Gemstone Team Research

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    The Effect of Diet-Induced Obesity and Subsequent Weight Loss on Body Composition, Glucose Clearance, Metabolite Profile and Liver Amp-Activated Protein Kinase in Mice
    (2013) Brumback, Shelby; Byun, Jamie; Cohen, Jacob; Huang, Feili; Kango, Ghazal; Latushko, Anastasiya; Lin, Michael; Mamunes, Alexander; Modric, Marko; Rosenberg, Kenneth; Sun, Oliver; Thomas, Christina; Bequette, Brian J.
    Obesity, currently an epidemic, is a difficult disease to combat because it is marked by both a change in body weight and an underlying dysregulation in metabolism, making consistent weight loss challenging. We sought to elucidate this metabolic dysregulation resulting from diet-induced obesity (DIO) that persists through subsequent weight loss. We hypothesized that weight gain imparts a change in “metabolic set point” persisting through subsequent weight loss and that this modification may involve a persistent change in hepatic AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a key energy-sensing enzyme in the body. To test these hypotheses, we tracked metabolic perturbations through this period, measuring changes in hepatic AMPK. To further understand the role of AMPK we used AICAR, an AMPK activator, following DIO. Our findings established a more dynamic metabolic model of DIO and subsequent weight loss. We observed hepatic AMPK elevation following weight loss, but AICAR administration without similar dieting was unsuccessful in improving metabolic dysregulation. Our findings provide an approach to modeling DIO and subsequent dieting that can be built upon in future studies and hopefully contribute to more effective long-term treatments of obesity.
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    Effects of Web-Based Self-Reporting: College Students’ Self-Efficacy Regarding Fruit and Vegetable Intake
    (2013) Cunningham, Britni; Dols, Amanda; Dumm, Emily; Eng, Angelica; Franke, Kate; Gross, Alison; Helinek, Jonathan; Indig, Jonathan; Leibowitz, Joshua; O'Connor, Alexander; Russell, Timothy; Sharma, Aroon
    This study evaluated the effect of an online diet-tracking tool on college students’ self-efficacy regarding fruit and vegetable intake. A convenience sample of students completed online self-efficacy surveys before and after a six-week intervention in which they tracked dietary intake with an online tool. Group one (n=22 fall, n=43 spring) accessed a tracking tool without nutrition tips; group two (n=20 fall, n=33 spring) accessed the tool and weekly nutrition tips. The control group (n=36 fall, n=60 spring) had access to neither. Each semester there were significant changes in self-efficacy from pre- to post-test for men and for women when experimental groups were combined (p<0.05 for all); however, these changes were inconsistent. Qualitative data showed that participants responded well to the simplicity of the tool, the immediacy of feedback, and the customized database containing foods available on campus. Future models should improve user engagement by increasing convenience, potentially by automation.
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    Incorporating grape seed antioxidants into a functional food model
    (2011) Binzer, Lena; Brinsko, Rebecca; Cha, Jessica; Chen, Zao; Green, Sarah; Grob, Kelly; Hao, Junjie; Hitz, Christina; Li, Laura; Swamy, Sowmya; Wolf, Maxim; Xu, MengMeng; Yanik, Mary; Yu, Liangli; Slavin, Margaret
    Consumption of foods rich in natural antioxidants may potentially reduce the risk of chronic illnesses. This study examined feasibility and consumer acceptability of creating a functional food rich in natural antioxidants from cold-pressed grape seed oil and flour. The first study investigated and compared five grape seed varieties, and found Chardonnay grape seeds contained the highest quantity of health-beneficial properties. Consequently, addition of Chardonnay grape seed flour and oil to bread significantly increased health-beneficial properties. Baking conditions influenced antioxidant properties of bread, indicating processing conditions may affect antioxidant activity in finished food products. In addition, the consumer sensory evaluation study found control bread was preferred over bread containing grape seed flour and oil; however, grape seed containing bread had an overall positive reception. Incorporation of grape seeds into bread may be effective in incorporating health-beneficial compounds into the diet; however, further studies on long term health effects should be conducted.