Background: High serum phosphorus (hPhos) is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and increases the risk of metastatic calcification. Guidelines advise patients with hPhos to restrict dietary phoshorus intake to 800-1000mg/day, and compliance with this diet can be challenging. Innovative education may improve compliance. Hypothesis: Intensive dietary education using the Phosphorus Point System Tool© (PPS) will result in lower serum phosphorus levels compared to standard education (SE). Methods: This study compared the effectiveness of the PPS to SE on 1) serum phosphorus, 2) dietary phosphate intake, knowledge and satisfaction in pre-dialysis CKD. Results: The PPS reduced 12 week serum phosphorus by 0.16 mmol/L (95% CI 0.37 to -0.05, p=0.130) when controlling for baseline. Dietary phosphorus and protein intake decreased significantly at week 6 on PPS compared to SE (p= 0.026, p=0.050; respectively). Summary: Although there was a trend indicating the tool may reduce serum phosphorus levels, further research is needed.

Inflammation contributes to the etiology of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Therefore, it is of interest to investigate how diet relates to plasma inflammatory proteins, particularly whole grain and fibre intakes, as these factors have been associated with lower CVD and T2D risk. Only a limited number of observational studies have examined these relationships. The objective of this study was to investigate the cross-sectional relationships of whole and refined grain and dietary fibre intakes with plasma inflammatory proteins. There was a strong inverse relationship between whole grain intake and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) (β =-0.102; SE=0.038; p=0.0077), and a positive relationship between refined grain intake and PAI-1 (β=0.076; SE=0.034; p=0.0251). Additionally, dietary fibre was related to lower concentrations of C-reactive protein (β=-0.034; SE=0.010; p=0.0008) and fibrinogen (β=-1.207; SE=0.505; p=0.0171). This research suggests that whole and refined grain and fibre intakes may influence inflammatory protein concentrations.

Background: High serum phosphorus (hPhos) is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and increases the risk of metastatic calcification. Guidelines advise patients with hPhos to restrict dietary phoshorus intake to 800-1000mg/day, and compliance with this diet can be challenging. Innovative education may improve compliance. Hypothesis: Intensive dietary education using the Phosphorus Point System Tool© (PPS) will result in lower serum phosphorus levels compared to standard education (SE). Methods: This study compared the effectiveness of the PPS to SE on 1) serum phosphorus, 2) dietary phosphate intake, knowledge and satisfaction in pre-dialysis CKD. Results: The PPS reduced 12 week serum phosphorus by 0.16 mmol/L (95% CI 0.37 to -0.05, p=0.130) when controlling for baseline. Dietary phosphorus and protein intake decreased significantly at week 6 on PPS compared to SE (p= 0.026, p=0.050; respectively). Summary: Although there was a trend indicating the tool may reduce serum phosphorus levels, further research is needed.

Inflammation contributes to the etiology of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Therefore, it is of interest to investigate how diet relates to plasma inflammatory proteins, particularly whole grain and fibre intakes, as these factors have been associated with lower CVD and T2D risk. Only a limited number of observational studies have examined these relationships. The objective of this study was to investigate the cross-sectional relationships of whole and refined grain and dietary fibre intakes with plasma inflammatory proteins. There was a strong inverse relationship between whole grain intake and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) (β =-0.102; SE=0.038; p=0.0077), and a positive relationship between refined grain intake and PAI-1 (β=0.076; SE=0.034; p=0.0251). Additionally, dietary fibre was related to lower concentrations of C-reactive protein (β=-0.034; SE=0.010; p=0.0008) and fibrinogen (β=-1.207; SE=0.505; p=0.0171). This research suggests that whole and refined grain and fibre intakes may influence inflammatory protein concentrations.

Master of Science / Food Science Institute / Weiqun Wang / Anthocyanins, a sub-class of flavonoids, are natural pigments derived from phenylpropanoid pathway. Most tomato cultivars found in nature have very low content of anthocyanins, but dark purple tomatoes by ectopic co-expression of two transcription factors Delila (Del) and Rosea1 (Ros1) from snapdragon and chalcone isomerase (CHI) from onion accumulated high levels of anthocyanins. This study is to identify and quantitate anthocyanins in these transgenic tomato lines. Seven anthocyanins including two new anthocyanins [malvidin-3-(p-coumaroyl)-rutinoside-5-glucoside and malvidin-3- (feruloyl) -rutinoside-5-glucoside] have been identified in transgenic lines by HPLC-MS. The top two anthocyanins are petunidin 3-(trans-coumaroyl)-rutinoside- 5-glucoside and delphinidin 3-(trans-coumaroyl)-rutinoside-5-glucoside that contribute for 85% of total anthocyanins in whole fruit. Comparing with undetectable anthocyanins in the wild type, Del/Ros1-expressing tomatoes contain total anthocyanins at 4.95±0.42 g/kg dry matter in whole fruit, 5.09±0.62 g/kg dry matter in peel, and 5.56±0.29 g/kg dry matter in flesh, while CHI×Del/Ros1-coexpressing tomatoes have 9.61±0.71 g/kg dry matter in whole fruit, 29.9±1.64 g/kg dry matter in peel, and 8.65±0.39 g/kg dry matter in flesh. No anthocyanins are detectable in the seeds of each line tested. Enrichment of tomato fruit with new and high anthocyanins may provide potential health-promoting benefits.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Human Nutrition / Weiqun Wang / Body weight control via increasing exercise and/or decreasing calorie intake has been linked to a reduced cancer risk in animal models. However, the underlying mechanisms are not clear. This study assessed the impact of exercise with or without limited dietary calorie intake on the overview profiling of phospholipids and gene expression in the skin tissues of weight controlled-mice. Mice were randomly assigned to three groups: ad libitum-fed sedentary control, ad libitum-fed treadmill exercise at 13.4 m/min for 60 min/d, 5 d/wk (Ex+AL), and exercise but pair-fed with the sedentary control (Ex+PF). After 10 wks, Ex+PF but not Ex+AL mice demonstrated a significant decrease in both body weight and percentage of body fat when compared to the sedentary controls. Among 338 phospholipids measured in the skin samples by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, most classes of phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylcholine-containing lipids with ether linkage (ePC), and some lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC) significantly decreased in Ex+PF mice when compared to the controls. Furthermore, some species of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) containing omega-3 18:0-22:6 fatty acyl combinations increased significantly in Ex+PF mice. A total of 25 significantly-changed phospholipids were distinguishable between diet and exercise treatments by discriminant analysis. The reduced PI in Ex+PF mice was observed concomitantly with a significant reduction of PI3K protein expression. Among the 45,101 probe sets tested in skin tissues, expression of 839 genes was significantly changed by exercise with or without limited dietary calorie intake. The genes with impacted expression were involved in oxidative stress, inflammatory response, lipolysis, protein synthesis, and signaling pathway. Up-regulated expression of genes involved in elongation of long chain fatty acids in Ex+PF but not Ex+AL mice appears to partially account for increased level of 18:0-22:5PC/PE and 18:0-22:6 PC/PE. Taken together, these data indicate that controlling body weight via exercise with limited dietary calorie intake rather than exercise alone significantly modified phospholipid and gene expression profiles. The altered profiles may be associated with cancer preventive mechanisms; in particular, reduced PI and PI-related PI3K expression and altered expression of genes involved in protein kinase activity and lipid metabolism may prevent cancer.

Master of Science / Department of Human Nutrition / Mark D. Haub / BACKGROUND: Dietary supplements are increasing in popularity; individuals are looking beyond traditional methods of calorie restriction and exercise to improve health. Calcium is a critical nutrient for bone metabolism that has also been shown to enhance weight loss effects secondary to diet. PURPOSE: To determine whether eight months of calcium supplementation, in a liquid, shelf-stable form, increases bone mineral density or decreases body weight and/or body fat in free-living young adult women. METHODS: Volunteer subjects (n=42) were randomly assigned to a supplement group receiving 1,125 mg Ca2+/day (CA-BEV) or to a free-living control group (CON), which did not receive the supplement. At baseline and after the 8-month intervention (POST), dietary intake was assessed using 3-day diet records. Total body composition (body fat percentage, %FatTB; abdominal percentage fat, %FatAb; fat mass, FM; non-bone fat-free mass, FFM) and bone mineral density (lumbar spine and femoral neck; BMD) were measured via dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Subjects also completed a sub-maximal treadmill exercise test to estimate respiratory fitness at baseline and POST. RESULTS: At POST, the CA-BEV group's calcium intake (1,868[plus or minus]941 mg/d) was significantly greater than (p<0.05) the CON group (867[plus or minus]405 mg/d) and the calcium:protein ratio of the CA-BEV group (29.5[plus or minus]17.1 mg/g) was greater than (p<0.05) the CON group (12.9 ±6.2 mg/g). Those differences in calcium did not lead to predicted differences (p<0.05) between groups for BMD, body weight, %FatTB, %FatAB, FM or FFM. CONCLUSION: Our findings do not support the hypothesis that increasing calcium intake increases BMD or decreases body weight or body fat in healthy young women over an 8-month period despite a nearly two-fold increase in calcium intake.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal. / Le présent mémoire porte sur l'étude des programmes d'alimentation en milieu scolaire, une intervention qui a été adoptée dans plusieurs pays pour contrer les effets de la pauvreté chez les enfants. Les mesures alimentaires du programme en place sur l'île de Montréal ont fait l'objet d'une évaluation. Ces mesures instaurées à l'automne 1991 comprennent: des lunchs offerts à prix modiques pour les enfants dont le revenu familial est faible et des collations supplémentaires offertes notamment aux enfants inscrits aux séances d'études après les heures de classes. Le but de l'étude est d'évaluer l'impact des mesures alimentaires sur les apports nutritionnels des écoliers. L'hypothèse sous-tendant l'étude est que les mesures alimentaires permettent d'améliorer les apports en nutriments des écoliers présentant des apports inadéquats. Les nutriments les plus fréquemment déficients dans cet échantillon d'élèves sont les vitamines A et D, la folacine, le calcium, le fer et le zinc. L'apport alimentaire a été mesuré à l'aide de trois rappels alimentaires de 24 heures non consécutifs au pré-test et au post-test. Ces apports ont ensuite été exprimés en proportion des recommandations nutritionnelles. Le poids corporel et la taille des écoliers ont été mesurés une fois au pré-test et au post-test. L'apport alimentaire d'écoliers, mesuré avant l'implantation du programme (groupe PRE-TEST) est comparé aux données recueillies chez les mêmes sujets après deux années d'intervention (groupe POST-TEST[SUJETS]), et à un groupe d'écoliers du même âge que le groupe d'enfants au pré-test (groupe POST-TEST[ÂGE]). Pour l’évaluation du programme de lunchs, les écoliers étaient divisés en deux groupes: les participants et les non-participants, ils étaient sélectionnés selon leur participation ou non au programme de lunchs. Dans nos échantillons, un plus grand nombre d'enfants avait un poids corporel se retrouvant dans les limites supérieures que dans les limites inférieures lorsque comparées à des valeurs de référence. Ceci laisse supposer que l'alimentation de ces écoliers se caractériserait par un déficit qualitatif plutôt que quantitatif. En général, les nouvelles mesures alimentaires améliorent les apports en fer chez les deux groupes de sujets. De plus, le nombre d'enfants à risque d'apports inadéquats en fer et en folacine est considérablement réduit dans le groupe POST-TEST[AGE]. Les écoliers participant au programme de lunchs ont vu leur apport de calcium et de vitamine D (%ANR) augmenter significativement après l'implantation des mesures alimentaires, alors que les apports des non-participants ont diminué. Par contre, tes lunchs scolaires fournissent aux enfants moins du tiers des apports nutritionnels recommandés quotidiennement pour plusieurs nutriments, notamment en vitamine A, en calcium, en fer et en zinc particulièrement pour les enfants plus âgés. L'apport énergétique aux collations n'a pas augmenté au post-test alors que la qualité nutritionnelle des collations s'est légèrement améliorée, notamment en zinc, chez les deux groupes du post-test. En dépit de ces améliorations, la contribution des collations à rapport nutritionnel quotidien est insuffisante pour influencer significativement les apports globaux. Les nouvelles mesures alimentaires permettent d'améliorer les apports de certains nutriments. Cependant, le contenu nutritionnel des lunchs et des collations devrait être amélioré particulièrement lorsque ces repas sont destinés aux enfants plus âgés, lesquels ont des besoins accrus et présentent plus de risques d'apports inadéquats.

Master of Science / Department of Human Nutrition / Brian Lindshield / 5α-reductase 1 (5αR1) and 5α-reductase 2 (5αR2) convert testosterone into the more potent androgen, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), that is responsible for regulating prostate growth and proliferation. 5αR2 is the main isoenzyme in normal prostate tissue, however prostate tumors have increased 5αR1 and decreased or unchanged 5αR2 expression. Previously, finasteride (5αR2 inhibitor) treatment begun 3 weeks after tumor implantation had no effect on Dunning R3327-H rat prostate tumor growth. We believe the tumor compensated for finasteride treatment by increasing tumor 5αR1 activity to produce dihydrotestosterone to stimulate its growth. We hypothesize that finasteride treatment would not significantly alter tumor growth even if begun before tumor implantation, while dutasteride (dual 5αR1 & 5αR2 inhibitor) treatment would decrease tumor growth regardless if treatment is begun before or after tumor implantation. Sixty, 8-week old male nude mice were randomized to Control, Pre-Finasteride, Post-Finasteride, Pre-Dutasteride and Post-Dutasteride diet groups (all diets contained 83.3 mg drug/kg diet). Pre groups began their treatment diets 1-2 weeks prior to tumor implantation, while post groups began their treatment diets 3 weeks after tumor implantation. Tumors were implanted by subcutaneous injection of 1 x 10⁵ WPE1-NA22 human prostate cancer cells in Matrigel™ and allowed to grow for 22 weeks. Tumor areas, body weights, and feed intakes were measured weekly. At study conclusion, prostate and seminal vesicle weights were significantly decreased in all treatment groups versus the control. Dutasteride intake also significantly reduced seminal vesicle weights compared to finasteride intake. There were no significant differences in final tumor areas or tumor weights between groups, likely due to poor tumor growth. In follow-up studies, proliferation of WPE1-NA22 prostate cancer cells, and its parent line RWPE-1 prostate epithelial cells, were unaltered by treatment with testosterone, DHT, or the synthetic androgen mibolerone, suggesting that these cell lines are not androgen-sensitive. Thus, the lack of response to androgen treatment by WPE1-NA22 prostate cancer cells may explain the inadequate tumor growth observed.

Master of Public Health / Human Nutrition / Sandra B. Procter / Background: Engaging community has become a fundamental approach to improving health outcomes in resource-limited settings. Community coalitions, comprised of resident activists that mobilize to improve local conditions, are frequently utilized as partners for community-engaged research. However, there is limited research that documents how these partnerships affect the coalitions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of researcher-coalition collaboration in the pilot year of a four-year intervention program targeting childhood obesity in rural, low-income communities. Methods: Twelve pre-established community coalitions from seven states were selected to partner with academic researchers in a quasi-experimental study, and then assigned to either the control (n=6) or intervention (n=6) group. Both study arms received funding and access to a menu of evidence-based tools, but the intervention groups were also provided a trained community coach. Member survey data from a Coalition Self-Assessment Survey (CSAS) tool was completed at baseline and at one-year follow-up. Results: CSAS data were analyzed to identify factors related to coalition function and efficacy, and significant changes in both experimental groups were identified. Change in measures of membership recruitment, coalition capacity and coalition communication were unique to the intervention group. Problems for participation were alleviated significantly on all measures in the control group. Comparison of the study groups at follow-up demonstrated that greater research involvement positively impacted membership recruitment and coalition action plan. Conclusion: The data suggest that coalitions with a higher degree of partnership interaction may be more successful in addressing problems impacting their communities.