Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:31:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-02-18Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:40:53Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 leopoldo_apl_dr_botfm.pdf: 2253115 bytes, checksum: 28ca3088b9d995d2eab4a88eb473ac7d (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Atualmente mais de um bilhão de pessoas apresentam sobrepeso, sendo que, mais de 30% desta população é obesa. Diversas alterações estruturais e funcionais do coração em humanos tem sido frequentemente associadas com a obesidade. Modelos experimentais, por dieta hiperlipídica, têm sido utilizados para estudar a relação obesidade e coração. O trânsito de cálcio miocárdico tem sido extensivamente estudado em diversos modelos experimentais e frequentemente relacionado com disfunção cardíaca. Entretanto, a literatura mostra escassez de estudos que avaliaram a relação entre o tempo de exposição à obesidade por dieta hiperlipídica, o RNAm e as proteínas envolvidas na homeostase de Ca+2 miocárdico. Além disso, pesquisas relatam a influência dos hormônios tireoidianos nestas proteínas, podendo acarretar alterações na contração e relaxamento cardíaco.O objetivo principal desse estudo foi testar a hipótese que o aumento no tempo de exposição à obesidade acarreta diminuição na expressão e/ou fosforilação das proteínas e dos respectivos níveis de RNAm relacionados com o trânsito de Ca+2 miocárdico. Este estudo teve como objetivo secundário constatar se a diminuição na expressão gênica foi acompanhada de redução dos níveis hormonais tireoidianos. Os períodos de dieta hiperlipídica, utilizados nesse estudo, foram eficientes em promover obesidade, desde que o índice de adiposidade utilizado para caracterizar os animais como obesos foi 79,5%, 82% e 69,5% maior do que os respectivos controles, após 15, 30 e 45 semanas. O tempo de exposição à dieta hiperlipídica não promoveu alterações na gordura corporal total entre os grupos obesos; este resultado indica que, neste trabalho, não houve aumento na intensidade da obesidade ao longo do tempo. Neste estudo foram visualizadas algumas comorbidades frequentemente associadas com a obesidade... / Currently, greater than one billion people are overweight and 30% of the population is obese. Several structural and functional changes of the heart have often been associated with human obesity. Experimental models for high-fat diets have been used to study the relationship between obesity and the heart. Myocardial calcium (Ca2+) handling has been extensively studied in several experimental models and has often been shown to be related to cardiac dysfunction. However, few studies have evaluated the relationship between the duration of exposure to obesity and a high-fat diet, and mRNA and proteins involved in homeostasis of myocardial Ca2+. Some studies have reported the influence of thyroid hormones on these proteins, which may cause changes in cardiac contraction and relaxation. The main objective of the current study was to test the hypothesis that the increased duration of exposure to obesity leads to a reduction in the expression and/or phosphorylation of proteins and mRNA levels related to myocardial Ca2+ handling. This study had, as additional objective, to verify if the decrease in mRNA expression was accompanied by a reduction in thyroid hormone levels. The periods of exposure to a high-fat diet used in this study were effective in promoting obesity since the adiposity index used to characterize animals as obese was 79.5%, 82%, and 69.5% higher than controls after 15, 30, and 45 weeks, respectively. The duration of exposure to a high-fat diet did not change the total body fat between the obese groups. This result indicates that there was not an increase in the intensity of obesity over time. In this study, some co-morbidities often associated with experimental obesity existed, such as glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, hyperleptinemia, and dyslipidemia; however, the co-morbidities were not associated with changes in systolic blood pressure ...(Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Purpose: Food insecurity is an important social determinant of health and is linked with higher health care costs. There is a high prevalence of food insecurity among recent immigrant households in Canada. The aim of the present project was to evaluate the prevalence of food insecurity in immigrant and non-immigrant households in Ottawa, to explore determinants of food insecurity in that population and to evaluate the link between food insecurity, diet quality and weight status. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 258 Ottawa households having a child between 6 and 12 years old, with a mother born in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean or Canada. Health Canada’s Household Food Security Survey Module was used to evaluate participants’ food access in the past 12 months. Children’s dietary intake was evaluated with the use of a 24-hour recall and a modified Healthy Eating Index diet quality score was calculated. Chi-square and logistic and linear regression analyses were used to determine correlates of food insecurity and its link with diet quality and weight status (n=249). Results: A high rate of food insecurity (39%) was found among participants. Household food insecurity was associated with low education attainment, lone motherhood, mother’s visible minority status, recent arrival to Canada, limited English fluency, reliance on social assistance, and subsidized/temporary/COOP housing. Food insecurity was associated with consumption of sweetened beverages, lower consumption of saturated fat among children, and with obesity among mothers. Conclusion: These findings suggest that food insecurity is associated with certain indicators of poor diet quality among children and with obesity among mothers. The findings also highlight the need for food insecurity to be explicitly addressed in immigrant integration strategies in order to improve the financial power of new immigrants to purchase sufficient, nutritious, and culturally acceptable foods. Enhancing immigrants’ access to affordable child care and well-paid jobs, improving social assistance programs, and providing more subsidized housing programs would be beneficial to help reduce food insecurity and increase diet quality.

<p>Analiza ishrane je urađena na uzorcima 16 populacija vrste <em>Bufo bufo</em>, sa&nbsp;ukupno 356 adultnih jedinki. Od toga 8 uzoraka pripada podvrsti<em> B.b. bufo</em>-populacija sa 158, a 8 uzoraka <em>B.b spinosus</em> populacija sa 198 jedinki. Za analizu&nbsp;ishrane je kori&scaron;ćen i uzorak od 150 primjeraka, tek metamorfoziranih jedinki.&nbsp;Uzorci populacija su prikupljeni sa teritorije Srbije i Crne Gore. Ishranu ispitivanih&nbsp;podvrsta roda <em>Bufo</em>, na svim lokalitetima čine jedinke plijena isključivo predstavnici&nbsp;Invertebrata. Kod obje podvrste dominantan plijen su pripadnici reda Coleoptera i&nbsp;Hymenoptera kod <em>B.b. spinosus&nbsp;</em>(70,05%,16,92%), &nbsp;kod <em>B.b. bufo&nbsp;</em>(59,69%, 22,61%).&nbsp;Multivarijantna analiza urađena na ukupnom uzorku pokazujeda postoji statistički&nbsp;značajna zavisnost ispitivanih morfolo&scaron;kih karaktera žaba i promjenljive&nbsp;morfologije plijena. Korespodentna analiza je pokazala da jedinke obje &nbsp;podvrste&nbsp;preferiraju sličan plijen samo &scaron;to je učestalost tog plijena različita po podvrstama i&nbsp;polovima. Kod tek metamorfoziranih jedinki Anura na oba lokaliteta prisutan je isti&nbsp;plijen sa malim procentualnim razlikama. Prisustvo relativno visokog procenta&nbsp;Chironomidae ukazuje da ove jedinke nisu u potpunosti pre&scaron;le na terestrični način&nbsp;života. Dok prisustvo visokog procenta familija Formicidae i Byrrhidae ukazuje na&nbsp;<br />ishranu kojoj inače teže pripadnici vrste <em>B. bufo</em>, prelaskom na terestrični način&nbsp;života. Vrijednosti &scaron;irina trofičkih ni&scaron;a (B_A) po podvrstama pokazuju da je podvrsta <em>B.b. spinosus</em><i>&nbsp;</i>(B₁A=0,15) imala neznatno manju vrijednost u odnosu na podvrstu&nbsp;<em>B.b. bufo</em> (B₁A=0,16) , &scaron;to ukazuje na to da su pripadnici obje podvrste imale&nbsp;prilično ujednačenu ishranu. Na osnovu taksonomije plijena zabilježeno je veoma&nbsp;visoko preklapanje ni&scaron;a ishrane između podvrsta (95%). Veoma su oskudni&nbsp;literaturni podaci o ishrani ove dvije podvrste, &scaron;to podatke i rezultate ovog rada čini&nbsp;posebno vrijednim.</p> / <p>Diet analysis was conducted on the samples of 16 populations of species&nbsp;<em>Bufo bufo</em>, &nbsp;with total of 356 adult individuals. Among that, 8 samples belonged to&nbsp;sub-species <em>B.b. bufo</em> &ndash; population with 158 samples, and another 8 samples&nbsp;belonged to <em>B.b. spinosus</em>, with population of 198 individuals. For diet analysis we&nbsp;also used the sample of 150 individuals which have just finished metamorphosis.&nbsp;Population samples were collected from the territories of Serbia and Montenegro.&nbsp;The diet of investigated subspecies belonging to the genus <em>Bufo</em> from all localities,&nbsp;was composed of the Invertebrata exclusively. Coleoptera and Hymenoptera were dominant prey items in both groups <em>B.b. spinosus&nbsp;</em>(70.05%, 16.92%), and <em>B.b. bufo&nbsp;</em>(59.69%, 22.61%). Multivariate statistical analysis which was performed on the&nbsp;entire sample, showed existence of statistically significant dependence of&nbsp;morphological traits of common toadand variable morphology of prey. &nbsp;Correspondent analysis showed that individuals of both subspecies prefer similar&nbsp;prey, but the frequency of the prey occurance at different subspecies and sexes is&nbsp;different. Recently metamorphosed Anuran individuals from both localities, take&nbsp;the same prey with a small differences inpercentage. The presence of a relatively&nbsp;high percentage of Chironomidae indicates that these individuals are not completely&nbsp;moved on to terrestrial life. While the presence of a high percentage of the families&nbsp;Formicidae and Byrrhidae indicates a diet which usually species <em>B. bufo </em>aspire&nbsp;during the transition to terrestrial life. Values (B_A) of trophic niche width (B_A)&nbsp;indicate that the subspecies <em>B.b. spinosus&nbsp;</em>(B_A =15) had a slightly lower value&nbsp;compared to subspecies <em>B.b. bufo</em> (B_A =15) which indicates that both subspecies had&nbsp;a fairly uniform diet. Based on the taxonomy of prey, very high dietary &nbsp;niche&nbsp;overlap between subspecies was recorded (95%). Since there are very scarce&nbsp;<br />literature data about diet of the two subspecies, the data and results of this thesis are&nbsp;<br />particularly valuable.&nbsp;</p>

Yang, Nan. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 94-117). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ACKNOWLEDGMENTS --- p.I / ABSTRACT --- p.II / LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS --- p.VII / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.IX / Chapter Chapter 1 --- general introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- Cholesterol and cardiovascular disease --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Functions of cholesterol and lipoprotein --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- Cholesterol metabolism and regulation in the body --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- General process of cholesterol metabolism --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Cholesterol metabolism in liver --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3.2.1 --- The uptake of LDL cholesterol into the liver --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3.2.2 --- Cholesterol synthesis --- p.7 / Chapter 1.3.2.3 --- Synthesis of bile acids --- p.8 / Chapter 1.3.2.4 --- RCT pathway --- p.9 / Chapter 1.3.3 --- Lipids absorption in the intestine lumen --- p.9 / Chapter 1.3.3.1 --- Niemann-Pick Cl like 1(NPC1L1) --- p.10 / Chapter 1.3.3.2 --- ABCG5/8 --- p.10 / Chapter 1.3.3.3 --- Acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) 2 --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3.4 --- Cholesterol homeostasis --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3.5 --- The regulation of the cholesterol metabolism --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3.5.1 --- The role of SREBP-2 --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3.5.2 --- The role of LXR --- p.13 / Chapter 1.3.5.3 --- Feedback regulation of cholesterol --- p.13 / Chapter 1.4 --- Bile acid metabolism --- p.13 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- The function of bile acid --- p.13 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Bile acid synthesis --- p.14 / Chapter 1.4.3 --- Enterohepatic circulation of bile --- p.14 / Chapter 1.5 --- Effect of Dietary composition on the blood cholesterol --- p.15 / Chapter 1.5.1 --- Dietary cholesterol --- p.15 / Chapter 1.5.2 --- Dietary protein --- p.15 / Chapter 1.5.2.1 --- Research history of dietary protein on the cholesterol --- p.15 / Chapter 1.5.2.2 --- Dietary casein --- p.17 / Chapter 1.5.2.3 --- Soy protein --- p.18 / Chapter 1.5.2.4 --- Buckwheat protein --- p.18 / Chapter 1.5.2.5 --- Mechanism of dietary protein on the cholesterol --- p.18 / Chapter 1.5.3 --- Dietary fiber --- p.18 / Chapter 1.5.4 --- Other functional components in the diet --- p.19 / Chapter 1.5.4.1 --- Phytosterol --- p.19 / Chapter 1.5.4.2 --- Dietary flavonoids --- p.21 / Chapter 1.6 --- Chemical composition of Tartary buckwheat --- p.22 / Chapter 1.6.1 --- Buckwheat protein --- p.22 / Chapter 1.6.2 --- Dietary fiber --- p.23 / Chapter 1.6.3 --- Phytosterols --- p.23 / Chapter 1.6.4 --- Flavonoids --- p.23 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Effect of Tartary Buckwheat Flour on Blood Cholesterol Level in Male Hamsters / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.25 / Chapter 2.2 --- Objective --- p.27 / Chapter 2.3 --- Materials and methods --- p.27 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Hamsters --- p.27 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Diets --- p.28 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- "Determination of plasma lipid, lipoproteins" --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- Determination of cholesterol concentration in organs --- p.31 / Chapter 2.3.5 --- Determination of fecal neutral and acidic sterols output --- p.31 / Chapter 2.3.6 --- "Western blotting of liver SREBP-2, LDLR, HMGR, LXR and CYP7A1 proteins" --- p.36 / Chapter 2.3.7 --- "Real-Time PCR Analysis of mRNA or Liver SREBP-2, LDLR, HMGR, and CYP7A1 and Small Intestine NPC1L1, ABCG5, ABCG8, ACAT2, and MTP" --- p.37 / Chapter 2.3.8 --- Intestinal ACAT2 activity measurement --- p.37 / Chapter 2.3.9 --- Statistics --- p.39 / Chapter 2.4 --- Results --- p.40 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Nutritional composition of different flours --- p.40 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- "Growth, food intake and relative organ weights" --- p.44 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Effect of different flour diets on the plasma lipid profile --- p.44 / Chapter 2.4.4 --- Effect of different flour diets on organ cholesterol of hamsters --- p.44 / Chapter 2.4.5 --- Cholesterol balance and excretion of fecal neutral and acidic Sterols --- p.44 / Chapter 2.4.6 --- "Effect of different flour diets on hepatic SREBP-2, HMGR, LDLR and CYP7A1 immunoreactive mass" --- p.51 / Chapter 2.4.7 --- "Effect of different flour diets on intestinal ABCG5, ABCG8, NPC1L1, MTP, and ACAT2 immunoreactive mass" --- p.54 / Chapter 2.4.8 --- Effect of different diet group on intestinal ACAT activity --- p.54 / Chapter 2.5 --- Discussion --- p.57 / Chapter 2.6 --- Summary --- p.61 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Effect of DefattedTartary Buckwheat Protein Extract on Blood Cholesterol Level in Male Hamsters / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.62 / Chapter 3.2 --- Objective --- p.63 / Chapter 3.3 --- Materials and methods --- p.63 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Hamsters --- p.63 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Diets --- p.63 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- "Determination of plasma lipid, lipoproteins" --- p.66 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Determination of cholesterol concentration in organs and fecal neutral and acidic sterols output --- p.66 / Chapter 3.3.5 --- "Western blotting of liver SREBP-2, LDLR, HMGR and CYP7A1 proteins" --- p.66 / Chapter 3.3.6 --- "Real-Time PCR Analysis of mRNA or Liver SREBP-2, LDLR, HMGR, and CYP7A1 and Small Intestine NPC1L1, ABCG5, ABCG8, ACAT2, and MTP" --- p.66 / Chapter 3.3.7 --- Intestinal ACAT2 activity measurement --- p.67 / Chapter 3.3.8 --- Protein digestibility determination --- p.67 / Chapter 3.3.9 --- Statistics --- p.67 / Chapter 3.4 --- Results --- p.68 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Diet composition --- p.68 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- "Growth, food intake, fecal excretion" --- p.72 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Relative organ weights and organ cholesterol concentration --- p.72 / Chapter 3.4.4 --- Effect of different defatted protein extracts on the plasma lipid profile --- p.76 / Chapter 3.4.5 --- Cholesterol Balance and Excretion of Fecal Neutral and Acidic Sterols --- p.76 / Chapter 3.4.6 --- "Apparent protein digestibility in casein, TBP, WP and RP diet groups" --- p.77 / Chapter 3.4.7 --- "Effect of different defatted protein extracts on hepatic SREBP-2, HMGR, LDLR and CYP7A1 immunoreactive mass" --- p.83 / Chapter 3.4.8 --- "Effect of different defatted protein extracts on intestinal ABCG5, ABCG8, NPC1L1, MTP, and ACAT2 immunoreactive mass" --- p.83 / Chapter 3.5 --- Discussion --- p.87 / Chapter 3.6 --- Summary --- p.91 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Conclusion --- p.92 / References --- p.94

Uma dieta adequada em ferro biodisponível é fundamental para a prevenção da anemia por deficiência de ferro entre mulheres na idade reprodutiva, que são grupo de alto risco para essa morbidade. Dados da Organização Mundial da Saúde indicam que no Brasil, 19% das mulheres não grávidas em idade reprodutiva são anêmicas. Identificar fatores dietéticos associados com o status de ferro pode nortear políticas atuais voltadas à redução da prevalência de anemia, como é a fortificação de farinhas de trigo e milho com ferro. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a associação entre o consumo habitual de alimentos e o status de ferro de mulheres saudáveis na idade reprodutiva. Foram incluídas 127 mulheres entre estudantes de graduação e de pós-graduação de uma Universidade de São Paulo, com idades entre 18 e 45 anos, saudáveis (relato de menstruação regular e ausência de doenças crônicas ou parasitose intestinal) e não expostas a fatores não dietéticos associados com a deficiência de ferro (gravidez, lactação ou doação de sangue recentes). Foram excluídas do estudo as mulheres com alterações hematológicas ou do status inflamatório e aquelas com dados dietéticos inválidos. A partir de três registros alimentares (RA) e de um questionário de frequência alimentar (QFA), estimou-se o consumo habitual de 30 grupos de alimentos, utilizando a estratégia estatística Multiple Source Method (MSM). Os marcadores do status de ferro utilizados foram ferritina sérica, saturação de transferrina e hemoglobina. Associações foram testadas por análise de regressão linear múltipla, controlando-se pelas covariáveis: ingestão energética habitual, índice de massa corporal, uso de anticoncepcionais hormonais, nível de atividade física, cor de pele autodeclarada, tipo da dieta autodeclarada, idade e escore de fluxo menstrual. As análises foram realizadas no programa SPSS versão 21. Do total de 127 mulheres avaliadas, 16 (12,6%) apresentaram deficiência de ferro (ferritina sérica <15 ng/mL), sendo que 4 delas (3,1%) eram anêmicas (Hb<12g/dL). Valores de ferritina foram positivamente associados com o consumo de \"carnes totais e embutidos\" (&#946; = 0,3%; p = 0,032). Por outro lado, o grupo de \"frutas e sucos naturais\" associou-se negativamente com esse biomarcador (&#946; = - 0,1%; p = 0,039). Uma associação direta entre valores de saturação de transferrina e o consumo de \"carnes bovinas\" foi também encontrada (&#946; = 0,078; p = 0,030). Nenhuma estimativa de consumo habitual de alimentos correlacionou-se com as concentrações circulantes de hemoglobina, ainda que uma forte associação negativa entre esse biomarcador e o relato de restrição dietética de carnes tenha sido observada (&#946; = -0,582; p = 0,006). Entre mulheres adultas saudáveis, estimativas de consumo habitual de carnes e frutas podem predizer variações interindividuais nos biomarcadores do status de ferro. Visando a redução do risco para deficiência de ferro, as recomendações de ingestão desses alimentos devem ser contextualizadas num padrão alimentar saudável e variado, com foco especial na adequação do consumo de carnes não processadas, frutas e sucos naturais. / Dietary adequacy in bioavailable iron is essential to prevent iron deficiency anemia among women at childbearing age, population groups at high-risk for this morbidity. Data from the World Health Organization indicate that, in Brazil, 19% of non-pregnant women at childbearing age are anemic. Identifying dietary factors associated with iron status may guide current policies aimed at lowering the prevalence of anemia, such as the fortification of wheat and corn flours with iron. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of usual food intake with iron status biomarkers among healthy women at childbearing age. We included 127 students of University of São Paulo aged 18 to 45 years, healthy (self-reporting of regular menstruation and lack of a diagnosed chronic diseases or an intestinal parasitosis) and not exposed to non-dietary factors associated with iron deficiency (recent pregnancy, lactation or blood donation). Cases of hematologic or inflammatory status alterations as well as those with invalid dietary data were excluded from the study. Data from three diet records (DR) and a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) were used to estimate the usual intake of 30 food groups by employing as the statistical approach the Multiple Source Method (MSM). Biomarkers of iron status were serum ferritin, transferrin saturation index and hemoglobin. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to test associations, with adjustments for the covariates: energy intake, body mass index, hormonal contraceptive use, physical activity level, self-reported skin color, self-reporting of meat dietary restriction, age and a menstrual blood loss score. Analysis were performed in the SPSS program version 21. Among all women, 16 (12.6%) had iron deficiency (serum ferritin < 15 ng/mL), 4 of them (3.1%) were anemic (Hb<12g/dL). In the adjusted models, ferritin values were positively associated with \"total meat and sausages\" intake (&#946; = 0.3%; p = 0.032). On the other hand, \"fruits and natural juices fruits\" intake was negatively associated with this biomarker (&#946; = -0.1%; p = 0.039). A direct association between the transferrin saturation values and \"bovine meat\" intake was also found (&#946; = 0.078; p = 0.030). None of the usual food intake measures was correlated with circulating hemoglobin concentrations, although a strong negative association between this biomarker and self-reporting of meat dietary restriction has been observed (&#946; = - 0.582; p = 0.006). Conclusion: Among adult healthy women, estimates of usual meat and fruit intakes may predict between-person variability of iron status biomarkers. In order to reduce iron deficiency risk, recommendations regarding habitual consumption of these foods must be contextualized in a healthy and varied diet, focusing on the choice of non-processed meats,fruits and natural fruit juice.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

The gut microbiome is a community of closely interacting microbes living in the gastrointestinal tract. Its structure has direct relevance to health. Disturbances to the microbiome, such as due to antibiotic use, have been implicated in various diseases. The goal of this study was to determine how the gut microbiome reacts to and recovers from disturbance caused by antibiotics. Because diet also influences the microbiome, this study included the interaction between diet and antibiotics. Half of the mice in each diet treatment were given antibiotics to disturb their microbiomes. After cessation of antibiotics, mice were paired in combinations within diets to determine whether the microbiomes of control mice influenced the disturbed microbiomes of formerly antibiotic mice. Chapter 1. Diet significantly altered the structure of the gut microbiome but its effect was significantly smaller than the effect of antibiotics. There was a significant interaction between diet and antibiotics; the antibiotic effect was larger in the cornstarch diet than in the glucose diet. Dysbiotic microbiomes resulting from antibiotics were characterized by an increase in Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria, and a decrease in Firmicutes. Antibiotic administration also resulted in an initial increase OTU diversity, mainly because it reduced the abundance of dominant OTUs, resulting in greater evenness. Chapter 2. Seven weeks after the cessation of antibiotics (experiment termination), the effect of the antibiotics on the microbiome was still evident. The structure of the dysbiotic microbiome had not returned to that of control mice. Antibiotics significantly increased the relative abundance of some taxa and significant decreased the relative abundance of others. It was unexpected that the taxonomic hierarchy within the microbiome did not recover after 7 weeks following cessation of antibiotics. It would appear, therefore, that antibiotics established a new, semi-stable hierarchy. Chapter 3. When paired together, the assumption was that dysbiotic microbiomes of antibiotic mice would be positively influenced by microbiomes of control mice, based on the assumption that the control mouse would act as a probiotic for the antibiotic mouse, either via coprophagy or consumption of food contaminated by feces. Contrary to that hypothesis, the microbiomes of control mice became more similar to that of antibiotic mice. One can offer at least two hypotheses to explain this result, but neither was tested. First, compared to the control microbiome, the dysbiotic microbiome may have been more stable and thus more resistant to change due to invasion by OTUs from the control microbiome. Other research has shown that dysbiotic microbiomes have a high degree of stability. If this were true, the use of probiotics is questionable. Second, one or more of the antibiotics could still have been active at the initial phase of pairing, and coprophagy caused the microbiome of the control mice to rapidly become dysbiotic. If this is true, the experiment should have been conducted with a waiting period between the cessation of antibiotic administration and pairing.

abstract: The prevalence of obesity and obesity-related disorders have increased world-wide. In the last decade, the intestinal microbiome has become a major indicator of metabolic and gastrointestinal health. Previous research has shown that high-fat diet (HFD) consumption can alter the microbial composition of the gut by increasing the abundance of gram-positive bacteria associated with the onset of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Although, the most common form of obesity and metabolic syndrome intervention is exercise and diet, these recommendations may not improve severe cases of obesity. Thus, an important relevance of my project was to investigate whether the intake of an organometallic complex (OMC) would prevent the onset of metabolic and gastrointestinal complications associated with high-fat diet intake. I hypothesized that the consumption of a HFD for 6 weeks would promote the development of metabolic and gastrointestinal disease risk factors. Next, it was hypothesized that OMC treatment would decrease metabolic risk factors by improving insulin sensitivity and decreasing weight gain. Finally, I hypothesized that HFD-intake would increase the abundance of gram-positive bacteria associated with gastrointestinal disease. My preliminary data investigated the effects of a 6-week HFD on the development of hepatic steatosis, intestinal permeability and inflammation in male Sprague Dawley rats. I found that a 6-week HFD increases hepatic triglyceride concentrations, plasma endotoxins and promotes the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the cecum wall. I then investigated whether OMC treatment could prevent metabolic risk factors in male Sprague-Dawley rats fed a HFD for 10 weeks and found that OMC can mitigate risk factors such hyperglycemia, liver disease, impaired endothelial function, and inflammation. Lastly, I investigated the effects of a 10-week HFD on the gastrointestinal system and found an increase in liver triglycerides and free glycerol and alterations of the distal gut microbiome. My results support the hypothesis that a HFD can promote metabolic risk factors, alter the gut microbiome and increase systemic inflammation and that OMC treatment may help mitigate some of these effects. Together, these studies are among the first to demonstrate the effects of a soil-derived compound on metabolic complications. Additionally, these conclusions also provide an essential basis for future gastrointestinal and microbiome studies of OMC treatment. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Biology 2019

Dental caries is a common childhood disease and important health problem in the United States and throughout the world. Most studies that have assessed risk factors for dental caries focused on non-modifiable risk factors such as previous caries experience and socioeconomic status. It is also important to investigate modifiable risk factors that can be used in developing guidelines for risk assessment and prevention. The present dissertation assessed mainly the associations between dental caries and modifiable factors, including dietary factors, water fluoride levels and toothbrushing frequency in children, while adjusting for non-modifiable factors. Data were obtained from subjects who were participants in the Iowa Fluoride Study. Dietary data were collected using 3-day dietary diaries from 1.5 months to 8.5 years and detailed questionnaires from 9 years to 13 years. Dental caries examinations were conducted at about 5, 9 and 13 years of age. There are three main analyses. The first analysis assessed risk factors for a 4 group primary dentition caries experience variable: the caries-free (reference group), the d1, the d2+f, and the d1d2+f groups. The dietary consumption frequencies (from ages 3 to 5 years) for the children in the 4 caries groups were compared using multivariable multinomial regression analyses. Lower consumption frequency of milk at meals and greater consumption frequency of pre-sweetened cereal at meals significantly increased the likelihood of being in the d1 group. Greater consumption frequency of regular soda pop at snacks significantly increased the likelihood of being in the d1d2+f group. Greater consumption frequency of added sugars at snacks significantly increased chance to be in the d2+f group and the d1d2+f group. The second manuscript assessed risk factors for new mixed dentition cavitated caries determined based on surface-specific transitions from the primary to mixed dentition exams on 16 teeth using logistic regression analysis. Greater consumption frequency of processed starch at snacks significantly increased the likelihood of having new cavitated caries (p = 0.04 for the model excluding previous caries experience). The third manuscript used negative binomial regression with the Generalized Linear Mixed Models procedure to assess separately the longitudinal associations of 1) new non-cavitated caries and 2) new cavitated caries with modifiable risk factors. Surface-specific counts of new non-cavitated caries and cavitated caries at each of the primary, mixed and permanent dentition examinations were used as outcome variables. Greater consumption frequency of 100% juice was significantly associated with fewer non-cavitated and fewer cavitated caries surfaces. In this study, some factors were associated with caries at one age only, while others were associated with caries across childhood. Consumption of foods or beverages at meals generally decreased their cariogenicity. Previous caries experience is strongly associated with other independent variables in the regression models that examined risk factors for new cavitated caries. Thus modifiable factors that usually have weaker associations with caries might not be retained in the models due to collinearity issues. Future researchers are encouraged to present results both ways so that scientific communities can best interpret the complex results. Also, repeated measures analysis might be more appropriate for variables that are common in all age groups, such as toothbrushing frequency and fluoride exposures. More studies of the complex relationships between diet and caries are needed, including additional studies that place more emphasis on investigation of modifiable risk factors for both non-cavitated and cavitated caries.

With the broader aim of reconstructing long-term resource use and ecological history for better policy making in times of environmental change, this study is an attempt to decode the mutual effects of human subsistence practices, climate and socio-cultural organization in Sardinia between 4000 and 1900 BC. Was economy changing due to climate change? Was the environment changing due to economic practices? And how were economic practices and socio-cultural factors interacting? The answer is complex, and some convergence of complex systems theory, historical ecology and agency supports this. Diet, at the interface of all of these as fulfilling biological needs constrained by available resources, while being inextricably affected by ethnicity, age, class, gender roles, varies according to unceasingly changing variables. Stable isotopic analyses of human bone tissues were used to build a quantitative dataset, and then integrate this with all the other proxies. The use of bone apatite besides collagen enhanced the dietary reconstruction and the contextual production of paleoclimatic data. The application of correction methods to ensure that dietary signature is distinguished from environmental noise enhanced inter-site comparability, making it possible to outline broad trends over time. The results confirm the negligible role of seafood already documented in western Mediterranean late prehistoric groups. The long-held opinion that local Copper Age and especially Early Bronze Age societies relied more on herding than the Neolithic ones is not supported by the data: contribution of plant foods actually increased. Certainly the data do not indicate any heavier reliance on meat or milk and dairy. Considering the limited data from zooarchaology, material culture and landscape archaeology, the possible economic intensification could more likely be related to changes in power relations, gender roles and their construction through symbolically charged material culture. The two dry climatic events detected through δ18O values in accordance with previous independent studies seem to have had a role in triggering change, and such change followed specific routes based on the particular historical milieu.