A Regional Food-Frequency Questionnaire for the US Mississippi Delta

Objective: To describe food sources of nutrient intake for white and African American adults in the Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD), and their use in the development of a regional food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) based on an earlier version of the National Cancer Institute\u27s Health Habits and History Questionnaire. Design: We ranked food sources of energy, macronutrients, vitamins and minerals, and examined portion size distributions for 842 white and 857 African American residents aged 19 years and older, using 24-hour dietary intake recall data from a telephone survey of 36 LMD counties. These values were used to develop a regional FFQ, which was then field-tested with 100 subjects and revised to improve interpretability. Setting: The LMD region of the USA. Subjects: White and African American adult residents of the LMD. Results: LMD African Americans obtained more of their energy and nutrient intakes from poultry, processed meat, salty snacks, fruit drinks, pork and cornbread; and less from milk, alcohol, legumes, salad dressing, butter/margarine and sweetened tea than did white residents. Regional foods not on nationally used FFQs included grits, turnip greens, okra, ham hocks, chitterlings, crawfish, catfish, cracklings, jambalaya, potato logs, chicken and dumplings, and sweet potato pie. Based on responses during field-testing, the questionnaire was also designed to add four portion sizes for each food item, presented as questions, rather than in grid format. Conclusions: Regional food use patterns differ from national patterns and furthermore differ between African American and white adults in the LMD. The resulting Delta NIRI FFQ for Adults should contribute to improved assessment of usual intake for use in studies of diet and health in this region

Simulated reductions in consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages improves diet quality in Lower Mississippi Delta adults

Although the effects of replacing sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) with water on energy intake and body weight have been reported, little is known about how these replacements affect diet quality.To simulate the effects of replacing SSBs with tap water on diet quality and total energy intake of Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD) adults.Retrospective analysis of cross-sectional dietary intake data using a representative sample of LMD adults (n=1,689). Diet quality was measured using the Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI-2005) scores that were computed using the population ratio method. The effects of substituting SSBs with water on diet quality were simulated by replacing the targeted items’ nutrient profile with tap water's profile.Simulating the replacement of SSBs with tap water at 25, 50, and 100% levels resulted in 1-, 2.3-, and 3.8-point increases, respectively, in the HEI-2005 total score. Based on a mean daily intake of 2,011 kcal, 100% substitution of SSBs with tap water would result in 11% reduction in energy intake.Replacing SSBs with water could substantially improve the diet quality of the LMD adult population and potentially lead to significant weight loss overtime. Prioritizing intervention efforts to focus on the replacement of SSBs with energy-free drinks may be the most efficacious approach for conveying potentially substantial health benefits in this and similar disadvantaged populations

Role of CD44 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma invasiveness after antiangiogenic treatment

Treballs Finals de Grau de Farmàcia, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona, 2017. Tutor/a: Joan Carles Rodríguez Rubio.[eng] During last century, big effort to understand the biochemical basis of cancer was carried out. One of the principal branches of these cancer investigations used drugs to prevent the formation of new blood vessels –process called angiogenesis– responsible for the nutrients supply of the tumour. These drugs are generally called antiangiogenics. It was discovered that some types of tumour have or develop resistance to these drugs when treatment was long enough. For that reason, mechanisms of resistance, aggressiveness, invasion and/or metastasis after the treatment are nowadays relevant to study. Recently, a protein that could be involved in the increased invasiveness of tumour cells after the antiangiogenic treatment appeared. This project collects some evidence that indicates that this protein, called CD44, might play a role in the increased invasion after antiangiogenic treatment in mouse models of renal carcinoma.[cat] Durant l’últim segle, s’ha fet un gran esforç per aprofundir en la basant bioquímica de la investigació contra el càncer. Una de les branques principals d’aquesta investigació utilitza fàrmacs que prevenen la formació de nous vasos sanguinis –procés anomenat angiogènesis- encarregats de nodrir el tumor. Aquests fàrmacs es diuen generalment antiangiogènics. S’ha descobert que alguns tipus de tumor tenen o desenvolupen resistència a aquests fàrmacs quan el tractament és prou llarg. Per aquesta raó, actualment s’està investigant profundament quins són els mecanismes pels quals apareix aquesta resistència, així com també perquè els tumors es tornen més agressius, invasius i/o metastàtics després del tractament. Recentment s’ha descobert una proteïna que podria estar involucrada en l’augment de la invasivitat de les cèl·lules tumorals després del tractament antiangiogènic. Aquest treball recull algunes de les evidències que apunten cap al paper de la proteïna CD44 en l’increment de la invasió tumoral post-tractament amb fàrmacs antiangiogènics en models ratolins de càncer renal

The Effect of Locally Delivered Controlledâ Release Doxycycline or Scaling and Root Planing on Periodontal Maintenance Patients Over 9 Months

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142157/1/jper0022.pd

Two Multiâ Center Studies Evaluating Locally Delivered Doxycycline Hyclate, Placebo Control, Oral Hygiene, and Scaling and Root Planing in the Treatment of Periodontitis

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142011/1/jper0490.pd

Genetic associations with micronutrient levels identified in immune and gastrointestinal networks

The discovery of vitamins and clarification of their role in preventing frank essential nutrient deficiencies occurred in the early 1900s. Much vitamin research has understandably focused on public health and the effects of single nutrients to alleviate acute conditions. The physio- logical processes for maintaining health, however, are complex systems that depend upon interactions between multiple nutrients, environmental factors, and genetic makeup. To analyze the relationship between these factors and nutritional health, data were obtained from an observational, community-based participatory research program of children and teens (age 6–14) enrolled in a summer day camp in the Delta region of Arkansas. Assessments of erythrocyte S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), plasma homocysteine (Hcy) and 6 organic micronutrients (retinol, 25-hydroxy vitamin D3, pyridoxal, thiamin, riboflavin, and vitamin E), and 1,129 plasma proteins were performed at 3 time points in each of 2 years. Genetic makeup was analyzed with 1 M SNP genotyping arrays, and nutrient status was assessed with 24-h dietary intake questionnaires. A pattern of metabolites (met_PC1) that included the ratio of erythro- cyte SAM/SAH, Hcy, and 5 vitamins were identified by principal component analysis. Met_PC1 levels were sig- nificantly associated with (1) single-nucleotide polymor- phisms, (2) levels of plasma proteins, and (3) multilocus genotypes coding for gastrointestinal and immune func- tions, as identified in a global network of metabolic/pro- tein–protein interactions. Subsequent mining of data from curated pathway, network, and genome-wide association studies identified genetic and functional relationships that may be explained by gene–nutrient interactions. The sys- tems nutrition strategy described here has thus associated a multivariate metabolite pattern in blood with genes involved in immune and gastrointestinal functions

Pursuit of the Elusive Antecedents: Action Research Unveils Factors Influencing Technology Adoption by Small Law Firms

Given their role in the business service sector in the United States, law firms are significant in terms of employment and revenue. Despite its size, only limited management research has examined this business service sector. This research examined technology adoption by attorneys and law firms, using action research to discover unique variables, and uses the findings to propose an expanded Technology Acceptance Model

Community—Academia Partnerships to Promote Nutrition in the Lower Mississippi Delta: Community Members\u27 Perceptions of Effectiveness, Barriers, and Factors Related to Success

This study examined the perceptions of community members\u27 engaged in community—academia partnerships involved in developing nutrition interventions in three communities in the Lower Mississippi Delta. Perceptions on effectiveness of the partnerships were investigated. Six focus group interviews were conducted, with 33 participants that included 27 females and 6 males. The data were analyzed by content coding. Emerging themes were identified and related to accomplishments, barriers to success, and factors related to success of the partnerships. Accomplishments included the establishment of active committees, positive changes in health behavior related to food choices, and participation in community events. Barriers to success included the slow pace of intervention implementation, difficulties with understanding the role of the community in the participatory research process, the decision-making processes, and project name recognition. Factors related to success were tangible benefits to the community, participation that was representative, simplification of the research process, and the decision-making processes. © 2008, SAGE Publications. All rights reserved

\u3ci\u3eSaltipedis (Spinosaltipedis) puertoricensis\u3c/i\u3e, a New Subgenus and Species of Apseudomorphan (Crustacea: Tanaidacea: Parapseudidae) From Coastal Waters off Culebra Island, Puerto Rico, With Keys and Taxonomic Observations

Saltipedis (Spinosaltipedis) puertoricensis, n. subgen, n. sp., is described from eastern Puerto Rico off Culebra Island at a depth of 28 m. The new species is the fourth representative of the genus Saltipedis Gutu to be described from the western Atlantic. The new subgenus is distinguished from the currently recognized members of the subgenus Saltipedis Gutu by the presence of strongly developed accessory setae on the mandible between the base of the palp and the molar process. A combination of other characters that further distinguish S. puertoricensis from its congeners includes: (1) rostrum having an acute tip and with lateral margins convex; (2) absence of epistomal spine; (3) setation patterns on the first pereopod, inner margin of uropodal basal article, and the pleotelson; and (4) male chela having a distinct tooth on both the fixed and movable fingers. Pending further systematic study, Longipedis Larsen and Shimomura is resurrected to full generic status. Keys for the separation of the females and known males of Saltipedis are presented. Some of the taxonomic problems defining the genus Saltipedis and related genera are briefly discussed