The Journal of nutrition
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The Journal of nutrition · Aug 2014
Deep RNA sequencing reveals that microRNAs play a key role in lactation in rats.
Understanding the regulatory contribution of maternal physiology to difficulties with lactation is beneficial to both mother and infant. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a type of noncoding RNA, may be involved in the regulation of mammary gland development and function. In the present study, a deep RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) technique was used to compare the expression profile of miRNAs and mRNAs of 2 pooled RNA samples from day 1 and day 7 postpartum (n = 1/d) rat (Rattus norvegicus) mammary glands to identify key miRNAs and their target genes that may control the rate-limiting steps of lactation. ⋯ The downregulated MTGs were enriched for the pathways involved in lipid biosynthesis. This gene cluster included 24 lipid metabolic process-related genes, which were putative targets of 10 differentially expressed miRNAs. These results will be helpful in discovering the biologic underpinnings of poor lactation performance in women attempting to breastfeed.
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The Journal of nutrition · Jul 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial Observational StudyThe 3 epimer of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol is present in the circulation of the majority of adults in a nationally representative sample and has endogenous origins.
Fundamental knowledge gaps in relation to the 3 epimer of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol [3-epi-25(OH)D₃] limit our understanding of its relevance for vitamin D nutrition and health. The aims of this study were to characterize the 3-epi-25(OH)D₃ concentrations in a nationally representative sample of adults and explore its determinants. We also used data from a recent randomized controlled trial (RCT) of supplemental cholecalciferol (vitamin D₃) conducted in winter in older adults to directly test the impact of changes in vitamin D status on serum 3-epi-25(OH)D3 concentrations. ⋯ The RCT data showed that mean serum 25(OH)D₃ and 3-epi-25(OH)D₃ concentrations increased (49.3% and 42.1%, respectively) and decreased (-28.0% and -29.1%, respectively) significantly (P < 0.0001) with vitamin D₃ (20 μg/d) and placebo supplementation, respectively, over 15 wk of winter. In conclusion, we provide data on serum 3-epi-25(OH)D₃ in a nationally representative sample of adults. Our combined observational and RCT data might suggest that both dietary supply and dermal synthesis of vitamin D₃ contribute to serum 3-epi-25(OH)D₃ concentration.
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The Journal of nutrition · Jul 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialDietary intake of advanced glycation end products did not affect endothelial function and inflammation in healthy adults in a randomized controlled trial.
When food is heated to high temperatures, the characteristic "browning" generates advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other adverse outcomes. Whether dietary AGEs are absorbed and are harmful to human health remains highly controversial. ⋯ There were no significant changes in serum and urinary CML concentrations from baseline to follow-up in the high-AGE diet group. A high- or low-AGE diet had no significant impact on peripheral arterial tonometry or any inflammatory mediators after 6 wk of dietary intervention. In healthy middle-aged to older adults, consumption of a diet high or low in AGEs for 6 wk had no impact on endothelial function and inflammatory mediators, 2 precursors of cardiovascular disease.
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The Journal of nutrition · Jun 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialDevelopment of a food-exchange model to replace saturated fat with MUFAs and n-6 PUFAs in adults at moderate cardiovascular risk.
The recommendation to reduce saturated fatty acid (SFA) consumption to ≤10% of total energy (%TE) is a key public health target aimed at lowering cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Replacement of SFA with unsaturated fats may provide greater benefit than replacement with carbohydrates, yet the optimal type of fat is unclear. The aim of the DIVAS (Dietary Intervention and Vascular Function) study was to develop a flexible food-exchange model to investigate the effects of substituting SFAs with monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) or n-6 (ω-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on CVD risk factors. ⋯ Plasma phospholipid FA composition showed changes from baseline in the proportions of total SFAs, MUFAs, and n-6 PUFAs for each diet group, with the changes in SFAs and MUFAs differing between the groups (P < 0.001). In conclusion, successful implementation of the food-exchange model broadly achieved the dietary target intakes for the exchange of SFAs with MUFAs or n-6 PUFAs with minimal disruption to the overall diet in a free-living population. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01478958.
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The Journal of nutrition · Jun 2014
Higher diet quality is associated with decreased risk of all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cancer mortality among older adults.
Increased attention in dietary research and guidance has been focused on dietary patterns, rather than on single nutrients or food groups, because dietary components are consumed in combination and correlated with one another. However, the collective body of research on the topic has been hampered by the lack of consistency in methods used. We examined the relationships between 4 indices--the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010), the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI-2010), the alternate Mediterranean Diet (aMED), and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)--and all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer mortality in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study (n = 492,823). ⋯ Specifically, comparing the highest with the lowest quintile scores, adjusted HRs for all-cause mortality for men were as follows: HEI-2010 HR: 0.78 (95% CI: 0.76, 0.80), AHEI-2010 HR: 0.76 (95% CI: 0.74, 0.78), aMED HR: 0.77 (95% CI: 0.75, 0.79), and DASH HR: 0.83 (95% CI: 0.80, 0.85); for women, these were HEI-2010 HR: 0.77 (95% CI: 0.74, 0.80), AHEI-2010 HR: 0.76 (95% CI: 0.74, 0.79), aMED HR: 0.76 (95% CI: 0.73, 0.79), and DASH HR: 0.78 (95% CI: 0.75, 0.81). Similarly, high adherence on each index was protective for CVD and cancer mortality examined separately. These findings indicate that multiple scores reflect core tenets of a healthy diet that may lower the risk of mortality outcomes, including federal guidance as operationalized in the HEI-2010, Harvard's Healthy Eating Plate as captured in the AHEI-2010, a Mediterranean diet as adapted in an Americanized aMED, and the DASH Eating Plan as included in the DASH score.