Publications by authors named "Aleksandra S Kristo"

Dietary protein is required to support recovery and adaptation following exercise training. While prior research demonstrates that many athletes meet total daily protein needs, intake seems to be predominantly skewed toward the evening meal. An even distribution of protein doses of ≥0.

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In our project herein, we use the case of farmworkers, an underserved and understudied population at high risk for Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), as a paradigm of an integrated action-oriented research, education and extension approach involving the development of long-term equitable strategies providing empowerment and tailored-made solutions that support practical decision-making aiming to reduce risk of T2DM and ensuing cardiovascular disease (CVD). A Technology-based Empowerment Didactic module (TEDm) and an Informed Decision-Making enhancer (IDMe) coupled in a smart application (app) for farmworkers aiming to teach, set goals, monitor, and support in terms of nutrition, hydration, physical activity, sleep, and circadian rhythm towards lowering T2DM risk, is to be developed and implemented considering the particular characteristics of the population and setting. In parallel, anthropometric, biochemical, and clinical assessments will be utilized to monitor risk parameters for T2DM and compliance to dietary and wellness plans.

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The success of performance in basketball relies on both optimal body composition and nutrient intake. The purpose of this study was to examine seasonal changes in body composition (BC), resting metabolic rate (RMR) and respiratory quotient (RQ), as well as dietary intake of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I (DI) male basketball players. BC, RMR and RQ were assessed during pre-season, in-season, and post-season (September, December, and March) while dietary assessment data were collected in September and February.

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This study aimed to investigate the relationships between dietary habits, income levels and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk in Turkish female university students who are living with their family or in the dormitory. This work was a cross-sectional pilot study conducted during December 2016-January 2017 in Istanbul Yeni Yuzyıl University. A survey was administered to 100 female students, 60 living with their family and 40 in dormitories.

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Plant-based diets have become increasingly popular in the past decade, with approximately 11% of Americans self-identifying as vegan or vegetarian and many others trying to reduce meat consumption. Due to increasing interest, the plant-based food market has significantly expanded, with several innovative products serving as alternatives to animal-based products. One such example is almond protein powder, a new protein supplement created as an alternative to whey protein.

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The use of technological devices is increasing in all age groups, especially in preschool-aged children. However, there is a limiting number of studies investigating the relationship between the use of technological devices, eating behavior, and weight status in preschool children. The aim of this study was (1) to describe total usage of technological devices, (2) to evaluate level of exclusive use of such devices by children, (3) to investigate children's eating behaviors and diet in relation to screen time and type.

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Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic condition characterized by glucose clearance abnormalities and insufficient insulin response. Left uncontrolled, T2DM can result in serious complications and death. With no cure available currently and the prevalence of major risk factors such as pre-diabetes and the metabolic syndrome continuously increasing, there is an urgent need for effective treatments with limited or no side effects.

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Healthy nutritional habits are of vital importance for good health and quality of life for all individuals in all life stages. Nutritional habits shaped in early childhood set the foundation for future dietary practices applied through lifespan, hence informing risk towards chronic diseases. A key contributor to child health is maternal impact.

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The Beverage Guidance System has established dietary recommendations for daily intake of commonly consumed beverages including water, tea, coffee, milk, non-calorically sweetened beverages, and calorically sweetened beverages. As obesity in America continues to be a growing problem, this guidance becomes of increasing importance due to many beverages' potential links to Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), Cardiovascular disease (CVD), and numerous other harmful health effects. However, the growing popularity of "better for you" beverages is causing a shift in the market, with consumers pushing for healthier beverage alternatives.

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Evidence associates scholastic performance to quality of eating habits. However, there is limited information on this topic in Turkey, an emerging economy with notable disparities. Our work aimed to evaluate the effect of eating habits quality of high-school students in Turkey, on the Scholastic Aptitude Standardized Examination (TEOG) scores.

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Dietary patterns, including regular consumption of particular foods such as berries as well as bioactive compounds, may confer specific molecular and cellular protection in addition to the overall epidemiologically observed benefits of plant food consumption (lower rates of obesity and chronic disease risk), further enhancing health. Mounting evidence reports a variety of health benefits of berry fruits that are usually attributed to their non-nutritive bioactive compounds, mainly phenolic substances such as flavonoids or anthocyanins. Although it is still unclear which particular constituents are responsible for the extended health benefits, it appears that whole berry consumption generally confers some anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory protection to humans and animals.

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Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) has been shown to play important roles in regulating vascular tone and linking local and systemic vascular inflammation. We examined the impact of PVAT on phenylephrine-mediated vasoconstriction in the aorta of obese Zucker rats (OZR) and their lean littermates (LZR) by comparing aortic rings with or without PVAT. Subsequently we placed OZR and LZR on a control (C) or an 8% wild blueberry (WB) diet and evaluated the effect of WB consumption on such response.

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Bile, important for cholesterol homeostasis, is a potential target of hypercholesterolemia management. Bile sequestration by orally administered resins, while mostly effective in reducing blood cholesterol, presents several side effects and disadvantages. Thus, widely available natural edible minerals such as clinoptilolite with adsorptive properties offer an alternative for bile sequestration.

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Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and other developed countries, and is fast growing in developing countries, particularly as life expectancy in all parts of the world increases. Current recommendations for the prevention of cardiovascular disease issued jointly from the American Academy of Cardiology and American Heart Association emphasize that lifestyle modification should be incorporated into any treatment plan, including those on statin drugs. However, there is a dearth of data on the interaction between diet and statins with respect to additive, complementary or antagonistic effects.

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This study evaluates the effect of wild blueberry (WB) consumption on the biomechanical properties of the aorta in the obese Zucker rat (OZR), a model of the metabolic syndrome. Thirty-six OZRs and 36 lean controls (lean Zucker rats) were placed either on a WB-enriched or a control (C) diet for 8 weeks. Phenylephrine (Phe)-mediated vasoconstriction and acetylcholine (Ach)-mediated vasorelaxation in the aortic vessel were investigated, as well as the contribution of the nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase (COX) pathways in each of the above responses by using specific inhibitors.

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The role of wild blueberries (WB) on key signaling steps of nitric oxide (NO) and cyclooxygenase (COX) pathways was examined in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) after eight weeks on a control (C) or an 8% w/w WB diet. Aortic rings from SHRs were stimulated with phenylephrine (Phe) in the absence or presence of inhibitors of: soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC), phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE(5)), prostaglandin I(2) (PGI(2)) synthase and thromboxane A(2) (TXA(2)) synthase. Additionally, enzymatic activities in these pathways were determined by the concentration of NO, cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), PGI(2) and TXA(2).

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The present study investigated the potential of a wild blueberry (WB)-enriched diet to improve blood lipid profile and modulate the expression of genes related to lipid homeostasis in obese Zucker rats (OZR), a model of the metabolic syndrome with severe dyslipidaemia. For this purpose, twenty OZR and twenty lean Zucker rats (LZR; controls) were placed either on a control (C) or an 8 % WB diet for 8 weeks. Plasma total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol and TAG concentrations were determined.

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The gastrointestinal tract is populated by an array of microbial species that play an important role in metabolic and immune functions. The composition of microorganisms is influenced by the components of the host's diet and can impact health. In the present study, dietary enrichment of lowbush wild blueberries (LWB) was examined to determine their effect on colon microbial composition and their potential in promoting gut health.

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Despite a considerable amount of data available on the relationship between dietary glycemic index (GI) or load (GL) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, in aggregate, the area remains unsettled. The aim of the present review was to summarize the effect of diets differing in GI/GL on CVD risk factors, by examining randomized controlled-feeding trials that provided all food and beverages to adult participants. The studies included a low and high GI/GL diet phase for a minimum of four weeks duration, and reported at least one outcome related to CVD risk; glucose homeostasis, lipid profile or inflammatory status.

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The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a major public health problem in the United States. Chronic inflammation is a critical component of the MetS, leading to dramatically increased risk of type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This study investigates the ability of a wild-blueberry-enriched diet to improve the proinflammatory status associated with MetS in the obese Zucker rat (OZR).

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Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are essential polysaccharide components of extracellular matrix and cell surface with key roles on numerous vascular wall functions. Previous studies have documented a role of wild blueberries on the GAG profile of the Sprague-Dawley rat with a functional endothelium as well as in the vascular tone of the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) with endothelial dysfunction. In the present study, the effect of wild blueberries on the composition and structure of aortic GAGs was examined in 20-week-old SHRs after 8 weeks on a control (C) or a wild blueberry-enriched diet (WB).

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The effect of a wild blueberry-enriched diet on vasoconstriction and vasorelaxation was examined in the adult, 20-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) after 8 weeks of a control (C) or an 8% wild blueberry (WB) diet. Nitric oxide (NO)- and cyclooxygenase (COX)-mediated aortic responses were examined ex vivo with the agonists L-phenylephrine (Phe) and acetylcholine (Ach), in the absence or presence of the NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor L-NG-monomethyl arginine (L-NMMA) or the COX inhibitor mefenamic acid (MFA). The vasoconstriction elicited by Phe was reduced in the WB group, attributed to the NO pathway, favoring a lower vascular tone under basal conditions.

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We have previously reported on the positive effects of wild blueberries on arterial contractile response to alpha(1) adrenergic stimuli and on endothelium-mediated vasorelaxation. Our present study was designed to evaluate the effects of the dietary enrichment with wild blueberries on aortic function and reactivity in the developmental phase of essential hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). We investigated the possible influence blueberries may have on the acetylcholine (Ach)-induced endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation and phenylephrine-induced vasoconstriction in young SHRs, as well as the contribution of the nitric oxide (NO) synthase and cyclooxygenase (COX) pathways in each of the above responses in an animal model with dysfunctional endothelium.

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