The loss of bone mineral density (BMD) plays a major role in the increased incidence of osteoporosis in aging women and, consequently, strategies to maintain BMD are critical to quality of life for these women. The role of vitamin D in the accrual and maintenance of bone mineral and its relationship to the incidence and severity of osteoporosis is not well understood. By measuring serum and intake levels this study investigates the relationship of vitamin D to baseline BMD and changes in regional and total body BMD over 1 y. The role of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) is also investigated. Because SHBG binds with both estrogen, an antiresorptive agent, and testosterone, a bone formation agent, lower serum SHBG concentrations may promote a greater bioavailability of estrogens and androgens, which could decrease resorption, stimulate formation and increase BMD. Women who were 3-10 y postmenopausal, aged 55 ± 5.1 y, and taking or not taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) were randomized into exercise and non exercise groups: (1) No HRT, no exercise; (2) HRT, no exercise; (3) No HRT, exercise; and (4) HRT, exercise. The number of subjects per group at the end of one year was 25, 19, 27 and 20, respectively. The thrice weekly exercise regimen, consisting mainly of weight lifting and weight bearing activities, lasted for 1 y. Vitamin D deficiency was found in 3% of the subjects, Serum 25(OH)D₃ concentrations had inverse relationships with changes in BMD in the femoral neck (P < 0.05) and trochanter (P = 0.07). When subjects were grouped according to HRT status, BMD at baseline and one 1 y was never positively related to serum 25(OH)D₃ concentrations in HRT users, Subjects having greater than 80 nmol/L 25(OH)D₃ had significantly decreased concentrations of serum osteocalcin and urinary deoxypyrodinoline (Dpd) crosslinks (P < 0.05). Exercise had no effect on serum content of 25(OH)D₃. Serum concentrations of SHBG were not significantly related to BMD at any site, nor did they show a decrease with exercise even when HRT status was taken into account. Significant inverse relationships (P < 0.05) were found between SHBG, sex hormone indices (Estrone/SHBG; Estradiol/SHBG) and bone turnover markers, osteocalcin and Dpd crosslinks/creatinine.

Infection with mucosotropic human papillomavirus (HPV) is necessary but not sufficient for development of cervical intraepithelial lesions and its ultimate stage cervical cancer. The majority of HPV infections are transient and only a minor proportion of infections persist and progress to more advanced stages of cervical dysplasia. This suggests that other factors are involved in the pathogenesis of cervical cancer. Previous studies have determined an increased risk of cervical cancer associated with high HPV viral load. Other host factors such as nutritional status may be associated with HPV infection persistence and higher risk of developing neoplasia. In this study, we have developed a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay to quantitate viral burden of eight HPV types most frequently found associated with cervical cancer. This methodology was used to study the association between viral load and risk of cervical dysplasia. Our results indicate a strong association of high HPV viral load with increased risk of low-grade and high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (OR = 47.7, 95% CI = 17.04-133.58; and OR = 58.05, 95% CI = 18.43-182.89, respectively). Findings from this study suggest a linear increase of HPV viral load with cytological grade. In addition, we studied the association of HPV viral load with the concentration of circulating antioxidant nutrients and nutrients involved in DNA methylation previously associated with cervical carcinogenesis. Our viral load-nutrient study identified an inverse association of viral burden and circulating trans-lycopene (p, 0.0375), β-cryptoxanthin (p, 0.0494), trans-β-carotene (p, 0.0105), and a possible protective association with cis-lycopene (p, 0.0544) and lutein (p, 0.0977). A direct association with total viral load was observed for α-carotene (p, 0.0038), α-tocopherol (p, 0.0207), γ-tocopherol (p, 0.0288), and δ-tocopherol (p, 0.0446). Findings from this study suggest a role of circulating nutrients in HPV viral load. Overall, HPV viral load may be useful as a surrogate biomarker for HPV persistence.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a genetic and environmental factors involved disease resulting in cardiovascular dysfunction. This study investigated cardiovascular dysfunction induced by immunomodulators including methamphetamine (MA), high salt-fat dietary and retrovirus. The mechanism and potential therapeutic role of T-cell receptor (TCR) peptides in cardiovascular disease were studied. The immune and cardiac function changes due to chronic MA use were evaluated in C57BL/C mice with LP-BM5 retrovirus infection plus MA intraperitoneally injection for 12 weeks. MA treatment significantly decreased T helper 1 (TH1) cytokine production; tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and oxidative stress were significantly increased in both uninfected and infected mice; the load independent contractile cardiac function was significantly decreased. The poor dietary intake effects on cardiovascular function were investigated in one-month old C57BL/6J mice fed with two established dietary formulations, high salt (HS) and high fat-high carbohydrate (HFHSC), separately or in combination (HFHS) for 3 months. The HFHSC mice demonstrated significantly increased end-diastolic volume and end-systolic volume (p < 0.01) and a reduction of ventricular stiffness (p < 0.05). The HS mice exhibited arterial hypertension with an increase in maximum end-systolic pressure (p < 0.05) and a decrease of arterial elastance (p < 0.05) corroborated by an increase in heart weight to body weight ratios (p < 0.01) and vascular types I and III collagen. Modulated T-lymphocyte function with a suppressed TH2 subset fashion by TCR peptide vaccination significantly increased collagen I and III mRNA and protein in cardiac cells from naive mice (p < 0.05). The gelatinase MMP-2 and collagenase MMP-13 mRNA expression were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the compliance of heart (β and dV/dt min) was significantly increased by T-cell receptor peptide treatment (p < 0.05). LP-BM5 retrovirus-infection induced DCM was improved by TCR peptide treatment. The collagen I & III mRNA and protein levels were significantly increased by TCR peptide treatment in both fibroblast and cardiac cells (p < 0.05). In conclusion, drug use, poor dietary intake and retrovirus-infection as immunomodulation factors induce cardiovascular dysfunction mediated by T-lymphocyte dysregulation. TCR peptide, a selective T-lymphocyte function modulator, may be a promising pharmaco-therapeutic immunomodulator for cardiovascular disease.

Oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the primary etiologic factor for cervical dysplasia and cancer. An increased risk of cervical dysplasia is associated with persistent HPV infections. The rates of HPV infection are high compared to the relatively low rates of cervical dysplasia and cancer. This suggests that other factors are essential for HPV infection to advance to neoplasia. Previous studies have suggested that nutritional status may be associated with cervical dysplasia and cancer. This prospective study of 346 women investigated the relationship of HPV persistence with dietary and circulating concentrations of specific antioxidant nutrients or methyl donors over a scheduled 9-month period. Results suggest an inverse association of vitamin E (p for trend, 0.033) with an HPV persistence risk of 0.40 (95% CI = 0.18-0.91) among women consuming the highest tertile compared with the lowest tertile of vitamin E intake. A possible threshold effect was observed for lutein (p for trend, 0.054) with decreased risk observed for levels greater than or equal to the medium tertile (≥ 1042.4 μg per day). A protective association was also observed for dietary vegetable intakes of greater than or equal to the medium tertile (≥ 117 grams per day). Protection was not observed when supplements were included with food sources. Using circulating measures, elevated levels of cis-lycopene (p for trend, 0.046) and vitamin B12 (p for trend, 0.037) were inversely associated with HPV persistence. Women with circulating levels in the highest tertile of vitamin B12 were less likely to have persistent infection (OR = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.17-0.96) than those in the lowest tertile. Findings from this study suggest that elevated dietary intake of vitamin E, lutein, and vegetables as well as circulating levels of cis-lycopene and vitamin B12 reduce the risk of HPV persistence. Collectively, the results from this study suggest that improved nutritional status may reduce HPV persistence.

Aging is associated with a decrease in antioxidant defence mechanisms and a decrease in dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and melatonin (MLT). We measured lipid profile, lipid peroxidation, and the functional responsiveness of immune cells, in supplemented healthy elderly and aged mice. Human subjects were randomly assigned to receive a daily placebo, 1.8 mg β-carotene or antioxidant nutrients, 800 IU vitamin E plus 500 mg vitamin C plus 30 mg β-carotene plus 70 mg glutathione for 6 months. Antioxidant nutrients decreased the amount of plasma melandialdehyde and increased IL-2 production after 4 months. Also we investigated the effect of DHEA (19 μg/day), MLT (50 μg/day), or both in aged (16 months) C57BL/6 female mice. DHEA, MLT, or DHEA plus MLT increased IL-2, IFN production and decreased IL-6 and IL-10 production. Antioxidant nutrients can decrease one parameter of lipid peroxidation and improve IL-2 production in the elderly. MLT and DHEA can enhance immune function in aged mice.

The effect of the menstrual cycle on energy intake and the dieting habits of adolescents was examined retrospectively for three years in 64 eighth and ninth grade girls. Dieting episodes were found to be evenly distributed across the five menstrual phases with no greater proportion of dieting occurring during the follicular phase. Media, peers, family members, and social pressures have a larger impact on adolescent dieting behaviors as opposed to the menstrual cycle. Comparisons of energy intake between the pre- and postovulatory phases revealed no significant differences in any year. Fifty to eighty percent of the girls' cycles may have been anovulatory the first two years of the study. Variations in energy intake are not observed in anovulatory cycles due to low ovarian hormone levels. Changes in food consumption that correspond to menstrual phases may be observed in girls who are six years or more beyond menarche, when cycles are predominantly ovulatory.

Three commercially available herbal tea preparations (Weightless, Female Toner, and PMS) and one single ingredient herbal preparation, Chaparral (Larrea tridentata), were sequentially extracted with solvents of decreasing polarity (water, methanol and chloroform) and the crude extracts obtained screened for toxic/mutagenic potentials using the brine shrimp (Artemia sp.), mouse acute toxicity, Salmonella/microsomal mutagenicity, and chicken embryo bioassays. The crude aqueous extract from Weightless Tea was very toxic to brine shrimp larvae and had a cathartic action in mice at the highest concentration tested. While Weightless tea crude water extract was not mutagenic to Salmonella typhimurium TA100 at the concentrations tested, three chromatographic isolates obtained from a silica Gel 60 column were mutagenic to the test organism. Two of these isolates were detoxified after inclusion of a microsomal activation system. The teratogenic potentials of these isolates are unknown as the results obtained from the chicken embryo bioassay were not conclusive.

<p> Forty percent of United States Latino children are overweight/obese and at risk of developing chronic diseases. Latino children are the fastest growing segment in the United States and there is great need to develop effective interventions to help Latino families develop life-long dietary habits to slow current obesity trends. Ample research indicates that Latinos' health deteriorates with acculturation, but there is insufficient research whether acculturation of Latino parents leads to childhood obesity. In fall 2011, 40 Latina mothers answered demographic questionnaires from three focus groups of a non-experimental intervention study entitled Sanos y Fuertes by the National Council of La Raza/California State University, Long Beach Center for Latino Community Health. Means, standard deviations and frequencies provided information on basic demographics. Preliminary correlations and <i>t</i> tests with demographic factors identified covariates to include as the control variables for partial correlations. Current research questions sought to answer whether fruit and vegetable, energy dense food, and fast food intake were related to participant acculturation.</p>

<p> Geophagy, the consumption of mineral soil, is believed to have several benefits for herbivores. Soils high in clay are often implicated in the detoxification of plant secondary metabolites. High mineral concentrations in soils may also provide nutrients that are poorly available from plants. Local observers report that snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) use a lick in the foothills of the Brooks Range, Alaska. Using soil from this lick and other mineral supplements, I conducted a series of feeding trials on captive snowshoe hares fed felt-leaf willow (Salix alaxensis) or a formulated ration to determine whether geophagy resulted in a physiological benefit and, if so, which soil constituents are therapeutic. When fed willow leaves, hares ate more and lost less weight when they had access to soil. Access to soil increased sodium intake and dietary ratios of sodium to potassium in hares fed willow. Soil consumption resulted in higher calcium to phosphorous ratios for both diets. Across diets, higher sodium to potassium and lower calcium to phosphorus ratios corresponded to reduced weight loss. Access to pure calcium carbonate resulted in reduced weight loss in hares fed winter dormant willow twigs, suggesting that carbonates may also be an important component of this lick. </p>

<p> The purpose of this directed project was to develop a web-to-mobile meal-planning program, entitled The AMP (Automated Meal Planner) App. Specifically, this program generates pre-, during-, and post-workout meal plans for male and female athletes 20 to 45 years of age. This evidence-based meal-planning program was designed to provide athletes and active individuals instant access to healthy, nutritional lifestyle practices that ensure nutritional adequacy and bridge the gap between sports nutrition research and sports nutrition practice.</p><p> The metabolic "windows of opportunity" (pre-, during-, and post-workout) are the central focus of this meal-planning program. Meal plans are structured by nutrient timing (NT) to deliver precise amounts of nutrients at precisely the right times. Current sports nutrition research, principles and protocol were paired with an athlete questionnaire and a nutrient database through programmed algorithms. The algorithmic merger instantly generates personalized meal plans, which include foods, portion sizes, hydration, recipes, and timing. </p>