Emerging evidence has highlighted the connection between exposure to air pollution and the increa... more Emerging evidence has highlighted the connection between exposure to air pollution and the increased risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and comorbidities. Given the recent interest in studying the effects of ultrafine particle (UFP) on the health of obese individuals, this study examined the effects of gastrointestinal UFP exposure on gut microbial composition and metabolic function using an in vivo murine model of obesity in both sexes. UFPs generated from light-duty diesel engine combustion of petrodiesel (B0) and a petrodiesel/biodiesel fuel blend (80:20 v/v, B20) were administered orally. Multi-omics approaches, including liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) based targeted metabolomics and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, semi-quantitatively compared the effects of 10-day UFP exposures on obese C57B6 mouse gut microbial population, changes in diversity and community function compared to a phosphate buffer solution (PBS) control group. Our results show that sex-speci...
The goal of this work was to evaluate changes in dietary fiber measured by the traditional enzyma... more The goal of this work was to evaluate changes in dietary fiber measured by the traditional enzymatic-gravimetric method (AOAC 991.43) and the more recently accepted modified enzymatic-gravimetric method (AOAC 2011.25), mono- and disaccharides, and starch as a function of assessed ripeness in a controlled study of a single lot of bananas and in bananas at the same assessed stages of ripeness from bananas purchased in retail stores, from different suppliers. Sugars, starch, and dietary fiber were analyzed in bananas from a single lot, at different stages of ripeness, and in retail samples at the same assessed stages of ripeness. Mean fiber measured by the traditional enzymatic-gravimetric method (EG) was ~2 g/100g and not affected by ripeness. Mean fiber assessed with the recently modified method (mEG) was ~18 g/100g in unripe fruit and decreased to 4–5 g/100g in ripe and ~2 g/100g in overripe bananas. Slightly ripe and ripe bananas differed by ~1.1 g/100g in the controlled single-lot...
The USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) conducts research of value to US agriculture and the... more The USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) conducts research of value to US agriculture and the food supply. Most research conducted in the past has been reductionist in nature and primarily one-or two-dimensional. However, the colliding challenges of feeding a burgeoning world population, maintaining a food supply that both provides sufficient nutrition without contributing to obesity and other chronic diseases and addresses the impact of agriculture on, as well as by, the environment, have changed the complexity of the task. Today's challenges have become multidimensional, requiring systems-type approaches across multiple and diverse disciplines. These projects cut across traditional boundaries and seek to optimize agricultural productivity within the context of reducing environmental impact and maintaining or increasing nutritional value that ultimately impacts public health. In short, new projects must take a systems approach, and the synergy gained from this approach is only made possible by simultaneous modeling of disparate data sets, demanding a new approach to data.
Many terms for plant-derived food components are commonly used in the literature, but there is a ... more Many terms for plant-derived food components are commonly used in the literature, but there is a notable lack of standardization and definition of nomenclature. The use of terms is often field-specific, leading to misunderstanding and problems with literature searches and systematic reviews, and results in isolated and divided research; this impacts not only publication quality but also innovation, regulatory compliance, and enforcement. To begin to address this issue, this narrative review describes the current use and definition of terms. The terms are either chemical and/or origin-based, such as phytochemical (chemicals from plants), or function-based, such as phytonutrient, bioactive, or nutraceutical. The ultimate goal is to establish a common harmonized, evidence-based understanding for when to use each term, thereby providing clarity and a specific scientific basis for such nomenclature. Neither the quality nor the quantity of evidence needed to allow the use of functional te...
Background Bovine milk oligosaccharides (BMOs) have several demonstrated and hypothesized benefit... more Background Bovine milk oligosaccharides (BMOs) have several demonstrated and hypothesized benefits including roles in cognitive development and antipathogenic activities, making them promising ingredients for infant formulas and nutraceutical applications. BMO extraction from bovine milk is challenged by low concentrations relative to nonbioactive simple sugars like lactose. BMO abundances are known to vary with a cow's lactation stage, breed, and parity, but these characteristics are difficult to modify in existing dairy herds. In contrast, diet modification is an accessible target, and is already known to influence milk yield, lipid content, protein levels, and monosaccharide compositions. Objectives To determine the impact of a low starch high fiber versus a high starch low fiber diet on overall BMO profiles and individual BMO abundances in Holstein dairy cattle. Methods Milk samples were collected from 59 midlactation Holsteins in a crossover study featuring dietary modifica...
American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2001
Methionine metabolism forms homocysteine via transmethylation. Homocysteine is either 1) condense... more Methionine metabolism forms homocysteine via transmethylation. Homocysteine is either 1) condensed to form cystathionine, which is cleaved to form cysteine, or 2) remethylated back to methionine. Measuring this cycle with the use of isotopically labeled methionine tracers is problematic, because the tracer is infused into and measured from blood, whereas methionine metabolism occurs inside cells. Because plasma homocysteine and cystathionine arise from intracellular metabolism of methionine, plasma homocysteine and cystathionine enrichments can be used to define intracellular methionine enrichment during an infusion of labeled methionine. Eight healthy, postabsorptive volunteers were given a primed continuous infusion of [1-13C]methionine and [ methyl-2H3]methionine for 8 h. Enrichments in plasma methionine, [13C]homocysteine and [13C]cystathionine were measured. In contrast to plasma methionine enrichments, the plasma [13C]homocysteine and [13C]cystathionine enrichments rose to pla...
Declines of protein and minerals essential for humans, including iron and zinc, have been reporte... more Declines of protein and minerals essential for humans, including iron and zinc, have been reported for crops in response to rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, [CO]. For the current century, estimates of the potential human health impact of these declines range from 138 million to 1.4 billion, depending on the nutrient. However, changes in plant-based vitamin content in response to [CO] have not been elucidated. Inclusion of vitamin information would substantially improve estimates of health risks. Among crop species, rice is the primary food source for more than 2 billion people. We used multiyear, multilocation in situ FACE (free-air CO enrichment) experiments for 18 genetically diverse rice lines, including Japonica, Indica, and hybrids currently grown throughout Asia. We report for the first time the integrated nutritional impact of those changes (protein, micronutrients, and vitamins) for the 10 countries that consume the most rice as part of their daily caloric su...
Elevated levels of plasma homocysteine have been established as an independent risk factor for ca... more Elevated levels of plasma homocysteine have been established as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Homocysteine is in low concentration in plasma (5-15 µM) and is bound to other thiols (e.g., cysteine in plasma proteins) via disulfide bonds. Existing methods for measuring homocysteine have difficulty in reducing and maintaining the reduction of homocysteine for measurement. We describe a GC/MS method that first reduces the disulfides in the physiological sample matrix and then immediately alkylates the free thiols with 4-vinylpyridine to prevent the reformation of the disulfide bonds. We use a deuterated internal standard, [3,3,3′,3′,4,4,4′,4′-2 H 8 ]homocystine to account for losses associated with the isolation, derivatization, and measurement of the natural homocysteine. The amino acids are separated and derivatized to form the tertbutyldimethylsilyl derivatives. This method requires only 50 µL of plasma to measure homocysteine concentrations to 5 µM. Total homocysteine concentrations in plasma can be measured routinely from 0.5-mL samples with relative intra-and interday precisions of 1.3 and 4.0%, respectively. This method is sensitive enough to determine tracer enrichments of [1-13 C]homocysteine with a detection limit of <0.3 mol % excess and an average tracer precision of 0.6%.
American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology, 2011
We hypothesized that normal human mesothelial cells acquire resistance to asbestos-induced toxici... more We hypothesized that normal human mesothelial cells acquire resistance to asbestos-induced toxicity via induction of one or more epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-linked survival pathways (phosphoinositol-3-kinase/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin and extracellular signal-regulated kinase [ERK] 1/2) during simian virus 40 (SV40) transformation and carcinogenesis. Both isolated HKNM-2 mesothelial cells and a telomerase-immortalized mesothelial line (LP9/TERT-1) were more sensitive to crocidolite asbestos toxicity than an SV40 Tag-immortalized mesothelial line (MET5A) and malignant mesothelioma cell lines (HMESO and PPM Mill). Whereas increases in phosphorylation of AKT (pAKT) were observed in MET5A cells in response to asbestos, LP9/TERT-1 cells exhibited dose-related decreases in pAKT levels. Pretreatment with an EGFR phosphorylation or mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 inhibitor abrogated asbestos-induced phosphorylated ERK (pERK) 1/2 levels in both LP9/TERT-1 and MET5A cells as well as increases in pAKT levels in MET5A cells. Transient transfection of small interfering RNAs targeting ERK1, ERK2, or AKT revealed that ERK1/2 pathways were involved in cell death by asbestos in both cell lines. Asbestos-resistant HMESO or PPM Mill cells with high endogenous levels of ERKs or AKT did not show dose-responsive increases in pERK1/ERK1, pERK2/ERK2, or pAKT/AKT levels by asbestos. However, small hairpin ERK2 stable cell lines created from both malignant mesothelioma lines were more sensitive to asbestos toxicity than shERK1 and shControl lines, and exhibited unique, tumor-specific changes in endogenous cell death-related gene expression. Our results suggest that EGFR phosphorylation is causally linked to pERK and pAKT activation by asbestos in normal and SV40 Tag-immortalized human mesothelial cells. They also indicate that ERK2 plays a role in modulating asbestos toxicity by regulating genes critical to cell injury and survival that are differentially expressed in human mesotheliomas.
Evolution of coronary artery pattern according to short-axis aortopulmonary rotation: a new categ... more Evolution of coronary artery pattern according to short-axis aortopulmonary rotation: a new categorization for complete transposition of the great arteries.
Diesel engine emissions are an important source of ultrafine particulate matter (PM) in both ambi... more Diesel engine emissions are an important source of ultrafine particulate matter (PM) in both ambient air and many occupational settings. Biodiesel is a popular, 'green' alternative to petroleum diesel fuel, but little is known about the impact of 'real world' biodiesel combustion on workplace PM concentrations and particle characteristics including size, morphology, and composition; or on biological responses. The objectives of the present work were to characterize PM workplace concentrations and tailpipe emissions produced by the combustion of commercially purchased low sulfur petrodiesel and a waste grease B20 blend (20% biodiesel/80% petrodiesel by volume) in heavy duty diesel (HDD) nonroad equipment operating in a 'real world' rural recycling center. Furthermore, we assessed the in vitro responses of cell lines representing human lung epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) and macrophages (THP-1) after 24 h of exposure to these real-world particles. Compared to petroleum diesel, use of B20 in HDD equipment resulted in lower mass concentrations of PM 2.5 , PM <0.25 (particle diameter less than 2.5 and 0.25 micrometer, respectively), and elemental carbon. Transmission electron analysis of PM showed that primary particle size and morphology were similar between fuel types. Metals composition analysis revealed differences between fuels, with higher Fe, Al, V, and Se measured during B20 use, and higher As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni and Pb concentrations measured during petrodiesel use. In vitro responses varied between fuels but data supported that waste grease B20 particles elicited inflammatory responses in human macrophages and lung epithelial cells comparable to petrodiesel particles. However, the effects were more pronounced with B20 than petrodiesel at the same mass concentration. Since the primary particle size and morphology were similar between fuels, it is likely that the differential results seen in the in vitro assays points to differences in the composition of the PM. Future research should focus on the organic carbon and metals speciation and potential impact of real world particles on reactive oxygen species generation and mechanisms for differences in the cellular inflammatory responses.
We review selected aspects of the interactions between protein and energy in human metabolism and... more We review selected aspects of the interactions between protein and energy in human metabolism and nutrition. Following a short account of the underlying metabolic basis for the effects of energy on protein metabolism, the contribution made by whole body protein turnover to the metabolic rate is discussed, including the relationship between protein turnover and energy metabolism at different phases of life. The effects of changes in energy metabolism and intake on the nitrogen economy of the host are also reviewed briefly and we explore the relationship between amino acid oxidation and requirements for indispensable amino acids. Interactions between energy and protein metabolism need to be investigated in greater detail and also they must be considered in relation to further attempts to establish more precisely energy and amino acid requirements of people under various circumstances.
FoodData Central (FDC) is the center of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)-based food compos... more FoodData Central (FDC) is the center of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)-based food composition information web. It is an integrated data system that presently provides—in one place—five distinct types of data containing information on food and nutrient profiles. Each data type has a unique purpose. Two of the data types—Foundation Foods (FF) and Experimental Foods (EF)—represent “a bridge to the future” in food and nutrient composition. They provide data and metadata that have never previously been available from a database. The other three data types are well-established and familiar to many users: Standard Reference Legacy (SR Legacy), Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS) and Global Branded Foods Products Database (GBFPD). After more than 100 years of maintaining food composition data within the USDA, it was clear that change was needed to respond to the rapid increase in the number and variety of foods in the food supply, evolution of analytical approach...
Sustainability of our transportation system depends on making well-informed choices on vehicle en... more Sustainability of our transportation system depends on making well-informed choices on vehicle energy sources for human and goods mobility. Motor vehicles operating on fossil fuels are a significant source of air pollution risk and challenge the ability of humans to mitigate climate change. Biodiesel is a low carbon fuel substitute for petroleum diesel, but relatively little is known about how exposure to biodiesel combustion particles affects chronic diseases such as asthma and type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study examined the effect of particulate matter (PM) generated by the combustion of commercially available petrodiesel and soybean biodiesel fuels on inflammation and metabolic dysfunction using two types of in vivo experiments. To evaluate inflammation response, oropharyngeal 3-day exposures of females to B20 (20% biodiesel/80% petrodiesel by volume) and B0 (100% petrodiesel) particles from a light-duty diesel engine operating on a semi-transient cycle were followed by...
Training to ensure good documentation practices and adherence to regulatory requirements in human... more Training to ensure good documentation practices and adherence to regulatory requirements in human nutrition randomized controlled trials has not been given sufficient attention. Furthermore, it is difficult to find this information conveniently organized or in a form relevant to nutrition protocols. Current gaps in training and research surveillance exist in clinical nutrition research because training modules emphasize drugs and devices, promote reliance on monitoring boards, and lack nutrition expertise on human nutrition research teams. Additionally, because eating is essential, ongoing, and highly individualized, it is difficult to distinguish risks associated with interventions from eating under free-living conditions. Controlled-feeding trials provide an option to gain more experimental control over food consumed, but at a price of less external validity, and may pose human behavior issues that are unrelated to the intervention. This paper covers many of the expected practices...
Emerging evidence has highlighted the connection between exposure to air pollution and the increa... more Emerging evidence has highlighted the connection between exposure to air pollution and the increased risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and comorbidities. Given the recent interest in studying the effects of ultrafine particle (UFP) on the health of obese individuals, this study examined the effects of gastrointestinal UFP exposure on gut microbial composition and metabolic function using an in vivo murine model of obesity in both sexes. UFPs generated from light-duty diesel engine combustion of petrodiesel (B0) and a petrodiesel/biodiesel fuel blend (80:20 v/v, B20) were administered orally. Multi-omics approaches, including liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) based targeted metabolomics and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, semi-quantitatively compared the effects of 10-day UFP exposures on obese C57B6 mouse gut microbial population, changes in diversity and community function compared to a phosphate buffer solution (PBS) control group. Our results show that sex-speci...
The goal of this work was to evaluate changes in dietary fiber measured by the traditional enzyma... more The goal of this work was to evaluate changes in dietary fiber measured by the traditional enzymatic-gravimetric method (AOAC 991.43) and the more recently accepted modified enzymatic-gravimetric method (AOAC 2011.25), mono- and disaccharides, and starch as a function of assessed ripeness in a controlled study of a single lot of bananas and in bananas at the same assessed stages of ripeness from bananas purchased in retail stores, from different suppliers. Sugars, starch, and dietary fiber were analyzed in bananas from a single lot, at different stages of ripeness, and in retail samples at the same assessed stages of ripeness. Mean fiber measured by the traditional enzymatic-gravimetric method (EG) was ~2 g/100g and not affected by ripeness. Mean fiber assessed with the recently modified method (mEG) was ~18 g/100g in unripe fruit and decreased to 4–5 g/100g in ripe and ~2 g/100g in overripe bananas. Slightly ripe and ripe bananas differed by ~1.1 g/100g in the controlled single-lot...
The USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) conducts research of value to US agriculture and the... more The USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) conducts research of value to US agriculture and the food supply. Most research conducted in the past has been reductionist in nature and primarily one-or two-dimensional. However, the colliding challenges of feeding a burgeoning world population, maintaining a food supply that both provides sufficient nutrition without contributing to obesity and other chronic diseases and addresses the impact of agriculture on, as well as by, the environment, have changed the complexity of the task. Today's challenges have become multidimensional, requiring systems-type approaches across multiple and diverse disciplines. These projects cut across traditional boundaries and seek to optimize agricultural productivity within the context of reducing environmental impact and maintaining or increasing nutritional value that ultimately impacts public health. In short, new projects must take a systems approach, and the synergy gained from this approach is only made possible by simultaneous modeling of disparate data sets, demanding a new approach to data.
Many terms for plant-derived food components are commonly used in the literature, but there is a ... more Many terms for plant-derived food components are commonly used in the literature, but there is a notable lack of standardization and definition of nomenclature. The use of terms is often field-specific, leading to misunderstanding and problems with literature searches and systematic reviews, and results in isolated and divided research; this impacts not only publication quality but also innovation, regulatory compliance, and enforcement. To begin to address this issue, this narrative review describes the current use and definition of terms. The terms are either chemical and/or origin-based, such as phytochemical (chemicals from plants), or function-based, such as phytonutrient, bioactive, or nutraceutical. The ultimate goal is to establish a common harmonized, evidence-based understanding for when to use each term, thereby providing clarity and a specific scientific basis for such nomenclature. Neither the quality nor the quantity of evidence needed to allow the use of functional te...
Background Bovine milk oligosaccharides (BMOs) have several demonstrated and hypothesized benefit... more Background Bovine milk oligosaccharides (BMOs) have several demonstrated and hypothesized benefits including roles in cognitive development and antipathogenic activities, making them promising ingredients for infant formulas and nutraceutical applications. BMO extraction from bovine milk is challenged by low concentrations relative to nonbioactive simple sugars like lactose. BMO abundances are known to vary with a cow's lactation stage, breed, and parity, but these characteristics are difficult to modify in existing dairy herds. In contrast, diet modification is an accessible target, and is already known to influence milk yield, lipid content, protein levels, and monosaccharide compositions. Objectives To determine the impact of a low starch high fiber versus a high starch low fiber diet on overall BMO profiles and individual BMO abundances in Holstein dairy cattle. Methods Milk samples were collected from 59 midlactation Holsteins in a crossover study featuring dietary modifica...
American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2001
Methionine metabolism forms homocysteine via transmethylation. Homocysteine is either 1) condense... more Methionine metabolism forms homocysteine via transmethylation. Homocysteine is either 1) condensed to form cystathionine, which is cleaved to form cysteine, or 2) remethylated back to methionine. Measuring this cycle with the use of isotopically labeled methionine tracers is problematic, because the tracer is infused into and measured from blood, whereas methionine metabolism occurs inside cells. Because plasma homocysteine and cystathionine arise from intracellular metabolism of methionine, plasma homocysteine and cystathionine enrichments can be used to define intracellular methionine enrichment during an infusion of labeled methionine. Eight healthy, postabsorptive volunteers were given a primed continuous infusion of [1-13C]methionine and [ methyl-2H3]methionine for 8 h. Enrichments in plasma methionine, [13C]homocysteine and [13C]cystathionine were measured. In contrast to plasma methionine enrichments, the plasma [13C]homocysteine and [13C]cystathionine enrichments rose to pla...
Declines of protein and minerals essential for humans, including iron and zinc, have been reporte... more Declines of protein and minerals essential for humans, including iron and zinc, have been reported for crops in response to rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, [CO]. For the current century, estimates of the potential human health impact of these declines range from 138 million to 1.4 billion, depending on the nutrient. However, changes in plant-based vitamin content in response to [CO] have not been elucidated. Inclusion of vitamin information would substantially improve estimates of health risks. Among crop species, rice is the primary food source for more than 2 billion people. We used multiyear, multilocation in situ FACE (free-air CO enrichment) experiments for 18 genetically diverse rice lines, including Japonica, Indica, and hybrids currently grown throughout Asia. We report for the first time the integrated nutritional impact of those changes (protein, micronutrients, and vitamins) for the 10 countries that consume the most rice as part of their daily caloric su...
Elevated levels of plasma homocysteine have been established as an independent risk factor for ca... more Elevated levels of plasma homocysteine have been established as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Homocysteine is in low concentration in plasma (5-15 µM) and is bound to other thiols (e.g., cysteine in plasma proteins) via disulfide bonds. Existing methods for measuring homocysteine have difficulty in reducing and maintaining the reduction of homocysteine for measurement. We describe a GC/MS method that first reduces the disulfides in the physiological sample matrix and then immediately alkylates the free thiols with 4-vinylpyridine to prevent the reformation of the disulfide bonds. We use a deuterated internal standard, [3,3,3′,3′,4,4,4′,4′-2 H 8 ]homocystine to account for losses associated with the isolation, derivatization, and measurement of the natural homocysteine. The amino acids are separated and derivatized to form the tertbutyldimethylsilyl derivatives. This method requires only 50 µL of plasma to measure homocysteine concentrations to 5 µM. Total homocysteine concentrations in plasma can be measured routinely from 0.5-mL samples with relative intra-and interday precisions of 1.3 and 4.0%, respectively. This method is sensitive enough to determine tracer enrichments of [1-13 C]homocysteine with a detection limit of <0.3 mol % excess and an average tracer precision of 0.6%.
American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology, 2011
We hypothesized that normal human mesothelial cells acquire resistance to asbestos-induced toxici... more We hypothesized that normal human mesothelial cells acquire resistance to asbestos-induced toxicity via induction of one or more epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-linked survival pathways (phosphoinositol-3-kinase/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin and extracellular signal-regulated kinase [ERK] 1/2) during simian virus 40 (SV40) transformation and carcinogenesis. Both isolated HKNM-2 mesothelial cells and a telomerase-immortalized mesothelial line (LP9/TERT-1) were more sensitive to crocidolite asbestos toxicity than an SV40 Tag-immortalized mesothelial line (MET5A) and malignant mesothelioma cell lines (HMESO and PPM Mill). Whereas increases in phosphorylation of AKT (pAKT) were observed in MET5A cells in response to asbestos, LP9/TERT-1 cells exhibited dose-related decreases in pAKT levels. Pretreatment with an EGFR phosphorylation or mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 inhibitor abrogated asbestos-induced phosphorylated ERK (pERK) 1/2 levels in both LP9/TERT-1 and MET5A cells as well as increases in pAKT levels in MET5A cells. Transient transfection of small interfering RNAs targeting ERK1, ERK2, or AKT revealed that ERK1/2 pathways were involved in cell death by asbestos in both cell lines. Asbestos-resistant HMESO or PPM Mill cells with high endogenous levels of ERKs or AKT did not show dose-responsive increases in pERK1/ERK1, pERK2/ERK2, or pAKT/AKT levels by asbestos. However, small hairpin ERK2 stable cell lines created from both malignant mesothelioma lines were more sensitive to asbestos toxicity than shERK1 and shControl lines, and exhibited unique, tumor-specific changes in endogenous cell death-related gene expression. Our results suggest that EGFR phosphorylation is causally linked to pERK and pAKT activation by asbestos in normal and SV40 Tag-immortalized human mesothelial cells. They also indicate that ERK2 plays a role in modulating asbestos toxicity by regulating genes critical to cell injury and survival that are differentially expressed in human mesotheliomas.
Evolution of coronary artery pattern according to short-axis aortopulmonary rotation: a new categ... more Evolution of coronary artery pattern according to short-axis aortopulmonary rotation: a new categorization for complete transposition of the great arteries.
Diesel engine emissions are an important source of ultrafine particulate matter (PM) in both ambi... more Diesel engine emissions are an important source of ultrafine particulate matter (PM) in both ambient air and many occupational settings. Biodiesel is a popular, 'green' alternative to petroleum diesel fuel, but little is known about the impact of 'real world' biodiesel combustion on workplace PM concentrations and particle characteristics including size, morphology, and composition; or on biological responses. The objectives of the present work were to characterize PM workplace concentrations and tailpipe emissions produced by the combustion of commercially purchased low sulfur petrodiesel and a waste grease B20 blend (20% biodiesel/80% petrodiesel by volume) in heavy duty diesel (HDD) nonroad equipment operating in a 'real world' rural recycling center. Furthermore, we assessed the in vitro responses of cell lines representing human lung epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) and macrophages (THP-1) after 24 h of exposure to these real-world particles. Compared to petroleum diesel, use of B20 in HDD equipment resulted in lower mass concentrations of PM 2.5 , PM <0.25 (particle diameter less than 2.5 and 0.25 micrometer, respectively), and elemental carbon. Transmission electron analysis of PM showed that primary particle size and morphology were similar between fuel types. Metals composition analysis revealed differences between fuels, with higher Fe, Al, V, and Se measured during B20 use, and higher As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni and Pb concentrations measured during petrodiesel use. In vitro responses varied between fuels but data supported that waste grease B20 particles elicited inflammatory responses in human macrophages and lung epithelial cells comparable to petrodiesel particles. However, the effects were more pronounced with B20 than petrodiesel at the same mass concentration. Since the primary particle size and morphology were similar between fuels, it is likely that the differential results seen in the in vitro assays points to differences in the composition of the PM. Future research should focus on the organic carbon and metals speciation and potential impact of real world particles on reactive oxygen species generation and mechanisms for differences in the cellular inflammatory responses.
We review selected aspects of the interactions between protein and energy in human metabolism and... more We review selected aspects of the interactions between protein and energy in human metabolism and nutrition. Following a short account of the underlying metabolic basis for the effects of energy on protein metabolism, the contribution made by whole body protein turnover to the metabolic rate is discussed, including the relationship between protein turnover and energy metabolism at different phases of life. The effects of changes in energy metabolism and intake on the nitrogen economy of the host are also reviewed briefly and we explore the relationship between amino acid oxidation and requirements for indispensable amino acids. Interactions between energy and protein metabolism need to be investigated in greater detail and also they must be considered in relation to further attempts to establish more precisely energy and amino acid requirements of people under various circumstances.
FoodData Central (FDC) is the center of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)-based food compos... more FoodData Central (FDC) is the center of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)-based food composition information web. It is an integrated data system that presently provides—in one place—five distinct types of data containing information on food and nutrient profiles. Each data type has a unique purpose. Two of the data types—Foundation Foods (FF) and Experimental Foods (EF)—represent “a bridge to the future” in food and nutrient composition. They provide data and metadata that have never previously been available from a database. The other three data types are well-established and familiar to many users: Standard Reference Legacy (SR Legacy), Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS) and Global Branded Foods Products Database (GBFPD). After more than 100 years of maintaining food composition data within the USDA, it was clear that change was needed to respond to the rapid increase in the number and variety of foods in the food supply, evolution of analytical approach...
Sustainability of our transportation system depends on making well-informed choices on vehicle en... more Sustainability of our transportation system depends on making well-informed choices on vehicle energy sources for human and goods mobility. Motor vehicles operating on fossil fuels are a significant source of air pollution risk and challenge the ability of humans to mitigate climate change. Biodiesel is a low carbon fuel substitute for petroleum diesel, but relatively little is known about how exposure to biodiesel combustion particles affects chronic diseases such as asthma and type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study examined the effect of particulate matter (PM) generated by the combustion of commercially available petrodiesel and soybean biodiesel fuels on inflammation and metabolic dysfunction using two types of in vivo experiments. To evaluate inflammation response, oropharyngeal 3-day exposures of females to B20 (20% biodiesel/80% petrodiesel by volume) and B0 (100% petrodiesel) particles from a light-duty diesel engine operating on a semi-transient cycle were followed by...
Training to ensure good documentation practices and adherence to regulatory requirements in human... more Training to ensure good documentation practices and adherence to regulatory requirements in human nutrition randomized controlled trials has not been given sufficient attention. Furthermore, it is difficult to find this information conveniently organized or in a form relevant to nutrition protocols. Current gaps in training and research surveillance exist in clinical nutrition research because training modules emphasize drugs and devices, promote reliance on monitoring boards, and lack nutrition expertise on human nutrition research teams. Additionally, because eating is essential, ongoing, and highly individualized, it is difficult to distinguish risks associated with interventions from eating under free-living conditions. Controlled-feeding trials provide an option to gain more experimental control over food consumed, but at a price of less external validity, and may pose human behavior issues that are unrelated to the intervention. This paper covers many of the expected practices...
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Papers by Naomi Fukagawa