Pilot study with overweight youth: Greater Lowell Boys and Girls Club

In collaboration with the Lowell Community Health Center and the Lowell Boys and Girls Club, Dr. Handelman, Dr. Pbert and colleagues carried out an intervention trial, recruiting 25 overweight youth for a 5-month after-school intervention program. BMI, fasting insulin, and behavioral attitudes were monitored. There were not short-term improvements in physical health. The youth and their families had a very positive attitude toward the program, with changes in the direction of healthier diet behaviors. The social structure of this youth organization would be compatible with provision of long-term diet and life-style programs for all youth, including youth seeking to achieve normal body weight and physical activity

A Simplified Method to Distinguish Farmed (Salmo salar) from Wild Salmon: Fatty Acid Ratios Versus Astaxanthin Chiral Isomers

Mislabeling of farmed and wild salmon sold in markets has been reported. Since the fatty acid content of fish may influence human health and thus consumer behavior, a simplified method to identify wild and farmed salmon is necessary. Several studies have demonstrated differences in lipid profiles between farmed and wild salmon but no data exists validating these differences with government-approved methods to accurately identify the origin of these fish. Current methods are both expensive and complicated, using highly specialized equipment not commonly available. Therefore, we developed a testing protocol using gas chromatography (GC), to determine the origin of salmon using fatty acid profiles. We also compared the GC method with the currently approved FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration) technique that uses analysis of carotenoid optical isomers and found 100% agreement. Statistical validation (n = 30) was obtained showing elevated 18:2n-6 (z = 4.56; P = 0.0001) and decreased 20:1n-9 (z = 1.79; P = 0.07) in farmed samples. The method is suitable for wide adaptation because fatty acid methyl ester analysis is a well-established procedure in labs that conduct analysis of lipid composition and food constituents. GC analysis for determining the origin of North American salmon compared favorably with the astaxanthin isomer technique used by the FDA and showed that the fatty acid 18:2n-6 was the key indicator associated with the origin of these salmon

Clearance of p-cresol sulfate and β-2-microglobulin from dialysate by commercially available sorbent technology

Dialysate regeneration by sorbents is an alternative to conventional single-pass dialysis. Little is known about the capacity of sorbents to clear dialysate of “middle molecules” and protein-bound uremic toxins. We studied p-cresol sulfate (PCS) and β-2-microglobulin (β2M) removal from dialysate by a sorbent: 1. PCS (40 mg PCS dissolved in 4 L of fresh dialysate) was recirculated through a sorbent cartridge (SORB Technology, Inc.) for analysis of PCS removal. 2. Spent peritoneal dialysate was recirculated on the “blood” side of a high-flux dialyzer. On the “dialysate” side of the membrane, bicarbonate dialysate was recirculated through a sorbent cartridge. β2M was measured in both streams. Two results are of particular importance for the use of regenerated fluid in chronic dialysis: 1. PCS was virtually completely removed from the dialysate. On average, PCS concentration was reduced to 1.4% of the starting concentration after 60 minutes. PCS extraction across the sorbent was nearly complete at any time. 2. β2M was on average reduced to 14.3% of the starting concentration after 60 minutes. Postsorbent concentrations were consistently below the validated range of the test method. We conclude that PCS and β2M are efficiently removed from the dialysate by commercially available sorbent technology. Spent peritoneal dialysis fluid can be cleared of β2M when circulated against sorbent-regenerated dialysate using a high-flux membrane

The Journal of Nutrition Nutrient Requirements and Optimal Nutrition A 12-Wk Egg Intervention Increases Serum Zeaxanthin and Macular Pigment Optical Density in Women 1

Abstract Two carotenoids found in egg yolk, lutein and zeaxanthin, accumulate in the macular retina where they may reduce photostress. Increases in serum lutein and zeaxanthin were observed in previous egg interventions, but no study measured macular carotenoids. The objective of this project was to determine whether increased consumption of eggs would increase retinal lutein and zeaxanthin, or macular pigment. Twenty-four females, between 24 and 59 y, were assigned to a pill treatment (PILL) or 1 of 2 egg treatments for 12 wk. Individuals in the PILL treatment consumed 1 sugar-filled capsule/ d. Individuals in the egg treatments consumed 6 eggs/wk, containing either 331mg (EGG 1) or 964 mg (EGG 2) of lutein and zeaxanthin/yolk. Serum cholesterol, serum carotenoids, and macular pigment OD (MPOD) were measured at baseline and after 4, 8, and 12 wk of intervention. Serum cholesterol concentrations did not change in either egg treatment group, but total cholesterol (P ¼ 0.04) and triglycerides (P ¼ 0.02) increased in the PILL group. Serum zeaxanthin, but not serum lutein, increased in both the EGG 1 (P ¼ 0.04) and EGG 2 (P ¼ 0.01) groups. Likewise, MPOD increased in both the EGG 1 (P ¼ 0.001) and EGG 2 (P ¼ 0.049) groups. Although the aggregate concentration of carotenoid in 1 egg yolk may be modest relative to other sources, such as spinach, their bioavailability to the retina appears to be high. Increasing egg consumption to 6 eggs/wk may be an effective method to increase MPOD

Lipoic acid increases de novo synthesis of cellular glutathione by improving cystine utilization. Biofactors

Abstract. Lipoic acid (thiotic acid) is being used as a dietary supplement, and as a therapeutic agent, and is reported to have beneficial effects in disorders associated with oxidative stress, but its mechanism of action remains unclear. We present evidence that lipoic acid induces a substantial increase in cellular reduced glutathione in cultured human Jurkat T cells, human erythrocytes, C6 glial cells, NB41A3 neuroblastoma cells, and peripheral blood lymphocytes. The effect depends on metabolic reduction of lipoic acid to dihydrolipoic acid. Dihydrolipoic acid is released into the culture medium where it reduces cystine. Cysteine thus formed is readily taken up by the neutral amino acid transport system and utilized for glutathione synthesis. By this mechanism lipoic acid enables cystine to bypass the x − c transport system, which is weakly expressed in lymphocytes and inhibited by glutamate. Thereby lipoic acid enables the key enzyme of glutathione synthesis, γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase, which is regulated by uptake-limited cysteine supply, to work at optimum conditions. Flow cytometric analysis of freshly prepared human peripheral blood lymphocytes, using monobromobimane labeling of cellular thiols, reveals that lipoic acid acts mainly to normalize a subpopulation of cells severely compromised in thiol status rather than to increase thiol content beyond physiological levels. Hence lipoic acid may have clinical relevance in restoration of severely glutathione deficient cells

Outcomes of a Latino community-based intervention for the prevention of diabetes: the Lawrence Latino Diabetes Prevention Project

OBJECTIVES: We tested the effectiveness of a community-based, literacy-sensitive, and culturally tailored lifestyle intervention on weight loss and diabetes risk reduction among low-income, Spanish-speaking Latinos at increased diabetes risk. METHODS: Three hundred twelve participants from Lawrence, Massachusetts, were randomly assigned to lifestyle intervention care (IC) or usual care (UC) between 2004 and 2007. The intervention was implemented by trained Spanish-speaking individuals from the community. Each participant was followed for 1 year. RESULTS: The participants\u27 mean age was 52 years; 59% had less than a high school education. The 1-year retention rate was 94%. Compared with the UC group, the IC group had a modest but significant weight reduction (-2.5 vs 0.63 lb; P = .04) and a clinically meaningful reduction in hemoglobin A1c (-0.10% vs -0.04%; P = .009). Likewise, insulin resistance improved significantly in the IC compared with the UC group. The IC group also had greater reductions in percentage of calories from total and saturated fat. CONCLUSIONS: We developed an inexpensive, culturally sensitive diabetes prevention program that resulted in weight loss, improved HbA1c, and improved insulin resistance in a high-risk Latino population