Addition of Coffee Waste-Derived Plasticizer Improves Processability and Barrier Properties of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)-Natural Rubber Bioplastic.

This study aimed to develop a value-added bio-based polymer product for food packaging. Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) is a promising bioplastic with limitations in processability and brittleness, which our group previously addressed by incorporating high-molecular-weight natural rubber (NR) compatibilized with peroxide and coagent. Yet, processability in an industrial setting proved difficult.

A green tea extract confection decreases circulating endotoxin and fasting glucose by improving gut barrier function but without affecting systemic inflammation: A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial in healthy adults and adults with metabolic syndrome.

Anti-inflammatory activities of catechin-rich green tea extract (GTE) in obese rodents protect against metabolic endotoxemia by decreasing intestinal permeability and absorption of gut-derived endotoxin. However, translation to human health has not been established. We hypothesized that GTE would reduce endotoxemia by decreasing gut permeability and intestinal and systemic inflammation in persons with metabolic syndrome (MetS) compared with healthy persons.

Simian immunodeficiency virus and storage buffer: Field-friendly preservation methods for RNA viral detection in primate feces.

Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), which originated in African monkeys, crossed the species barrier into humans and ultimately gave rise to HIV and the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. While SIV infects over 40 primate species in sub-Saharan Africa, testing for RNA viruses in wild primate populations can be challenging. Optimizing field-friendly methods for assessing viral presence/abundance in non-invasively collected biological samples facilitates the study of viruses, including potentially zoonotic viruses, in wild primate populations.

Gallation and B-Ring Dihydroxylation Increase Green Tea Catechin Residence Time in Plasma by Differentially Affecting Tissue-Specific Trafficking: Compartmental Model of Catechin Kinetics in Healthy Adults.

Catechins in green tea extract (GTE) (epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin (EC), epicatechin gallate (ECG)) vary in bioactivity. We developed a physiologically relevant mathematical model of catechin metabolism to test the hypothesis that fractional catabolic rates of catechins would be differentially affected by their structural attributes. Pharmacokinetic data of plasma and urine catechin concentrations were used from healthy adults ( = 19) who ingested confections containing 0.

Short-Term Soy Bread Intervention Leads to a Dose-Response Increase in Urinary Isoflavone Metabolites and Satiety in Chronic Pancreatitis.

Patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) are particularly vulnerable to nutrient malabsorption and undernutrition caused by the underlying pathology of their disease. Dietary intervention trials involving soy isoflavones in patients with CP are limited and isoflavone metabolites have not yet been reported. We hypothesized soy bread containing plant-based protein, dietary fiber, and isoflavones would be well-tolerated and restore gut functional capacity which would lead to isoflavone metabolites profiles like those of healthy populations.

Catechin Bioavailability Following Consumption of a Green Tea Extract Confection Is Reduced in Obese Persons without Affecting Gut Microbial-Derived Valerolactones.

Obesity-related cardiometabolic disorders are driven by inflammation, oxidative stress, and gut dysbiosis. Green tea catechins protect against cardiometabolic disorders by anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and prebiotic activities. However, whether obesity alters catechin bioavailability remains unknown.

Gut microbiota and age shape susceptibility to clostridial enteritis in lorikeets under human care.

Background: Enteritis is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in lorikeets that can be challenging to diagnose and treat. In this study, we examine gut microbiota in two lorikeet flocks with enteritis (Columbus Zoo and Aquarium-CZA; Denver Zoo-DZ). Since 2012, the CZA flock has experienced repeated outbreaks of enteritis despite extensive diet, husbandry, and clinical modifications.

Thermal and Barrier Characterizations of Cellulose Esters with Variable Side-Chain Lengths and Their Effect on PHBV and PLA Bioplastic Film Properties.

Cellulose esters (CEs) are promising biodegradable substitutes for traditional petroleum-based plastic materials. Research on structure-property relationships of CEs is necessary to evaluate their suitability for industrial applications such as food packaging. Cellulose esters with different side-chain lengths were synthesized and studied.

Dietary Naringenin Preserves Insulin Sensitivity and Grip Strength and Attenuates Inflammation but Accelerates Weight Loss in a Mouse Model of Cancer Cachexia.

Scope: Cancer cachexia is characterized by the loss of skeletal muscle resulting in functional impairment, reduced quality of life and mortality. Naringenin, a flavonoid found in citrus fruits, improves insulin sensitivity and reduces inflammation and tumor growth in preclinical models. Therefore, the study hypothesizes that dietary supplementation of naringenin will improve insulin sensitivity, decrease inflammation, slow body weight loss, and delay tumor growth in a mouse model of cancer cachexia.

Value-Added Use of Invasive Plant-Derived Fibers as PHBV Fillers for Biocomposite Development.

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) is a promising biobased, biodegradable thermoplastic with limited industrial applications due to its brittleness and high cost. To improve these properties, lignocellulosic fibers from two invasive plants ( and ) were used as PHBV reinforcing agents. Alkali treatment of the fibers improved the PHBV-fiber interfacial bond by up to 300%.

Epigallocatechin gallate but not catechin prevents nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in mice similar to green tea extract while differentially affecting the gut microbiota.

Catechin-rich green tea extract (GTE) protects against nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) by alleviating gut-derived endotoxin translocation and hepatic Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4)-nuclear factor κB (NFκB) inflammation. We hypothesized that intact GTE would attenuate NASH-associated responses along the gut-liver axis to a greater extent than purified (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) or (+)-catechin (CAT). Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a low-fat diet, a high-fat (HF) diet, or the HF diet with 2% GTE, 0.

Reduction of inflammation in chronic pancreatitis using a soy bread intervention: A feasibility study.

Introduction: Chronic pancreatitis is a chronic inflammatory disease, which progresses to fibrosis. Currently there are no interventions to delay or stop the progression to irreversible organ damage. In this study, we assessed the tolerability and feasibility of administering soy bread to reduce circulating inflammatory mediators.

Narrowing the Gap for Bioplastic Use in Food Packaging: An Update.

Plastic production has outgrown most other man-made materials, with more than 90% being petroleum-based and nonbiodegradable. Packaging, primarily food packaging, consumes the most plastic and is the largest contributor to municipal solid waste. In addition, its dependence on crude oil feedstock makes the plastic industry unsustainable and renders plastic markets vulnerable to oil price volatility.

Dose-Dependent Increases in Ellagitannin Metabolites as Biomarkers of Intake in Humans Consuming Standardized Black Raspberry Food Products Designed for Clinical Trials.

Scope: Black raspberry (BRB) phytochemicals demonstrate anti-carcinogenic properties in experimental models, including prostate cancer. Two BRB foods, a confection and nectar, providing a consistent and reproducible product for human clinical studies are designed and characterized.

Methods And Results: Men with clinically localized prostate cancer are sequentially enrolled to a control group or one of four intervention groups (confection or nectar, 10 or 20 g dose; n = 8 per group) for 4 weeks prior to prostatectomy.

Intestinal-level anti-inflammatory bioactivities of catechin-rich green tea: Rationale, design, and methods of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial in metabolic syndrome and healthy adults.

Metabolic endotoxemia initiates low-grade chronic inflammation in metabolic syndrome (MetS) and provokes the progression towards more advanced cardiometabolic disorders. Our recent works in obese rodent models demonstrate that catechin-rich green tea extract (GTE) improves gut barrier integrity to alleviate the translocation of gut-derived endotoxin and its consequent pro-inflammatory responses mediated through Toll-like receptor-4/nuclear factor κB (TLR4/NFκB) signaling. The objective of this clinical trial is to establish the efficacy of GTE to alleviate metabolic endotoxemia-associated inflammation in persons with MetS by improving gut barrier function.

Synergistic Mechanisms Underlie the Peroxide and Coagent Improvement of Natural-Rubber-Toughened Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) Mechanical Performance.

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) is a promising bio-based and biodegradable thermoplastic with restricted industrial applications due to its brittleness and poor processability. Natural rubber (NR) has been used as a toughening agent, but further physical improvements are desired. In this study, rubber toughening efficiency was significantly improved through the synergistic use of a trifunctional acrylic coagent and an organic peroxide during reactive extrusion of PHBV and NR.

Dietary Black Raspberries Impact the Colonic Microbiome and Phytochemical Metabolites in Mice.

Scope: Black raspberries (BRB) are a rich source of bioactive phytochemicals, including anthocyanins and ellagitannins. These phytochemicals are poorly absorbed and may be transformed by gut microbiota into various metabolites that may impact the colonic mucosa or upon absorption have systemic bioactivity. The objective of this study is to define the impact of a BRB-containing diet on the colon microbiome in mice and quantify the phytochemical metabolites in the colon contents and circulation.

Effect of galacto-oligosaccharide purity on water sorption and plasticization behavior.

Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) can be produced with different purity levels that were hypothesized to alter water uptake and overall stability. Two purity GOS levels (55% and 90%) in commercially available mixtures were analyzed. Water was found to plasticize GOS (more effectively in the 55% compared to 90% GOS mixture), decreasing the glass transition temperature (Tg) causing the caking of powders and collapse of the amorphous structure.

Assessment of chicken breast meat quality after freeze/thaw abuse using magnetic resonance imaging techniques.

Background: Freezing/thawing meat can result in quality losses as a result of the formation, melting and reformation of ice. These changes in water state can result in alterations in texture, water holding and other key quality attributes. It was hypothesized that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could quantify changes in mobility and localization of water as a function of freezing/thawing, which could be correlated with quality measurements.

Raspberry ketone fails to reduce adiposity beyond decreasing food intake in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet.

As the incidence of obesity continues to increase, identifying novel nutritional therapies to enhance weight loss are needed. Raspberry ketone (RK; 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl) butan-2-one) is a bioactive phytochemical that is marketed as a weight loss supplement in the United States, yet there is scant scientific evidence demonstrating that RK promotes weight loss. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of RK on accumulation of adipose mass, hepatic lipid storage, and levels of plasma adiponectin in mice fed a high-fat (HF) diet.

Application of a low polyphenol or low ellagitannin dietary intervention and its impact on ellagitannin metabolism in men.

Scope: Plant polyphenols are widespread in the American diet, yet estimated intake is uncertain. We examine the application of the Polyphenol Explorer® (PED) database to quantify polyphenol and ellagitannin (ET) intake of men with prostate cancer and tested the implementation of diets restricted in polyphenols or ETs.

Methods And Results: Twenty-four men enrolled in a 4-week trial were randomized to usual, low-polyphenol or low-ET diet.

A green tea-containing starch confection increases plasma catechins without protecting against postprandial impairments in vascular function in normoglycemic adults.

Postprandial hyperglycemia (PPH) increases cardiovascular disease risk regardless of glucose intolerance by transiently impairing vascular endothelial function (VEF) by limiting nitric oxide bioavailability in an oxidative stress-dependent manner. Preclinical studies show that green tea catechins attenuate PPH by inhibiting starch digestion. We hypothesized that a starch-based confection containing catechin-rich green tea extract (GTE) would limit PPH-mediated impairments in VEF in normoglycemic adults.

Suppression of Proinflammatory and Prosurvival Biomarkers in Oral Cancer Patients Consuming a Black Raspberry Phytochemical-Rich Troche.

Black raspberries (BRB) demonstrate potent inhibition of aerodigestive tract carcinogenesis in animal models. However, translational clinical trials evaluating the ability of BRB phytochemicals to impact molecular biomarkers in the oral mucosa remain limited. The present phase 0 study addresses a fundamental question for oral cancer food-based prevention: Do BRB phytochemicals successfully reach the targeted oral tissues and reduce proinflammatory and antiapoptotic gene expression profiles? Patients with biopsy-confirmed oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) administered oral troches containing freeze-dried BRB powder from the time of enrollment to the date of curative intent surgery (13.

Tunable Keratin Hydrogels for Controlled Erosion and Growth Factor Delivery.

Tunable erosion of polymeric materials is an important aspect of tissue engineering for reasons that include cell infiltration, controlled release of therapeutic agents, and ultimately to tissue healing. In general, the biological response to proteinaceous polymeric hydrogels is favorable (e.g.

Consumption of soy isoflavone enriched bread in men with prostate cancer is associated with reduced proinflammatory cytokines and immunosuppressive cells.

We hypothesized that soy phytochemicals may have immunomodulatory properties that may affect prostate carcinogenesis and progression. A randomized, phase II trial was conducted in 32 patients with prostate cancer with asymptomatic biochemical recurrence but no measurable disease on standard staging studies. Patients were randomized to two slices of soy bread (34 mg isoflavones/slice) or soy bread containing almond powder daily as a source of β-glucosidase.