Sugar-sweetened or artificially sweetened beverage consumption, physical activity and risk of type 2 diabetes in US adults.

Aims/hypothesis: A positive association between sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and diabetes risk has been shown, with inconsistent evidence between artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) and diabetes. Moreover, it is uncertain if physical activity can mitigate the negative effects of these beverages on diabetes development. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the independent and joint associations between SSB or ASB consumption and physical activity on the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Gut microbes metabolize strawberry phytochemicals and mediate their beneficial effects on vascular inflammation.

Evidence suggests that a healthy gut microbiome is essential for metabolizing dietary phytochemicals. However, the microbiome's role in metabolite production and the influence of gut dysbiosis on this process remain unclear. Further, studies on the relationship among gut microbes, metabolites, and biological activities of phytochemicals are limited.

Functional Connectivity to the Amygdala in the Neonate Is Impacted by the Maternal Anxiety Level During Pregnancy.

Background And Purpose: Anxiety during pregnancy is common, and exposure to heightened anxiety during pregnancy may influence children's brain development and functioning. However, it is unclear if exposure to low levels of anxiety in utero would also impact the developing brain. The current prospective and longitudinal study included 40 healthy pregnant women without pregnancy complications or previous diagnosis of anxiety disorders.

Gut microbiota dysbiosis in Alzheimer's disease (AD): Insights from human clinical studies and the mouse AD models.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a debilitating neurocognitive disorder with an unclear underlying mechanism. Recent studies have implicated gut microbiota dysbiosis with the onset and progression of AD. The connection between gut microbiota and AD can significantly affect the prevention and treatment of AD patients.

Pediatric gastrostomy tube referral patterns and postoperative use: A single-center experience.

Objectives: Practice variability exists regarding the timing of gastrostomy tube (GT) placement in patients unable to maintain adequate oral nutrition. We sought to assess patient factors predictive of longer surgical GT use to inform patient selection.

Methods: We conducted a single-center, retrospective cohort study including children ≤18 years who underwent surgical GT placement from June 1, 2018 to June 1, 2021 at a children's hospital.

Food Insecurity and Weight Faltering: US Multisite Analysis of Young Children's Weight Trajectory.

Background: Food insecurity is associated with poor health and development among young children, with inconsistent findings related to longitudinal growth.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate associations between household and child food insecurity and young children's weight trajectory during ages 0 to 2 years.

Design: Longitudinal survey data were analyzed for years 2009 to 2018.

Abnormal Exercise Gas Exchange Before Pulmonary Emboli Diagnosis.

A 20-year-old male underwent diagnostic testing due to unexplained shortness of breath and chest discomfort. He had no previous medical problems and was not taking any medications. Initial evaluations included cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), which yielded results that were reported as normal.

Dietary soy protein reverses obesity-induced liver steatosis and alters fecal microbial composition independent of isoflavone level.

Introduction: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a major public health concern that is exacerbated by the obesity pandemic. Dietary interventions have the potential to alleviate obesity-associated MASLD through variable mechanisms, including optimizing the gut microbiota. Previously, we reported that soy protein concentrate (SPC) with low or high levels of isoflavone (LIF or HIF) protected young obese Zucker rats from developing liver steatosis.

Grape-Seed Proanthocyanidin Extract (GSPE) Modulates Diurnal Rhythms of Hepatic Metabolic Genes and Metabolites, and Reduces Lipid Deposition in Cafeteria-Fed Rats in a Time-of-Day-Dependent Manner.

Scope: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a global health issue with increasing prevalence. Polyphenols, such as grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE), are bioactive compounds present in plants and represent an interesting therapeutical approach for MASLD.

Methods And Results: This study questioned whether the timing of GSPE administration impacts liver diurnal metabolism and steatosis in a rat obesity model.

Impact of maternal high-fat diet on offspring gut microbiota during short-term high-fat diet exposure in mice.

Alterations in the gut microbiome have been linked to obesity, with maternal high-fat diet (HF) playing a role in shaping offspring microbiome composition. However, the sex-specific responses to maternal HF diet and the impact of subsequent dietary challenges remain unclear. This study investigated the effects of maternal HF diet on offspring gut microbiota structure and predicted functional profile in response to short-term postnatal HF diet exposure with a focus on sex-specific responses.

The 24-hour molecular landscape after exercise in humans reveals MYC is sufficient for muscle growth.

A detailed understanding of molecular responses to a hypertrophic stimulus in skeletal muscle leads to therapeutic advances aimed at promoting muscle mass. To decode the molecular factors regulating skeletal muscle mass, we utilized a 24-h time course of human muscle biopsies after a bout of resistance exercise. Our findings indicate: (1) the DNA methylome response at 30 min corresponds to upregulated genes at 3 h, (2) a burst of translation- and transcription-initiation factor-coding transcripts occurs between 3 and 8 h, (3) changes to global protein-coding gene expression peaks at 8 h, (4) ribosome-related genes dominate the mRNA landscape between 8 and 24 h, (5) methylation-regulated MYC is a highly influential transcription factor throughout recovery.

Associations between maternal microbiome, metabolome and incidence of low-birth weight in Guatemalan participants from the Women First Trial.

Background: Low birth weight (LBW; <2,500 g) affects approximately 15 to 20 percent of global births annually and is associated with suboptimal child development. Recent studies suggest a link between the maternal gut microbiome and poor obstetric and perinatal outcomes. The goal of this study was to examine relationships between maternal microbial taxa, fecal metabolites, and maternal anthropometry on incidence of LBW in resource-limited settings.

Calorie restriction during gestation impacts maternal and offspring fecal microbiome in mice.

Background: Maternal undernutrition is the most common cause of fetal growth restriction (FGR) worldwide. FGR increases morbidity and mortality during infancy, as well as contributes to adult-onset diseases including obesity and type 2 diabetes. The role of the maternal or offspring microbiome in growth outcomes following FGR is not well understood.

Excessive Gestational Weight Gain, Independent of Body Mass Index, Is Associated With Child Fat Mass Index at Age 2 Years in the Growing life, Optimizing Wellness Study.

Background: Excessive gestational weight gain (eGWG) increases risk for pregnancy complications and future obesity for pregnant persons and children. Yet, it is unclear whether eGWG leads to higher child adiposity at 2 years, independent of the pregnant person's body mass index (BMI) while considering important covariates. Moreover, understanding the characteristics of pregnant persons experiencing eGWG will help design future targeted interventions.

The oxygen uptake efficiency slope does not accurately predict O of children - the Arkansas Active Kids study.

Background: Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is a vital indicator of health. However, accurately measuring peak oxygen consumption ( O) to determine CRF in children can be challenging. The oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES) has been proposed as an alternative metric for predicting O in children, but its accuracy and agreement with measured O remain unclear.

Protonophore treatment augments energy expenditure in mice housed at thermoneutrality.

Background: Sub-thermoneutral housing increases facultative thermogenesis in mice, which may mask the pre-clinical efficacy of anti-obesity strategies that target energy expenditure (EE). Here, we quantified the impact of protonophore treatment on whole-body energetics in mice housed at 30°C.

Methods: C57BL/6J mice ( = 48, 24M/24F) were housed at 24°C for 2 weeks; 32 (16M/16F) were then transitioned to 30°C for a further 4 weeks.