Repository logo

Browsing by Author "Foster, Michelle T., committee member"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemEmbargo
    Exploring microbiome-targeted interventions in the mitigation of endothelial dysfunction
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024) Risk, Briana D., author; Weir, Tiffany L., advisor; Gentile, Christopher L., advisor; Chicco, Adam J., committee member; Foster, Michelle T., committee member
    Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been the leading cause of mortality in the United States for more than seventy years eclipsing cancer and respiratory disease by more than 13%. Despite sincere efforts to decrease the incidence of CVD, various environmental and intrinsic factors contribute to CVD progression, making it challenging to mitigate this complex condition. However, the past decade has shown tremendous growth in understanding the connection between the gut microbiome in its protective, or pathogenic progression of CVD. The gut microbiome, or the consortia of microbial species, genes, and metabolites, that shapes the gastrointestinal environment has a profound impact on the vascular endothelium through mechanisms not yet entirely understood. Therefore, the purpose of the research in this dissertation was to: 1) Utilize next-generation sequencing and metabolomics to characterize microbial contribution to varied endothelial response after a dietary blueberry intervention in post-menopausal females; 2) Determine if a hypertensive microbiome after blueberry treatment confers gastrointestinal and endothelial phenotype in a humanized mouse model; 3) Evaluate the efficacy of a probiotic in reversing endothelial dysfunction in dietarily obese mice, while exploring the contribution to gut barrier integrity and vasoactive metabolite proliferation in a novel cell co-culture.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Inherent aerobic capacity and susceptibility to breast cancer development
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2018) Lutsiv, Tymofiy, author; Thompson, Henry J., advisor; Wilusz, Carol, committee member; Foster, Michelle T., committee member
    Physical inactivity is one of the risk factors for developing breast cancer. Aerobic capacity is an objective measure of an individual's activity behavior as physical exercise improves their ability to consume, transfer, and utilize oxygen. Variability in responses to the same physical exercise program led scientists to determine that there are two components of aerobic capacity—inducible and inherent. The latter became possible to study when two models with high (HIAC) and low (LIAC) inherent aerobic capacity were created. A number of studies conducted on these models showed that not only do these strains differ in their exercise performance but also in their susceptibility to disease. LIAC animals gain more weight and exhibit reduced fatty acid oxidation compared with their HIAC counterparts, especially on a high-fat diet. Based on these observations, my working hypothesis is that inherent aerobic capacity underlies an individual's metabolic flexibility. Metabolically inflexible cells exhibit increased glucose utilization, anabolic metabolism, as well as cell proliferation and survival. Interestingly, similar factors are also associated with carcinogenesis. HIAC animals appear to be metabolically more flexible on a systemic and cellular level than their LIAC counterparts. Additionally, our laboratory previously showed that LIAC animals exhibited greater incidence, multiplicity, and lower latency of breast tumors than HIAC upon carcinogen administration. To reveal the underlying mechanisms of their different carcinogenic responses, we analyze protein expression patterns in the mammary gland and tumors of HIAC/LIAC models. We demonstrate that LIAC animals upregulate pathways associated with glucose utilization, protein and fatty acid synthesis, as well as other carcinogenic signatures, whereas HIACs are associated with energy sensing, fatty acid oxidation, and cell cycle arrest. Consequently, we propose that higher inherent aerobic capacity renders cells metabolically more flexible and reduces their susceptibility to breast cancer development.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Special-fed veal: separable components, proximate composition, and nutrient analysis of selected raw and cooked, wholesale and retail cuts
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014) Perham, Carlie Claire, author; Woerner, Dale R., advisor; Belk, Keith E., advisor; Engle, Terry E., committee member; Delmore, Robert J., committee member; Foster, Michelle T., committee member
    Nutritional qualities of consumer foods are of great importance in improving health. The American obesity epidemic and resulting government recommendations for the decrease in the consumption of foods with high fat and sodium content resulted in an increase in consumer awareness of nutrition. In 2010, the Food Safety Inspection Service published the final rule "Nutrition Labeling of Single-Ingredient Products and Ground or Chopped Meat and Poultry Products" (75 FR 82148) requiring nutrient facts for individual retail cuts be labeled, effective January 1, 2012, under revisions to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) for "Nutrition labeling of meat and meat food products" (9 CFR 317.300). Veal products are included in the section regarding the "Identification of major cuts of meat products", which specifies cuts required to have a nutrition label, including veal (9 CFR 317.344). In order to supply veal producers and retailers with nutritional label information, and therefore provide consumers with accurate nutritional information, it is necessary to analyze modern and prevalent veal retail cuts for nutrient content. Ten raw and cooked special-fed veal cuts from six different suppliers of United States-sourced veal were analyzed for nutrient contents. Veal has improved in many aspects of nutrient composition compared to values used in the current United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Agriculture Research Service (ARS) Nutrient Database Standard Reference 26 (SR-26). According to USDA federal regulations (9 CFR 317.362), leg cutlets, loin chops, and shank cross-cuts (osso buco) can be labeled under the USDA classification of "Extra Lean" with less than 5g total fat, 2.5g or less of saturated fat, and less than 95mg of cholesterol. Additionally, shoulder blade chops were considered "Lean", having less than 10g fat, less than 5 g of saturated fat, and less than 95 mg of cholesterol per 100 g. The American Heart Association "Heart Check" requirements are met by leg cutlets, loin chops, and shank cross-cuts. Compared to SR-26 data, cholesterol levels declined by 30%. Veal provides an "excellent" source of: Vitamins B2, B3, B6, B12; selenium, zinc, phosphorus, and copper. Additionally, veal is a "good" source of Vitamin D, iron, and potassium. These results provide nutrition facts for consumers to use in conjunction with common cookery methods like grilling- which currently is not an option for veal when searching for foods on the current SR. Additionally, values for choline and Vitamin D are now available for veal. Vitamin D levels in veal from these data showed that raw and cooked ground veal fulfill the requirements to be labeled as a "good source" of this anti-carcinogenic nutrient, containing more Vitamin D than fortified milk and having close to the same levels of eggs and fish. Veal is a lean, complete protein choice for consumers, providing "excellent" and "good" amounts of protein, vitamins, and minerals.