4 (118.8, 124.0) to 131.2 (128.7, 133.7), but there were no differences by race and sex. These results suggest that a 5-10 mmHg change in SBP in subjects on a typical American diet and Na/K ratio are good predictors of SSH and that the DASH diet may help to reduce race and sex disparities.

The Impact of Instagram Mommy Blogger Content on the Perceived Self-Efficacy of Mothers

The prominence of social media in contemporary life has led more mothers to search for parenting information through various Internet and social media channels. The following study examines the impact that Instagram mommy blog content has on the perceived parenting skill of the typical American mother. In this experiment, participants were exposed to one of two types of Instagram motherhood blogger content. The first type of content did not address the struggles of motherhood (referred to as an “alpha-mom” blogger content), while the second type of content (referred to as a “realistic” blogger content) did. After reviewing the content, participants will be asked a series of Likert-type scale questions to gauge their perceived parenting skill. We hypothesized that participants who were exposed to the “alpha-mom” content would have a lower belief in their own parenting skill than those who were exposed to content from the “realistic” blogger. The hypothesis was not supported. However, we did find that participants who received some of their parenting information from Internet sources had a lower belief in their parenting skill than participants who did not receive their parenting information from online sources, regardless of the content to which they were exposed.

N-6 High Fat Diet Induces Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis and Colonic Inflammation.

Background: Concerns are emerging that a high-fat diet rich in n-6 PUFA (n-6HFD) may alter gut microbiome and increase the risk of intestinal disorders. Research is needed to model the relationships between consumption of an n-6HFD starting at weaning and development of gut dysbiosis and colonic inflammation in adulthood. We used a C57BL/6J mouse model to compare the effects of exposure to a typical American Western diet (WD) providing 58.4%, 27.8%, and 13.7% energy (%E) from carbohydrates, fat, and protein, respectively, with those of an isocaloric and isoproteic soybean oil-rich n-6HFD providing 50%E and 35.9%E from total fat and carbohydrates, respectively on gut inflammation and microbiome profile. Methods: At weaning, male offspring were assigned to either the WD or n-6HFD through 10–16 weeks of age. The WD included fat exclusively from palm oil whereas the n-6HFD contained fat exclusively from soybean oil. We recorded changes in body weight, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, colon histopathology, and gut microbiome profile. Results: Compared to the WD, the n-6HFD increased plasma levels of n-6 fatty acids; colonic expression of COX-2; and the number of colonic inflammatory and hyperplastic lesions. At 16 weeks of age, the n-6HFD caused a marked reduction in the gut presence of Firmicutes, Clostridia, and Lachnospiraceae, and induced growth of Bacteroidetes and Deferribacteraceae. At the species level, the n-6HFD sustains the gut growth of proinflammatory Mucispirillum schaedleri and Lactobacillus murinus. Conclusions: An n-6HFD consumed from weaning to adulthood induces a shift in gut bacterial profile associated with colonic inflammation.

The Impact of Almond and Walnut Consumption on the Human Fecal Metabolome

ObjectivesMetabolomic studies can be utilized to generate biomarkers of food intake. Undigested food components affect the fecal microbiota and metabolome. Accordingly, we aimed to identify fecal metabolites unique to almond and walnut consumption. MethodsUntargeted metabolomic analyses were completed on 66 endpoint fecal samples from two separate 3-week randomized, controlled-feeding, crossover studies examining almond (n = 30) and walnut (n = 36) consumption in adults (25–75 yr). Control diets, representative of the typical American diet, were fed at weight maintenance with 0 g/day of nuts. During the treatment arms, the base diet was scaled down to allow isocaloric inclusion of 42 g/day of almonds or walnuts. The Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to determine statistically significant metabolites between treatment and control groups with Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate adjustments (reported as q-values). ResultsOf the 318 quantifiable fecal metabolites, 42 were significantly different when comparing the treatment groups to their respective controls after adjustment (q < 0.05). Of these 42 metabolites, 9 were significantly different in both the almond and walnut treatment samples. Two metabolites, palmitoleic acid and p-cresol, were unique to almonds—the relative concentration of palmitoleic acid was higher in the almond group compared to control and p-cresol was lower in almond compared to control. Walnut treatment samples contained 31 unique metabolites, including 15 fatty acyls, the majority of which were higher in the walnut group compared to control. ConclusionsHigher concentrations of fecal fatty acyls in the almond and walnut groups compared to their respective controls support previous findings that the plant cell walls of nuts reduce digestibility, therefore, limiting accessibility of intact lipids. Overall, these results reveal promise in identifying fecal biomarkers of food intake for eventual use in personalized dietary recommendations. Ongoing analyses include utilizing machine learning models to further biomarker panel development through incorporation of baseline data and metagenomic analyses. Funding SourcesThis research was funded by the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications Faculty Fellowship.

Abstract MP01: Effect Of The DASH-Sodium Diet On Serum Biomarkers Of Inflammation And Mineral Metabolism

Background: The blood pressure-lowering effects of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern and reduced sodium intake are well-established. The effects on other biomarkers related to vascular health are of interest and may assist in explaining cardiovascular benefits of the DASH diet. Objective: We hypothesized that a low-sodium DASH diet improves biomarkers of inflammation [i.e. reduces C-reactive protein (CRP) and soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR)] and mineral metabolism [phosphorus and fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23)]. Methods: We conducted a post hoc analysis of the DASH-Sodium trial using stored frozen serum samples. This controlled feeding study randomized 412 adults to consume either a DASH diet or control diet representative of a typical American diet. Within each arm, participants received three sodium levels (low, intermediate, high) in random sequence, each for 30 days. To maximize contrast, samples collected at the end of the low-sodium DASH (n=198) and high-sodium control (n=194) diets were compared. Between-diet differences in biomarker concentrations were assessed by t-test or Wilcoxon rank sum test for normally distributed and skewed variables, respectively. Results: CRP concentrations did not differ between groups ( P =0.19), but suPAR was higher after the low-sodium DASH diet than the high-sodium control (median, IQR: 2473, 2127-2887 pg/mL vs. 2281, 1929-2679 pg/mL; P =0.003). FGF23 was also higher after the DASH diet (35.9, 26.9-44.8 pg/mL vs. 30.2, 23.5-37.5 pg/mL; P&lt; 0.001). Serum phosphorus was higher after the DASH diet (mean±SEM: 3.5±0.04 mg/dL) versus the control (3.4±0.04 mg/dL; P =0.02). Conclusions: Contrary to our hypothesis, biomarkers of inflammation and mineral metabolism were increased or unchanged by a low-sodium DASH diet compared to a high-sodium control diet. Potential reasons (e.g. short duration of the trial, sodium-specific effects, bioavailable phosphorus-rich dairy intake) require further investigation.

Abstract 024: Effects Of Diet On 10-year Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk Using The Pooled Cohort Equations Risk Calculator: Results From The Dash Trial

Background: The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is known to reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, but its effects on 10-year CVD risk based on the pooled cohort estimating equation has not been reported. Objective: To determine the effects of adopting the DASH diet on 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk compared to a typical American (control) diet or a diet rich fruit and vegetables (F/V), but otherwise similar to control. Methods: The DASH trial was a 3-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled feeding trial of 459 adults aged 22 to 75 years without CVD and not taking anti-hypertensive or diabetes medications. These participants were randomized to a control diet, a F/V diet, or the DASH diet for 8 weeks. Weight was kept constant. Blood pressure (BP) and lipids were measured at baseline and at 8-weeks to compare 10-year ASCVD risk scores across dietary assignments. Comparisons were performed via linear regression adjusted for baseline ASCVD risk score. Results: The mean age of participants was 45 years; 49% were women, 60% were black, and 10% were current smokers. Mean systolic BP was 131.3±10.8 mm Hg, mean LDL cholesterol was 121±32 mg/dL, and mean HDL cholesterol was 48±14 mg/dL. Both DASH and F/V diets shifted the distribution of ASCVD risk scores downward compared to the control diet ( Figure, Panel A ). Compared to the control diet, the DASH and F/V diets reduced 10-year ASCVD risk by 10.0% (95% CI: -17.7, -1.5; P = 0.02) and 11.7% (95% CI: -19.3, -3.3; P = 0.007) respectively ( Figure, Panel B ). There was no difference between the DASH and F/V diets (-1.9%; 95% CI: -10.3, 7.4; P = 0.68). Conclusions: Compared to the control diet, the DASH and F/V diets reduced 10-year ASCVD risk, while the DASH and F/V had similar effects.

Re-designing America's suburbs for the age of climate change and pandemics.

The USA is the leading emitter of greenhouse gases among the developed countries, in part because it is the only developed country with more of its population in suburbs than in cities. Cities produce less greenhouse gas emissions per capita than suburbs. Meanwhile, the US and the world have been wrestling with the public health emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic. But as US cities recover from the pandemic, they are unlikely to add more population than their suburbs because of changes in favor of working from home, online shopping, and the search for more affordable housing and green space, as well as concerns about population density and contagious diseases. So, the challenge is how to design and redevelop suburbs to make them more environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable to address both climate change and the threat of future pandemics. A sustainable suburb scenario offers an alternative to the sprawling development, separation of land uses and income classes, and automobile dependence that characterizes the typical American suburban landscape. This essay reviews the literature on re-designing suburbs and describes and evaluates both a business-as-usual suburb scenario and a sustainable suburb scenario. Though challenges exist, sustainable suburbs will be needed in order to reduce US greenhouse gas emissions, to achieve greater resilience in adapting to the effects of climate change, and to guard against future pandemics while providing economic opportunities and greater equity over the long run.

Methodology for altering omega-3 EPA+DHA and omega-6 linoleic acid as controlled variables in a dietary trial

Increasing dietary intake of n-3 EPA+DHA and lowering dietary n-6 LA is under investigation as a therapeutic diet for improving chronic pain syndromes as well as other health outcomes. Herein we describe the diet methodology used to modulate intake of n-3 and n-6 PUFA in a free living migraine headache population and report on nutrient intake, BMI and diet acceptability achieved at week 16 of the intensive diet intervention and week 22 follow-up time-point. A total of 178 participants were randomized and began one of three diet interventions: 1) a high n-3 PUFA, average n-6 PUFA (H3) diet targeting 1500mg EPA+DHA/day and 7% of energy (en%) from n-6 linoleic acid (LA), 2) a high-n-3 PUFA, low-n-6 PUFA (H3L6) targeting 1500mg EPA+DHA/day and <1.8 en% n-6 LA or 3) a Control diet with typical American intakes of both EPA+DHA (<150mg/day) and 7 en% from n-6 LA. Methods used to achieve diet change to week 16 include diet education, diet counseling, supply of specially prepared foods, self-monitoring and access to online diet materials. Only study oils and website materials were provided for the follow-up week 16 to week 22 periods. Diet adherence was assessed by multiple 24h recalls administered throughout the trial. Diet acceptability was assessed in a subset of participants at 4 time points by questionnaire. At week 16 H3 and H3L6 diet groups significantly increased median n-3 EPA+DHA intake from 48mg/2000kcals at baseline to 1484mg/2000kcals (p<0.0001) and from 44mg/2000kcals to 1341mg/2000kcals (p<0.0001), respectively. In the Control group, EPA+DHA intake remained below the typical American intake with baseline median at 60mg/2000kcals and 80mg/2000kcals (p=0.6) at week 16. As desired, LA intake was maintained in the H3 and Control group with baseline median of 6.5 en% to 7.1 en% (p=0.4) at week 16 and from 6.5 en% to 6.8 en% (p=1.0) at week 16, respectively. In the H3L6 group, n-6 LA decreased from 6.3 en% at baseline to 3.2 en% (p<0.0001) at week 16. There were no significant changes in BMI or diet acceptability throughout the trial or between diet groups. We find this diet method to be acceptable to research participants and successful in altering dietary n-3 EPA+DHA with and without concurrent decreases in n-6 LA. If n-6 LA of less than 3 en% is desired, additional techniques to limit LA may need to be employed.

Effects of Dietary Patterns on Serum Urate: Results From a Randomized Trial of the Effects of Diet on Hypertension.

To determine whether the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet or an alternative, simplified diet, emphasizing high-fiber fruits and vegetables (the FV diet), lowers serum urate levels. We conducted a secondary study of the DASH feeding study, a 3-arm, parallel-design, randomized trial of 459 adults with systolic blood pressure (BP) of <160 mm Hg and diastolic BP of 80-95 mm Hg, who were not receiving BP medications. Participants were randomized to receive 8 weeks of monitored feeding and ate 1 of 3 diets: 1) a typical American diet (control), 2) the FV diet, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables but otherwise similar to the control diet, or 3) the DASH diet, which was rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products, and reduced in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. Body weight was kept constant throughout the study. Serum urate levels were measured at baseline and after 8 weeks of feeding. For the 327 participants with available specimens (mean ± SD age 45.4 ± 11.0 years, 47% women, 50% African American), the mean ± SD baseline serum urate level was 5.7 ± 1.5 mg/dl. Compared to the control diet, the FV diet reduced the mean serum urate level by 0.17 mg/dl (95% confidence interval [95% CI] -0.34, 0.00; P = 0.051) and the DASH diet reduced the mean serum urate level by 0.25 mg/dl (95% CI -0.43, -0.08; P = 0.004). These effects increased with increasing baseline serum urate levels (<5, 5-5.9, 6-6.9, 7-7.9, and ≥8 mg/dl) for those receiving the DASH diet (a reduction of 0.08, 0.12, 0.42, 0.44, and 0.73 mg/dl, respectively; P for trend = 0.04), but not for those receiving the FV diet. Our findings indicate that the DASH diet reduces serum urate levels, particularly among those with hyperuricemia. These findings support the growing need for a dedicated trial to test the DASH diet among patients with hyperuricemia and gout.

Diet affects glycosylation of serum proteins in women at risk for cardiometabolic disease

BackgroundGlycoproteomics deals with glycoproteins that are formed by post-translational modification when sugars (like fucose and sialic acid) are attached to protein. Glycosylation of proteins influences function, but whether glycosylation is altered by diet is unknown.ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of consuming a diet based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans on circulating glycoproteins that have previously been associated with cardiometabolic diseases.DesignForty-four women, with one or more metabolic syndrome characteristics, completed an 8-week randomized controlled feeding intervention (n = 22) consuming a diet based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA 2010); the remaining consumed a ‘typical American diet’ (TAD, n = 22). Fasting serum samples were obtained at week0 (baseline) and week8 (post-intervention); 17 serum proteins were chosen for targeted analyses. Protein standards and serum samples were analyzed in a UHPLC-MS protocol to determine peptide concentration and their glycan (fucosylation or sialylation) profiles. Data at baseline were used in correlational analyses; change in proteins and glycans following intervention were used in non-parametric analyses.ResultsAt baseline, women with more metabolic syndrome characteristics had more fucosylation (total di-fucosylated proteins: p = 0.045) compared to women with a lesser number of metabolic syndrome characteristics. Dietary refined grain intake was associated with increased total fucosylation (ρ = − 0.530, p < 0.001) and reduced total sialylation (ρ = 0.311, p = 0.042). After the 8-week intervention, there was higher sialylation following the DGA diet (Total di-sialylated protein p = 0.018, poly-sialylated orosomucoid p = 0.012) compared to the TAD diet.ConclusionsBased on this study, glycosylation of proteins is likely affected by dietary patterns; higher sialylation was associated with a healthier diet pattern. Altered glycosylation is associated with several diseases, particularly cancer and type 2 diabetes, and this study raises the possibility that diet may influence disease state by altering glycosylation.Clinical trial registrationNCT02298725 at clinicaltrials.gov; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02298725.

Acute Effects of Cinnamon Spice on Post-prandial Glucose and Insulin in Normal Weight and Overweight/Obese Subjects: A Pilot Study

Clinical studies and meta-analyses have supported the notion that consuming cinnamon spice long term can have beneficial effects in individuals with normal glucose homeostasis and varying degrees of glucose intolerance including type 2 diabetes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the acute effect of cinnamon on the post-prandial responses to a typical American breakfast in normal and overweight/obese participants (ClinicalTrials.gov registration No. NCT04686552). The consumption of a single dose of 6 g of cinnamon added to oatmeal prepared with milk resulted in a significant reduction of one of our primary outcomes post-prandial insulin response (niAUC0−180min) in overweight/obese participants compared to control consuming breakfast without cinnamon. We also performed exploratory analysis of secondary outcomes. In normal weight participants, we observed a decrease of post-prandial glucagon response (niAUC0−180min and glucagon levels at 60–120 min) and C-peptide response (30 min) comparing breakfast with to without cinnamon. Cinnamon consumption did not change post-prandial glycemic response in normal weight participants, but increased 60 min post-prandial glucose in overweight/obese participants compared to control. In summary, cinnamon consumption differentially affected post-prandial hormonal responses in normal and overweight/obese participants.

Federal (De)Funding of Local Police

Across the political spectrum, politicians, commentators, and activists frequently invoke federal funding as a lever to induce changes in local police behavior. But can federal funding function as an effective policy lever at the local level? Is federal funding or the threat of defunding a sufficiently strong tool to effectuate deeply contentious policy goals over local opposition? This Essay conducts an empirical examination of federal funding for local and state police agencies in the United States. It finds that the federal government remains a relatively minor contributor to local police budgets. We find that federal funding only reaches a minority of local police agencies. Similarly, federal funds account, on average, for a relatively small percentage of what the typical American municipality spends on policing each year. Overall, our findings suggest that most American law enforcement agencies are not acutely reliant on federal funding. These findings have several important implications for the literature on police reform and accountability. First, efforts to use the lever of federal funding to alter the behavior of local police departments may be ineffective. This may be particularly true when the reform demanded by federal lawmakers is expensive or unpopular locally. In such cases, rational local leaders may assess that the risk of losing federal funding is preferable to change demanded by federal lawmakers. Second, our findings suggest that federal lawmakers may be better off considering alternative paths other than the withholding of federal funds in promoting constitutional policing. To this point, we briefly lay out some additional avenues for federal police reform that do not rely on leveraging limited federal funds. Finally, our findings reinforce the fact that the ongoing debate about defunding police departments and reimagining public safety must occur primarily at the local, not federal level.

Silence with Teeth: The Operations and Implications of Silence in Gish Jen’s Typical American

Silence has been viewed by critics of Asian American literature as either a means of resistance or accommodation, but I argue that silence is a flexible strategy to heighten the presence of racism. Specifically, in Gish Jen’s Typical American, the narrator’s silence about the character’s thoughts and emotions toward racism raises the readers’ awareness about racism. Silence about racism in the text functions as a cautionary device, highlighting its potential as both resistant and accommodative, and therefore, strategic. As such, the silence in Typical American operates with flexibility. By examining and extending the arguments of King-Kok Cheung and Patti Duncan’s conceptualization of silence, this study navigates the manner in which silence can be unearthed from its traditional perception of being a sign of accommodation, a stereotypical portrayal of Asian Americans. Simultaneously resistant and accommodative, the silence in the text is both a reflection of the reality and a means to convey the unfathomable impacts of racism. Without being explicitly narrated, the silence of the narrator operates on different levels.

Autophagic receptor p62 protects against glycation‐derived toxicity and enhances viability

Diabetes and metabolic syndrome are associated with the typical American high glycemia diet and result in accumulation of high levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), particularly upon aging. AGEs form when sugars or their metabolites react with proteins. Associated with a myriad of age‐related diseases, AGEs accumulate in many tissues and are cytotoxic. To date, efforts to limit glycation pharmacologically have failed in human trials. Thus, it is crucial to identify systems that remove AGEs, but such research is scanty. Here, we determined if and how AGEs might be cleared by autophagy. Our in vivo mouse and C. elegans models, in which we altered proteolysis or glycative burden, as well as experiments in five types of cells, revealed more than six criteria indicating that p62‐dependent autophagy is a conserved pathway that plays a critical role in the removal of AGEs. Activation of autophagic removal of AGEs requires p62, and blocking this pathway results in accumulation of AGEs and compromised viability. Deficiency of p62 accelerates accumulation of AGEs in soluble and insoluble fractions. p62 itself is subject to glycative inactivation and accumulates as high mass species. Accumulation of p62 in retinal pigment epithelium is reversed by switching to a lower glycemia diet. Since diminution of glycative damage is associated with reduced risk for age‐related diseases, including age‐related macular degeneration, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's, discovery of methods to limit AGEs or enhance p62‐dependent autophagy offers novel potential therapeutic targets to treat AGEs‐related pathologies.

Expansive behavior of an alkali-carbonate reactive dolostone from Argentina: Proposal of an osmotic theory-based model to explain the expansion caused by the alkali attack

The expansion mechanism of dolomitic rocks in alkaline environments is complex and a current topic of debate, since two different chemical reactions can coexist: one linked with silica attack (alkali-silica reaction, ASR) and the other with dolomite attack (alkali-carbonate reaction, ACR). In previous works, a potentially reactive, fine-grained argillaceous dolomitic rock was identified in Argentina, with similar expansive characteristics to the typical American reactive carbonates. When this rock is used as aggregate in mortars or concretes, the dolomite experiences a clearly expansive dedolomitization reaction, which cannot be controlled by the classical techniques that allow the inhibition of ASR: supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) (fly ash, natural pozzolan, silica fume, etc.) or Li-based admixtures. Since none of the classical theories proposed by the literature adequately describe the expansive behavior of this rock, an expansion mechanism based on the osmotic phenomenon is proposed in the present work. This mechanism describes the behavior of the Argentine dolostone more appropriately and allows explaining the effect of the main factors involved in the concrete expansion (pH of the pore solution, nature of the alkali cation associated with the OH−, role of water in the expansion, temperature, aggregate particle size, effect of the SCMs, etc.). The basis of the osmotic model is presented, and its advantages are discussed compared with the classical ACR mechanisms proposed by the literature.