Nutrition & Food Science

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A Machine Learning Model for Food Source Attribution of Listeria monocytogenes
(MDPI, 2022-06-16) Tanui, Collins K.; Benefo, Edmund O.; Karanth, Shraddha; Pradhan, Abani K.
Despite its low morbidity, listeriosis has a high mortality rate due to the severity of its clinical manifestations. The source of human listeriosis is often unclear. In this study, we investigate the ability of machine learning to predict the food source from which clinical Listeria monocytogenes isolates originated. Four machine learning classification algorithms were trained on core genome multilocus sequence typing data of 1212 L. monocytogenes isolates from various food sources. The average accuracies of random forest, support vector machine radial kernel, stochastic gradient boosting, and logit boost were found to be 0.72, 0.61, 0.7, and 0.73, respectively. Logit boost showed the best performance and was used in model testing on 154 L. monocytogenes clinical isolates. The model attributed 17.5 % of human clinical cases to dairy, 32.5% to fruits, 14.3% to leafy greens, 9.7% to meat, 4.6% to poultry, and 18.8% to vegetables. The final model also provided us with genetic features that were predictive of specific sources. Thus, this combination of genomic data and machine learning-based models can greatly enhance our ability to track L. monocytogenes from different food sources.
Absorption and metabolism of 3-MCPD 1-monopalmitate in rats
(2017) Gao, Boyan; Yu, Liangli (Lucy); Food Science; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Fatty acid esters of 3-monochloropropane 1,2-diol (3-MCPD esters) are a group of potential chemical toxicants. Their toxic effects primarily include nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity. To understand the toxic mechanisms of 3-MCPD esters, one of the key points is to advance the understanding of their metabolic mechanisms in vivo. This dissertation investigated 1) the absorption and kinetics of 3-MCPD 1-monopalmitate in rats, 2) the possible metabolites of 3- MCPD 1-monopalmitate after oral administration to rats, and 3) the possible metabolic pathways of 3-MCPD 1-monopalmitate in vivo. The greatest concentration of 3-MCPD 1-monopalmitate in the plasma was 873.72 ng/mL (Cmax) at about 1.67 hours (Tmax) after oral administration. The concentration of 3-MCPD 1-monopalmitate reduced to half after 3.42 hours (t1/2). No 3-MCPD 1-monopalmitate could be detected after 4 hours, which was its mean resident time (MRT). The area under curve (AUC) for 3-MCPD 1-monopalmitate in rat plasma was 1676.15 h.ng/mL, which represented the maximum amount of 3-MCPD 1-monopalmitate absorbed into plasma under the testing conditions. Beside, 39 possible metabolites were tentatively identified in the liver, kidney, testis, brain, plasma and urine samples at 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after oral administration of 3-MCPD 1-monopalmitate to rats. In addition, five major metabolic pathways of 3-MCPD esters were derivate to evaluate their metabolic conditions in vivo. These results can greatly enhance the understanding about the absorption, distribution and metabolism conditions of 3-MCPD esters in vivo, and promote further research about the biological actions of 3-MCPD esters.
Absorption, Excretion, and Transformation of Individual Anthocyanins in Rats
(2004-08-06) He, Jian; Giusti, Monica M; Magnuson, Bernadene A; Food Science; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Anthocyanins are polyphenolics responsible for most red to purple colors in plants. Human consumption is increasing because of their potential health benefits and use as natural colorants. However, their absorption and metabolism are not well characterized. We compared anthocyanin absorption and excretion in rats receiving chokeberry, bilberry or grape enriched diet (4g anthocyanin/kg) for 13 weeks. Traces of anthocyanins and metabolites were detected in plasma. In urine, intact anthocyanins and methylated derivatives (~ 24, 8, 15 mg cy-3-gla equivalent/L urine for chokeberry, bilberry, grape) were found. High metabolite concentration suggested accumulation of methylated anthocyanins in tissue. Fecal anthocyanin extraction was maximized with aqueous methanol (60%). Anthocyanin concentration in feces ranged from 0.7 to 2g anthocyanin/kg, similar to cecal content. In the gut, anthocyanin degradation was high for glucosides, moderate for galactosides and negligible for arabinosides and xylosides. Both, glycosylation and acylation seemed to affect the bioavailability of anthocyanins in vivo.
Acid Modification of Psyllium
(2008) Pei, Xiaoyin; Yu, Liangli; Food Science; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Psyllium, a type of dietary fiber, has been shown to have various health benefits including cholesterol lowering, hypoglycemic, cancer prevention, and laxative effects. However, due to its extremely strong water-holding and gel-forming capacities, incorporation of psyllium into food products on the required amount per serving for health claim is difficult. This study evaluated the effect of acid treatment on water up-taking, swelling, gelling and bile acid binding capacities of psyllium samples. The acid treatments were conducted at different reaction temperatures (25, 37.5, and 50 °C) with different psyllium - solvent ratios (1:2.5, 1:5, 1:7.5, and 1:10 g/mL). The result showed that reaction temperature influenced the effectiveness of acid treatment on physical/chemical properties of psyllium samples significantly, while effects of different psyllium - solvent ratios were not significant. This implicated the acid modification at a high temperature might be a possible method to improve the physical/chemical properties of psyllium for incorporation in food.
Active Engagement: Development of Cooking Skills for Young Adults with Autism
(2015) Bailey-Goldschmidt, Janice; Song, Hee-Jung; Nutrition; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Autism is a broadly defined disorder of communication and social development of neurobiological origin. While adults with autism are generally invisible in the national public health surveys, increased rates of overweight and obesity among this population are apparent and few nutrition programs have been developed for this at-risk population. The objective of the research was to test the feasibility of a community-based nutritional intervention for young adults (18- 25 years of age) with autism founded on the premise of teaching introductory cooking skills. This nutrition intervention program was guided by Hodge et al.'s conceptual framework for developing life skills and is focused on four motivational climates that contribute to autonomy, self-efficacy, social-relatedness, and preference. Active Engagement was found to be a feasible program for involving young adults with autism in their food preparation process, contributing to an improvement in their variety of diet, and promotion of fruit and vegetable consumption.
Adrenergic receptor (ADR) genotype influences the effects of strength training on mid-thigh intermuscular fat
(2006-04-27) Yao, lili; Hurley, Ben F; Nutrition; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Sarcopenia results in an increase in intermuscular fat (IMF) and low density muscle (LDM), which is associated with adverse health and functional consequences. Although strength training (ST) is considered an intervention of choice for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia, little is known about its effect on IMF or LDM. Regional fat alterations resulting from exercise interventions may be influenced by adrenergic receptor (ADR) beta2 Gln27Glu and ADR alpha2b Glu¹²/Glu⁹ gene polymorphisms. To examine the influence of these polymorphisms on mid-thigh IMF, LDM and normal density muscle (NDM), we studied 46 older men and 52 older women before and after a 10-week single leg knee extension strength training (ST) program. The ST program resulted in a substantial increase in one-repetition maximum (1-RM) strength (P = 0.0001) and NDM (P = 0.0001), but no significant changes in IMF and LDM in the whole group. However, IMF was significantly reduced with ST in subjects carrying ADR beta2 Glu27 (-2.3 cm², P = 0.028), but no significant change was observed with ADR beta2 Glu27 noncarriers (+1.5 cm², P = 0.14). The decrease in IMF in those with the ADR alpha2b Glu⁹ allele was approaching significance (-1.9 cm², P = 0.066), and significantly different (-2.9 cm², P = 0.043) from a nonsignificant increase in IMF in the ADR alpha2b Glu⁹ allele noncarriers. ADR beta2 Glu27 carriers who also carried the ADR alpha2b Glu⁹ allele experienced a significant loss of IMF with ST (-3.8 ± 1.6 cm², P = 0.018). These results suggest that the response of IMF to ST is influenced by ADR beta2 Gln27Glu and ADR alpha2b Glu¹²/Glu⁹ polymorphisms.
Age, Nutrition, and Bone Metabolism: Analyses of Effects Using a Short-Term In Vivo Bone Model
(1987) Sinha, Rashmi; Soares, Jos; Nutritional Sciences Program; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md)
The preventative effects of dietary calcium, zinc, and vitamin D metabolites on the net loss of bone were assessed using rats of different ages. Biochemical changes were monitored in femurs, humeri, mandibles, scapulas, and tibias. In addition femora were sectioned into epiphyses-metaphyses and diaphyses to evaluate nutritional influences on the trabecular and cortical type bone. since measurable bone degradation due to aging and nutritional status requires long period of time, a short-term in vivo system was developed to simultaneously examine bone formation and resorption. The system consisted of subcutaneous implantation of demineralized (DB) and mineralized (MB) bone powders. There was evidence of bone formation and resorption in the DB and MB implants respectively, as assessed by marker enzyme (formation-alkaline phosphatase; resorption-acid phosphatase) activities, mineral concentrations, radioisotope incorporation, and histological studies. The results indicated that several different bone samples are required to adequately predict changes occurring in the skeletal system. The epiphysesmetaphyses of long bone is a useful sample site examining changes occurring in trabecular bone while the diaphysis can assess cortical bone status. There was decreased bone formation and resorption as assessed by alkaline and acid phosphatase activity in the MB and DB implants in the 24 month-old rats as compared to 2 month-old rats. Dietary calcium and zinc levels did not affect the overall status of the bones and implants in the aged rats. Conversely, in 2 month-old rats dietary calcium at 1.0% stimulated bone formation in the DB implant, whereas 0.2% calcium increased bone resorption in the MB implants. Furthermore, 75 ng dietary 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (l,25(OH) 2 D) per day increased resorption in MB implant and inhibited mineralization of DB implants in the young rats. Dietary zinc at 300 ppm reduced bone calcification in 2 month-old. The results of these studies indicated that neither high levels of dietary calcium, nor zinc, act as prophylaxes to counteract bone loss due to aging. The dietary use of l,25(OH) 2 D in old animals needs to be investigated further, since results in young animals are contradictory with reports in older rats.
ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES IN MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF FOODBORNE PATHOGENS: SHIGA TOXIN-PRODUCING Escherichia coli AND Salmonella SEROTYPES
(2014) Toro Ibaceta, Magaly Alejandra; Meng, Jianghong; Food Science; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica (S. enterica) are two major foodborne pathogens. They cause almost 1.5 million of cases of disease each year in the US. Due to their public health impact, development of new methods for their detection and identification are top priority. This research focused on identifying alternative molecular methods and markers for the identification of STEC and Salmonella. First, a suspension array was developed to simultaneously identify the seven most prevalent STEC (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, and O157) in the US. The panel targeted genes wzx or wzy and Shigatoxin genes. Testing and optimization employed four to eleven isolates of each serotype in the panel. STEC fluorescence values were 30 to >270 times greater than those of negative controls, demonstrating the method's effectiveness for the molecular serotyping of STEC. STEC strains (n=194) of 43 serotypes were examined for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) arrays to study relatedness among serotypes. A subset of strains (n=81) was analyzed for cas and virulence genes to determine a possible relationship. CRISPR spacer content correlated well with serotypes, although some strains with different serogroup but the same H type shared identical arrays (O26:H11, O103:H11, and O111:H11). cas and virulence genes were not associated, but strains with greater probability of causing outbreaks and disease showed fewer spacers than those less likely to cause them (p<0.05). Therefore, CRISPR array content correlated well with STEC serotype, and CRISPR-cas systems were inversely related to strain virulence potential. Finally, the CRISPR arrays of 221 S. enterica of 53 serotypes were analyzed to define their relationship. CRISPR-cas systems of 50 S. enterica serotype Bareilly (S. Bareilly) were analyzed to resolve intra-serotype variations. CRISPR arrays correlated well with serotypes, although some serotypes displayed more than one type of array (e.g. S. Bareilly). Additionally, CRISPR-cas system elements reflected S. Bareilly phylogeny, but the array content was not linked to food vehicle or isolate's geographical origin. In conclusion, CRISPR array are useful for designing molecular serotyping assays, but a range of strains should be included to account for variation in S. enterica.
Anti-Adipogenic Activity of High-Phenolic Sorghum Brans in Pre-Adipocytes
(MDPI, 2022-04-02) Lee, Hee-Seop; Santana, Ádina L.; Peterson, Jaymi; Yucel, Umut; Perumal, Ramasamy; De Leon, Joaquin; Lee, Seong-Ho; Smolensky, Dmitriy
Obesity is one of the leading public health problems that can result in life-threatening metabolic and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is the fifth most important cereal crop in the world and certain genotypes of sorghum have high polyphenol content. PI570481, SC84, and commercially available sumac sorghum are high-polyphenol genotypes that have demonstrated strong anti-cancer activities in previous studies. The objective of this study was to explore a potential anti-obesity use of extracts from sorghum bran in the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and to investigate cellular and molecular responses in differentiated adipocytes to elucidate related mechanisms. None of the four different sorghum bran extracts (PI570481, SC84, Sumac, and white sorghum as a low-polyphenol control) caused cytotoxicity in undifferentiated and differentiated 3T3-L1 cells at doses used in this study. Sorghum bran extracts (PI570481, SC84, and Sumac) reduced intracellular lipid accumulation and expression of adipogenic and lipogenic proteins in a dose-dependent manner in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. The same polyphenol containing sorghum bran extracts also repressed production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and MAPK signaling pathways and repressed insulin signaling and glucose uptake in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. These data propose a potential use of high-phenolic sorghum bran for the prevention of obesity.
Anti-cancer mechanism of arctigenin (ARC) in human lung cancer cells
(2018) Xu, Yanrui; Lee, Seong-Ho; Nutrition; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Arctigenin (ARC) is a lignan and is abundant in Asteraceae plant which possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities. The current study was performed to investigate if ARC affects cancer progression and metastasis focusing on epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) using invasive human lung cancer cell line, A549. No toxicity was observed in the cells treated with different doses of ARC (12-100 µM). The treatment of ARC repressed TGF-β-stimulated changes of metastatic morphology and cell invasion and migration. ARC inhibited TGF-β-induced phosphorylation and transcriptional activity of SMAD2/3 and expression of snail in dose-dependent and time-dependent manners. ARC also decreased expression of N-cadherin and increased expression of E-cadherin in dose-dependent and time-dependent manners. These changes were accompanied with decreased amount of nuclear phospho-SMAD2 and SMAD3, and nuclear translocation of SMAD2 and SMAD3. Moreover, ARC repressed TGF-β-induced phosphorylation of ERK. Our data demonstrate anti-metastatic activity of ARC in lung cancer model. Key words: ARC, TGF-β, EMT, Lung cancer
ANTICANCER ACTIVITY OF NATURAL PRODUCTS IN HUMULUS LUPULUS(HOPS) IN HUMAN COLORECTAL CANCER CELLS.
(2023) Tamia, Gillian; Lee, Seong-Ho; Nutrition; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Cancer is a major public health problem and the second-leading cause of death in the world. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most diagnosed cancer in the U.S. CRC is highly associated with daily diet and eating patterns. A plant-based diet rich in phytochemicals has been known to be protective against the initiation and progression of CRC occurrence. The hop plant, a key ingredient in beer, contains a diverse form of bioactive compounds that possess biological benefits in tumorigenesis. Xanthohumol (XN), the most abundant prenylated flavonoid, has been used over the years to treat a broad range of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Several derivatives of XN, including isoxanthohumol (IXN), 8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN), and tetrahydroxanthohumol (TXN), possess similar and greater biological benefits compared to XN. While XN's anti-cancer properties are well known, the effects of these derivatives have not been evaluated in human CRC models. Our study aimed to test the cancer-suppressive activities of these derivatives and elucidate anti-cancer mechanisms using human adenocarcinoma CRC cells. The results indicate that four hop compounds (XN, IXN, 8-PN, and TXN) significantly suppressed the proliferation of different types of human CRC cell lines. We selected TXN and XN for further studies due to their more significant and promising anti-proliferative activity compared with other forms. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that TXN and XN led to significant induction of S-phase and G2/M-phase arrest. An apoptotic assay showed a huge induction of early and late apoptosis in cells treated with TXN and XN at doses of 12 µM and 18 µM. Western blot data indicate that TXN and XN induce the cleavage of PARP and increase the expression of CHOP, IRE1α, and ATF4, indicating activation of caspase-dependent apoptosis and ER stress. In addition, a dose-dependent increase in intracellular ROS was observed in cells treated with 12 and 18 µM of TXN and XN, affecting mitochondrial dysfunction. Taken together, our current study proposes an anti-cancer mechanism by TXN and XN through their action on the induction of ROS release and mitochondrial dysfunction, ER stress, and apoptosis in human CRC cells.
ANTICANCER MECHANISM OF TOLFENAMIC ACID IN COLORECTAL CANCER
(2016) Lou, Zhiyuan; Lee, Seong-Ho; Nutrition; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Chemopreventive therapies could be effective way to treat CRC. Tolfenamic acid, one of the NSAIDs, shows anti-cancer activities in several types of cancer. Aberrant Wnt/β-catenin regulation pathway is a major mechanism of colon tumorigenesis. Here, we sought to better define the mechanism by which tolfenamic acid suppresses colorectal tumorigenesis focusing on regulation of β-catenin pathway. Treatment of tolfenamic acid led to a down-regulation of β-catenin expression in dose dependent manner in human colon cancer cell lines without changing mRNA. MG132 inhibited tolfenamic acid-induced downregulation of β-catenin and exogenously overexpression β-catenin was stabilized in the presence of tolfenamic acid. Tolfenamic acid induced an ubiquitin-mediated proteasomal degradation of β-catenin. In addition, tolfenamic acid treatment decreased transcriptional activity of β-catenin and expression of Smad2 and Smad3 while overexpression of Smad 2 inhibited tolfenamic acid-stimulated transcriptional activity of β-catenin. Moreover, tolfenamic acid decreased β-catenin target gene such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and cyclin D1. In summary, tolfenamic acid is a promising therapeutic drug targeting Smad 2-mediated downregulation of β-catenin in CRC.
The Antimicrobial Effect of Benzoic Acid or Propyl Paraben Treatment combined with UV-A Light on Escherichia Coli O157:H7
(2017) Ding, Qiao; Tikekar, Rohan V; Food Science; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
The antimicrobial effect of the combined UV-A light and benzoic acid (BA) or propyl paraben (PP) treatment was evaluated using Escherichia Coli O157:H7. Factors affecting the efficacy of antimicrobial treatments were examined through various microbial and biochemical approaches. A combined 15 mM BA and UV-A treatment exhibited more than 5 log (CFU/mL) reduction in antimicrobial activity via production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), membrane damage and decreasing intracellular pH. Similarly, the combined 3 mM PP and UV-A treatment also caused more than 5 log reduction contributed by membrane damage. UV-A and BA treatment was also found to be effective in a scaled-up, continuous system, while a combined UV-A and PP was able to significantly reduce the likelihood of cross-contamination in simulated fresh produce washing study. The findings from this study have revealed the potential for the combined treatments that help to improve the safety and quality of fresh produce.
Antimicrobial Nanoparticles Incorporated in Edible Coatings and Films for the Preservation of Fruits and Vegetables
(MDPI, 2019-04-30) Xing, Yage; Li, Wenxiu; Wang, Qin; Li, Xuanlin; Xu, Qinglian; Guo, Xunlian; Liu, Xiaocui; Shui, Yuru; Lin, Hongbin; Yang, Hua; Bi, Xiufang
Edible coatings and films (ECF) are employed as matrixes for incorporating antimicrobial nanoparticles (NPs), and then they are applied on the fruits and vegetables to prolong shelf life and enhance storage quality. This paper provides a comprehensive review on the preparation, antimicrobial properties and mechanisms, surface and physical qualities of ECF containing antimicrobial NPs, and its efficient application to vegetables and fruits as well. Following an introduction on the properties of the main edible coating materials, the preparation technologies of ECF with NPs are summarized. The antimicrobial activity of ECF with NPs against the tested microorganism was observed by many researchers. This might be mainly due to the electrostatic interaction between the cationic polymer or free metal ions and the charged cell membrane, the photocatalytic reaction of NPs, the detachment of free metal ion, and partly due to the antimicrobial activity of edible materials. Moreover, their physical, mechanical and releasing properties are discussed in detail, which might be influenced by the concentration of NPs. The preservation potential on the quality of fruits and vegetables indicates that various ECF with NPs might be used as the ideal materials for food application. Following the introduction on these characteristics, an attempt is made to predict future trends in this field.
ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE OF LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES AND ENTEROCOCCUS FAECIUM FROM FOOD AND ANIMAL SOURCES
(2005-12-07) Zhang, Yifan; Meng, Jianghong; Food Science; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
The widespread use of antimicrobials in human and veterinary medicine, as well as in animal production has accelerated the development of drug resistance in a variety of pathogenic bacteria. Listeria monocytogenes and Entercoccus faecium are important Gram-positive pathogens of food safety and public health concern. But their mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance are relatively less clear than those in Gram- negative pathogens. L. monocytogenes (n=167) recovered from deli meats, conventional and organic chicken, and conventional and organic fresh produce samples were characterized by serogrouping, DNA fingerprinting and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The isolates belonged to five different serogroups. Percentages of resistance to ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, sulfonamide, and nalidixic acid were 1.8%, 9%, 73%, and 100%, respectively. The identification of potential serotype 4b from all food categories, especially from organic chicken products, raised a public health concern, because serotype 4b has been the number one serotype associated with clinical isolates. Multiresistant L. monocytogenes strains were recovered from the food supply, including organic food products, suggesting our food supply may serve as the reservoir for multiresistant L. monocytogenes and the resistance genes. The PFGE and serogroup data also suggest the diverse sources of contamination. E. faecium isolates (n=34), including 33 from seven poultry farms and one from an outpatient in Michigan, were studied by characterizing the quinupristin-dalfopristin (Q/D) resistant plasmids that carried vatE. Hybridization following restriction endonuclease digestion identified five different plasmid types. The vatE-carrying plasmid from the human isolate showed nearly identical hybridization patterns, following restriction endonuclease digestion, to a vatE carrying plasmid from an E. faecium recovered from a chicken farm. This study showed that a heterogeneous group of plasmids harbour vatE in a heterogeneous population of E. faecium . Some of the plasmids were obtained by E. faecium capable of infecting humans. Q/D resistant E. faecium (n=28) with the MICs (minimal inhibitory concentrations) = 32 ug/ml were characterized by gene identification, conjugation, transformation, and in vitro transposon mutagenesis. vatE and ermB are responsible for high streptogramin resistance in most E. faecium isolates from poultry products but that the mechanisms of Q/D resistance among E. faecium isolates from poultry farms remain largely uncharacterized.
Antimicrobial Resistance of Salmonella and E. coli from Pennsylvania Dairy Herds
(2015) Cao, Huilin; Pradhan, Abani K.; Food Science; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
The emergence and dissemination of bacterial antimicrobial resistance has become a major public health concern. A total of 444 manure composite samples were collected from 80 dairy farms in Pennsylvania, representing pre-weaned calves, post-weaned calves, dry cows, and lactating cows. E. coli and Salmonella were isolated, and tested for antimicrobial susceptibility. Salmonella was isolated from at least one sample from 51 (64%) farms and was more prevalent in adult animals than young animals. The predominant serotypes were Cerro, Montevideo and Kentucky. Salmonella isolates were mostly susceptible to all antimicrobials. E. coli were commonly resistant to tetracycline, streptomycin, sulfisoxazole and ampicillin. Resistance of up to 8 classes of antibiotics was observed in E. coli isolated from young animals. The blaCMY- and blaCTX-M-carrying E. coli were detected in 35% and 5% of the farms, respectively. The presence of multi-drug resistant E. coli suggested potential risks to human health associated with dairy farming.
Antioxidant and Anti-proliferative properties of selected grape seed extracts
(2009) Bloom, Raquel Zorah; Yu, Liangli; Nutrition; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
This study examined chardonnay, muscadine, concord, and ruby red grape seed oil and flour extracts for antioxidant and anti-proliferative properties. The extracts were tested for total phenolic content, DPPH* · and ABTS*+ ·radical scavenging capacity and effect against HT-29 cancer cell proliferation. All of the grape seed extracts exhibited ABTS*+ · and DPPH*· radical quenching activity. The flour extracts from chardonnay demonstrated the highest ABTS*+· radical quenching capacity of 186 μμmoles trolox equivalents/g and DPPH* · radical quenching activity of 30 μμmoles trolox equivalents/g. All of the grape seed oil and flour extracts contained significant levels of phenolics. Chardonnay grape seed flour extract displayed the most prominent dose dependent anti-proliferative effect. Muscadine and ruby red, but not concord grape seed flour extracts, also exhibited anti-proliferative activities. The collected data advocate for the potential of grape seed extracts as dietary sources of anti-proliferative and antioxidant components.
ANTIOXIDANT AND FREE RADICAL SCAVENGING PROPERTIES OF TOMATO SEED WASTES AND POTENTIAL USE AS A FUNCTIONAL FOOD
(2020) Bailoni, Elena Rose; Yu, Liangli; Food Science; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Tomato seeds are a major waste product of the tomato processing industry. To find a use for tomato seeds, two products made from the seeds, tomato seed flour and tomato seed oil, were investigated for their health beneficial properties. Tomato seed flour showed total phenolic and radical scavenging assay values similar to other healthful foods thought to be beneficial for human health. It also contained specific chemical compounds that are known to be beneficial for reducing the risk of chronic diseases. Tomato seed flour was added to ketchup to determine how it performed in food system. Tomato seed flour did not significantly affect most of the physical properties of ketchup and may be an effective functional food additive. The tomato seed flour did show potential as a thickener. The use of tomato seed flour in food systems may be beneficial to businesses, the environment, and for human health.
Antiproliferative Activity of Soybean and Tempeh Extracts on Human Colorectal Cancer Cells
(2024) Fan, Rongjie; Lee, Seong-Ho; Wei, Cheng-I; Food Science; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Tempeh, an indigenous Indonesian soybean product, is produced through a fermentation process of soybean that enhances the bioavailability of its beneficial nutrients such as proteins and phytoestrogens. Recent studies suggest that the fermentation process of tempeh may enhance the biofunctionality properties of soybeans including anticancer activity. The current study is designed to present a comparative analysis to see if defatted extracts of unfermented soybeans and tempeh (fermented soybeans) possess anti-proliferative activity in human colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. The experimental methods involve the production and extraction of soybeans extract (SE) and tempeh extract (TE) at a concentration of 35 g/100 mL (w/v) with 70% ethanol, followed by rotary evaporation and freeze-drying. MTT assays indicated that both SE and TE exhibited inhibitory activity in viability of human CRC cells, with TE demonstrating a more pronounced dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth compared to SE. Cell cycle analysis led to a significant increase of G1 arrest in both SE and TE-treated cells. The induction of apoptosis was observed from the cells treated with both SE and TE. Western blot analysis revealed an increase of PARP cleavage for both treatments, demonstrating activation of apoptotic pathways in SE and TE-treated cells.
Appetite signals in the brain: High fructose corn syrup sweetened cola effects hypothalamic activity as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging
(2014) Hudgins, Samantha Morgan; Castonguay, Thomas W; Nutrition; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging has been used for over a decade to measure the effects of sugar on the hypothalamus, the appetite-regulating center of the brain. Hypothalamic activity decreases in a dose-dependent manner in response to glucose solution consumption. Fructose elicits an increase in hypothalamic activity. This study aimed to understand the effects of high fructose corn syrup, a combination of glucose and fructose on hypothalamic activity. Fasting blood samples were collected from 8 (4M /4F) healthy adult volunteers who were then fed a standard breakfast and transported to the Maryland Neuroimaging Center. Participants underwent two successive scans. Prior to the first scan participants drank 12 oz. of either cola or water. After the first scan participants received 6 oz. of either cola or water immediately prior to the beginning of the second scan. Treatments were assigned in a Latin square crossover design. Each scan included ~17mins of T2 weighted functional scanning of the hypothalamus (12 mm mid-sagittal slice; echo time: 5ms; repetition time 40ms; flip angle: 40°; FOV: 210 mm; in-plane resolution: 1.6mm X 1.6mm). MANOVA revealed a statistically significant three-way interaction between time, volume and treatment when the model was weighted with either fasting insulin (p<0.0001) or fasting triglycerides (p=0.023). Gender also significantly interacted with time, volume and treatment (p=0.008). Further, age was negatively correlated with overall average hypothalamic signal intensity with volume as well with treatments. Both demographics and metabolites strongly influence hypothalamic response, making it difficult to determine the specific effects of high fructose corn syrup sweetened cola on appetite signals in the hypothalamus.