The Effect of Gluten on Puberty Onset and Glycemic Response in Female Rats

Introduction: While individuals with gluten sensitivities are instructed to follow a strict gluten-free diet, misinformed concerns over the consumption of gluten products has led to a rise in gluten avoidance diets, without a diagnosis of celiac disease. Gluten-free products, and therefore the diet as a whole, have been found to have twice as much fat, reduced carbohydrates and fiber, and approximately one-third less protein (Miranda 2014). Research on the effects of gluten-free diets on adolescent development is lacking. With recorded nutrient deficiencies in those that abstain from gluten, detrimental effects could be seen in adolescents who are put on non-prescribed gluten- free diets. Body mass is one factor in puberty onset, and may occur earlier in individuals consuming a gluten-free diet, from lower quality ingredients used in gluten-free products. Purpose: To evaluate the effects of gluten on weight gain, body composition, glycemic response, and puberty onset in newly weaned female rats, hypothesizing that gluten restriction causes a faster increase in body fat, triggering an earlier onset of puberty. Also, that gluten-restriction causes a higher increase in blood glucose than gluten- containing food. Methods: Sprague-Dawley female weaned rats (n=20), age 23 days, were randomly separated into two groups, and fed either a gluten-free chow or a normal chow diet. Animals were housed separately at the UNLV LACF in a 12-hour light/dark cycle room; water was provided ad libitum. Food intake, body weight and blood glucose were recorded daily for two weeks. Blood was collected from a tail clip, and glucose was measured using a Bayer Contour glucose meter and test strips. Rats were checked daily for vaginal opening starting on the 25th day of life. After vaginal opening was confirmed, rats were euthanized and body composition was measured by a DXA scan. Results: Vaginal opening in the gluten-free group occurred earlier than in the control group (30 ± 2 vs 31 ± 2 days for gluten-free vs control respectively, p=0.01). Percent body fat was increased in the gluten-free group compared with controls (13.8 ± 0.39 vs 10.4 ± 0.72, p=0.015), however, weight gain (86 ± 2 vs 84 ± 3 g), food intake (236 ± 30 vs 215 ± 24 g), and daily blood glucose (83 - 86 mg/dL vs 80 mg/dL - 85 mg/dL for gluten-free and control respectively) were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion: Vaginal opening, and hence onset of puberty, occurred sooner in rats fed the gluten-free diet. Percent body fat was higher in the gluten-free group, consistent with the suggestion that increased body fat plays a role in the decreasing age of menarche in adolescent females. These results reinforce the importance of diet and how it can affect growth and maturation

Insights into Transgenerational Epigenetics from Studies of Ciliates

Epigenetics, a term with many meanings, can be broadly defined as the study of dynamic states of the genome. Ciliates, a clade of unicellular eukaryotes, can teach us about the intersection of epigenetics and evolution due to the advantages of working with cultivable ciliate lineages, plus their tendency to express extreme phenotypes such as heritable doublet morphology. Moreover, ciliates provide a powerful model for studying epigenetics given the presence of dimorphic nuclei – a somatic macronucleus and germline micronucleus – within each cell. Here, we exemplify the power of studying ciliates to learn about epigenetic phenomena. We highlight “classical” examples from morphology and physiology including cortical inheritance, mating type determination, and serotype expression. In addition, we detail molecular studies of epigenetic phenomena, including: DNA elimination; alternative processing and unscrambling; and copy number determination. Based on the implications of these studies, we discuss epigenetics as a possible functional mechanism for rapid speciation in ciliates

Following the LINEs: An analysis of primate genomic variation at human-specific LINE-1 insertion sites

The L1 Ta subfamily of long interspersed elements (LINEs) consists exclusively of human-specific L1 elements. Polymerase chain reaction-based screening in nonhuman primate genomes of the orthologous sites for 249 human L1 Ta elements resulted in the recovery of various types of sequence variants for approximately 12% of these loci. Sequence analysis was employed to capture the nature of the observed variation and to determine the levels of gene conversion and insertion site homoplasy associated with LINE elements. Half of the orthologous loci differed from the predicted sizes due to localized sequence variants that occurred as a result of common mutational processes in ancestral sequences, often including regions containing simple sequence repeats. Additional sequence variation included genomic deletions that occurred upon L1 insertion, as well as successive mobile element insertions that accumulated within a single locus over evolutionary time. Parallel independent mobile element insertions at orthologous loci in distinct species may introduce homoplasy into retroelement-based phylogenetic and population genetic data. We estimate the overall frequency of parallel independent insertion events at L1 insertion sites in seven different primate species to be very low (052%). In addition, no cases of insertion site homoplasy involved the integration of a second L1 element at any of the loci, but rather largely involved secondary insertions of Alu elements. No independent mobile element insertion events were found at orthologous loci in the human and chimpanzee genomes. Therefore, L1 insertion polymorphisms appear to be essentially homoplasy free characters well suited for the study of population genetics and phylogenetic relationships within closely related species

Following the LINEs (Long INterspersed Elements): human specific L1 elements and their orthologous loci in non-human primates

The L1 Ta subfamily of Long INterspersed Elements (LINEs) consists exclusively of human-specific L1 elements with a copy number of ~520 in the human genome. Four hundred sixty-eight L1 Ta elements were extracted from the draft human genomic sequence and screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays to determine their phylogenetic origin and to determine their contribution to human genomic diversity. PCR analysis indicated that 45% of the L1 Ta elements screened are polymorphic for insertion presence or absence. Sequence analysis of the L1 Ta elements produced definitive evidence of 3’transduction, gene conversion involving an older pre-existing L1 element, as well as several potential retrotransposition competent elements. The average age of the L1 Ta subfamily was estimated at 1.99 million years, indicating the subfamily’s expansion subsequent to the divergence of humans from African apes. PCR based screening in non-human primate genomes of the orthologous sites for 249 human L1 Ta elements resulted in the recovery of various types of sequence variants for ~12% of these loci. Sequence analysis was employed to capture the nature of the observed variation. Half of the orthologous loci differed from the predicted sizes due to localized sequence variants that occurred as a result of common mutational processes in ancestral sequences, often including regions containing simple sequence repeats. Additional sequence variation included genomic deletions that occurred upon L1 insertion, as well as successive mobile element insertions that accumulated within a single locus over evolutionary time. We estimate the overall frequency of parallel independent insertion events at L1 insertion sites in seven different primate species to be very low (0.52%). In addition, no cases of insertion site homoplasy involved the integration of a second L1 element at any of the loci, but rather largely involved secondary insertions of Alu elements. No independent mobile element insertion events were found at orthologous loci in the human and chimpanzee genomes. Therefore, L1 insertion polymorphisms appear to be essentially homoplasy free characters well-suited for the study of population genetics and phylogenetic relationships within closely related species

Food sovereignty and consumer sovereignty: two antagonistic goals?

The concept of food sovereignty is becoming an element of everyday parlance in development politics and food justice advocacy. Yet to successfully achieve food sovereignty, the demands within this movement have to be compatible with the way people are pursuing consumer sovereignty, and vice versa. The aim of this article is to examine the different sets of demands that the two ideals of sovereignty bring about, analyze in how far these different demands can stand in constructive relations with each other and explain why consumers have to adjust their food choices to seasonal production variability to promote food sovereignty and so secure future autonomy

Exploring Relationships with Non-human Nature in Planning: The Potential of Embodied Research Methodologies

The institutionalised land use planning system plays an important role in mediating our relationships with non-human nature. However, the dominant environmental discourses perpetuate a dualistic understanding of culture/nature, privileging scientific rationality over other ways of knowing, and humans over nature. Embodied research methodologies offer an alternative mode of knowledge production to those traditionally used within the system, allowing planning researchers a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the complexity of human relationships with non-human nature. In this paper I use examples from my honours thesis and PhD research to demonstrate the potential of embodied research methodologies for promoting more connected relationships to non-human nature

Urban Agriculture: An Environmental and Moral Imperative

As we live in a society completely dependent on oil and its products, the contradictions within this self destructive system begin to unfold. Petroleum, its acquisition, and the products created with it, have been proven to cause unmanageable effects on a worldwide scale. As our natural resources become more finite, contributing to global and local inequities through widespread competition, the need for change is apparent. By introducing local farming initiatives, the creation, distribution, and usage of these products becomes obsolete through the elimination of demand and necessity. Sustainable urban agriculture is therefore presented as a tangible solution to the problem at hand. Local governmental policy remains the best and most effective way to work toward change for a future in sustainable agriculture.

Analytical Interpretation of the Patient Centered Medical Home: A Meta-Review of the Literature

Medical care in the United States is plagued by extremely high costs, inconsistent quality and fragmented delivery at best. In response to these issues new concepts of integrated health care delivery systems have been developed. The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) is an increasingly popular health care delivery model that emphasizes continuous coordinated patient care. In theory, the PCMH takes a preventative approach to medicine that addresses the individual not the disease, and takes a holistic approach to health care. The PCMH model has been shown to lower health care costs while improving health care outcomes. Despite PCMH being a new movement in the business, little agreement is reached concerning the definition and practice of PCMH, nor specifics on implementation or anticipated barriers. As Americans seek for ways to fix the health care crisis,\u27 the PCMH offers an alluring model for improved health care delivery while containing the ever escalating costs associated. Appropriate analysis of the feasibility of this model, including limitations and barriers to implementation are necessary at the birth of proposed health care reforms emerge. This article will report relevant research related to cost effectiveness, health care outcomes, and barriers to implementation and utilization of the patient-centered medical home model being applied at the primary level of care

2005-2006 Student Directory

https://archives.law.nccu.edu/student-directories/1016/thumbnail.jp