Paule Joseph | National Institutes of Health (original) (raw)
Genetics by Paule Joseph
Papers by Paule Joseph
Nutrients
Prenatal caffeine exposure (PCE) has been positively associated with elevated body mass index (BM... more Prenatal caffeine exposure (PCE) has been positively associated with elevated body mass index (BMI) in children. Why this association occurs is unclear, but it is possible that PCE alters the in utero development of brain structures associated with food preference, leading to more total sugar intake (TSI, grams) later in childhood. To test this hypothesis, we investigated if PCE (daily/weekly/ 0.01) of excessive PCE (vs. no exposure) with elevated BMI (daily/weekly/daily limit; consistent in boys and girls), increased TSI (daily) and insular thickness (daily/weekly), as well as low middle frontal cortex (MFC) activation (daily). Our sub-analysis revealed an association of daily/weekly PCE (vs. no exposure) with increased gram sugar intake from soft drinks. We also identified a positive relationship of excessive PCE with elevated TSI and increased insular thickness (a key gustatory region), while in a Sobel test, reward sensitivity (reduced brain reactivity to reward anticipation in ...
Physiological Reviews
Taste and smell play a key role in our ability to perceive foods. Overconsumption of highly palat... more Taste and smell play a key role in our ability to perceive foods. Overconsumption of highly palatable energy-dense foods can lead to increased caloric intake and obesity. Thus there is growing interest in the study of the biological mediators of fat taste and associated olfaction as potential targets for pharmacologic and nutritional interventions in the context of obesity and health. The number of studies examining mechanisms underlying fat taste and smell has grown rapidly in the last 5 years. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review is to summarize emerging evidence examining the biological mechanisms of fat taste and smell. A literature search was conducted of studies published in English between 2014 and 2021 in adult humans and animal models. Database searches were conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science for key terms including fat/lipid, taste, and olfaction. Initially, 4,062 articles were identified through database searches, and a total of 84 rele...
Alcohol and Alcoholism, 2022
Background Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with poor diet. Mixed reports in literatur... more Background Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with poor diet. Mixed reports in literature, so far, emphasize on the detailed understanding of relationships between diet composition and binge drinking at different drinking thresholds. Objective We examined the association of alcohol consumption thresholds with macronutrient composition, caloric intake and anthropometric measures from the NHANES 2017–2018 dataset. Methods A total of 2320 participants’ data were analyzed. Energy and nutrient content from daily food and beverage intake were assessed via two dietary recall interviews. Physical examination and Alcohol Use Questionnaire including details about lifetime and current usage patterns were obtained. Correlations were evaluated using the Rao-Scott F Adjusted Chi-square statistic and Wald F-test. Sample-weighted multiple linear regression models were built to analyze the associations among volume of alcohol consumed, weight history and macronutrient intake. Results Waist ...
Competing models of obesity and its treatment often contrast the relative roles of dietary fat ve... more Competing models of obesity and its treatment often contrast the relative roles of dietary fat versus carbohydrate. Advocates of low-carbohydrate diets posit that intake of high glycemic carbohydrates leads to elevated postprandial insulin thereby promoting body fat accumulation while increasing hunger and energy intake according to the carbohydrate-insulin model of obesity. Alternatively, proponents of low-fat diets argue that high fat intake promotes body fat storage due to passive overconsumption of energy resulting from the high energy density of dietary fat. To test these competing models, 20 adults without diabetes aged (mean±SE) 29.9±1.4 y with BMI=27.8±1.3 kg/m2 were admitted as inpatients to the NIH Clinical Center and randomized to consume ad libitum either a plant-based, low-fat (PBLF) diet (75.2% carbohydrate, 10.3% fat, non-beverage energy density = 1.1 kcal/g) or an animal-based, ketogenic, low-carbohydrate (ABLC) diet (75.8% fat,10.0% carbohydrate, non-beverage energy...
Archives of Psychiatric Nursing
Frontiers in Psychiatry
Chronic exposure to addictive drugs in substance use disorders and stressors in mood disorders re... more Chronic exposure to addictive drugs in substance use disorders and stressors in mood disorders render the brain more vulnerable to inflammation. Inflammation in the brain, or neuroinflammation, is characterized by gliosis, microglial activation, and sustained release of cytokines, chemokines, and pro-inflammatory factors compromising the permeability of the blood-brain barrier. There is increased curiosity in understanding how substance misuse and/or repeated stress exposure affect inflammation and contribute to abnormal neuronal activity, altered neuroplasticity, and impaired cognitive control, which eventually promote compulsive drug-use behaviors and worsen mood disorders. This review will emphasize human imaging studies to explore the link between brain function and peripheral markers of inflammation in substance use disorders and mood disorders.
This is the follow-up survey sent to members and was built based on issues flagged for additional... more This is the follow-up survey sent to members and was built based on issues flagged for additional data collection in the initial survey.<br>
Individuals with underlying chronic health conditions are reported to be at increased risk for CO... more Individuals with underlying chronic health conditions are reported to be at increased risk for COVID-19 infection1. Obesity, in particular, is recognized as a major contributor to the severity of COVID-19 illness, especially in young adults with BMI >30 kg/m22. Despite the severity, COVID-19 symptoms have not been systematically assessed in this population group. Here we propose to systematically describe and compare the symptoms in COVID-19 in adults who self-report to be obese or non-obese. While the mechanisms linking excess body weight with COVID-19 are unclear, it is suggested that a pro-inflammatory status in obese adults may impair the adaptive immune response to influenza virus3. Another unique characteristic of COVID-19 is the loss of smell and/or taste4, now a diagnostic criterion for the illness. Interestingly, impaired smell/taste functions are commonly reported in obese adults without COVID-19, and they are attributed to their chronic inflammatory state5,6. Nonethele...
This is the preregistration for an observational online study: the GCCR Smell-&-Taste-Check. It c... more This is the preregistration for an observational online study: the GCCR Smell-&-Taste-Check. It combines 1) an online survey with questions about demographics, health (e.g., medical history, COVID-19 status, COVID-19 symptoms), quantitative self-reported remembered ability to smell, taste, and experience oral irritation (like the burning from chili peppers) as well as the ability to breathe through the nose with 2) a practical part where participants rate the smell and taste intensity of four suggested household items/foods (e.g., the smell of shampoo or the sweetness of sugar). Participants are given visual analogue scales with anchors at both ends that produce quantitative evaluations of self-reported sensory abilities (part 1) and experienced intensity (part 2), respectively. The study was designed to provide a means to test (if used once) or monitor (if used more than once) chemosensory abilities. Here, we propose a first analysis with the aim to assess the relationship between ...
Sensory Science and Chronic Diseases, 2021
Behavioral Sciences, 2020
Black/African American women are at high risk for depression, yet are underrepresented in psychia... more Black/African American women are at high risk for depression, yet are underrepresented in psychiatric genetic research for depression prevention and treatment. Little is known about the factors that influence participation in genetic testing for Black/African American women at risk. The purpose of this study was to elicit the beliefs that underlie participation in genetic testing for depression in Black/African American mothers, a subgroup at high risk. Willingness to participate in genetic testing procedures was also determined. A qualitative, descriptive design was employed. Exactly 19 mothers aged 21–42 completed open-ended questionnaires. Directed content and descriptive analyses of the text were conducted based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. Salient beliefs included: behavioral advantages—diagnosing/detecting depression (31.6%), finding cure/treatment (21.1%); disadvantages—not finding follow-up treatment/help (21.1%); salient referents, who approves—family members (47.4%),...
The Lancet Global Health, 2020
Background Although progress has been made in developed countries to increase the representation ... more Background Although progress has been made in developed countries to increase the representation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), women in African countries lag behind. Stark gender disparities exist in STEM in Africa due to economic, environmental, sociocultural, and personal factors. Here, we describe the African Research Academies for Women (ARA-W) summer undergraduate research programme that seeks to reverse the under-representation of women in STEM through fellowship opportunities with mentored training at reputable academic and research institutions. Methods Applicants are selected through a competitive application process on the basis of academic performance, STEM experience, their personal statement, and career potential. Fellows are paired with established leaders in their fields who provide rigorous mentoring for 8 weeks. Fellows submit weekly progress reports, complete a community service project, and participate in a final presentation. Findings Since 2014, 65 fellows have completed projects on topics including the transmission dynamics of malaria, in-vitro procedures for evaluating cytotoxicity and use of high-performance liquid chromatography, palliative-care training for caregivers of cancer patients, and converting plastic wastes into biodiesel. Mean age of participants was 20 years and 76%, 11%, and 14% studied science, technology, and engineering, respectively. All fellows attended universities in Ghana at the time of participation. Interpretation Securing funding to cover the full costs of the programme is a challenge. ARA-W is a volunteerled organisation, which significantly reduces overhead costs. However, because there is no paid full-time staff, we must be mindful of coordinating responsibilities around teammates' schedules. We plan to increase enrolment by 20 fellows every year, and finalise the development of MentorSpace, an online professional mentorship pairing platform to connect individuals affiliated with ARA-W. Through ARA-W's MentorSpace, fellows can connect with an expanded network both within and outside their fields. New fellows will connect with our alumni network, using their knowledge and experience to open doors for future scholars. We have begun to collaborate with academic institutions in Nigeria to allow our model to be translated across Africa. Funding Individuals and organisations donate to ARA-W to support our mission.
Biological Research For Nursing, 2020
Background: Obesity plays a major role in the development of insulin resistance (IR) and diabetes... more Background: Obesity plays a major role in the development of insulin resistance (IR) and diabetes (T2DM). Increased adipose tissue (AT) is particularly of interest because it activates a chronic inflammatory response in adipocytes and other tissues. AT plays key endocrine and metabolic functions, acting in the regulation of insulin sensitivity and energy homeostasis. Additionally, it can be easily collected during bariatric surgery. The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the potential differences in AT metabolism, through comparing the untargeted metabolomic profiles of diabetic and non-diabetic obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Methods: For this exploratory study, samples were collected from 17 subjects. Subcutaneous AT (SAT) samples from obese-diabetic (n = 8) and Obese-non-Diabetic (n = 9) subjects were obtained from the Human Metabolic Tissue Bank. Untargeted metabolomic profiling was performed by Metabolon® Inc. Statistical analysis was performed using the Me...
SUCROSE THRESHOLDS AND GENETIC POLYMORPHISMS OF SWEET AND BITTER TASTE RECEPTOR GENES IN CHILDREN... more SUCROSE THRESHOLDS AND GENETIC POLYMORPHISMS OF SWEET AND BITTER TASTE RECEPTOR GENES IN CHILDREN Paule Valery Joseph Charlene Compher, PhD, RD Background: Many illnesses of modern society are due to poor food choices. Excess consumption of sugars has been associated with obesity and diabetes. Children, due to their basic biology, are more vulnerable than adults to overeat foods rich in sugars. Little research has focused on whether there are individual differences among children in their sensitivity to sweet taste and if so the biological correlates of such differences. Aims: The goal of this study was to determine whether variations in children’s sucrose detection thresholds relate to their age and sex, taste genotype, added sugar or caloric intake, temperament or food neophobia and adiposity. Methods: Sucrose detection thresholds in children age 7-14 years were tested individually using a validated two-alternative, forced-choice, paired-comparison tracking method. Genetic variant...
Decision-making deficits in obesity and alcohol use disorder (AUD) may contribute to the choice o... more Decision-making deficits in obesity and alcohol use disorder (AUD) may contribute to the choice of immediate rewards despite their long-term deleterious consequences. Gambling task functional MRI in Human connectome project (HCP) dataset was used to investigate neural activation differences associated with reward or punishment (a key component of decision-making behavior) in 418 individuals with obesity (high BMI) and without obesity (lean BMI) and either at high (HR) or low (LR) risk of AUD based on their alcohol drinking levels. Interaction between BMI and alcohol drinking was seen in regions of the default mode network (DMN) and those implicated in self-related processing, memory, and salience attribution. ObesityHR relative to obesityLR also recruited DMN along with primary motor and regions implicated in inattention, negative perception, and uncertain choices, which might facilitate impulsive choices in obesityHR. Furthermore, obesityHR compared to leanHR/leanLR also demonstrat...
Journal of Visualized Experiments, 2021
This paper describes a two-alternative, forced-choice, staircase, tracking procedure, called the ... more This paper describes a two-alternative, forced-choice, staircase, tracking procedure, called the Taste Detection Threshold (TDT) test, that provides a reliable measure of sweet, salty, and umami taste detection thresholds from childhood to adulthood. Advantages of the method include procedures that are identical for children and adults, thus allowing the determination of age-related and individual differences in taste perception, if any, and tasks that can be completed in a relatively short time frame, do not rely on continuous attention or require memorization, control for subjective response biases, and minimize the impact of language development. After a 1 hour fast, participants are presented with pairs of solutions; in each pair, one solution is water, and the other solution contains varying concentrations of the tastant. Using a whole-mouth tasting method, participants taste each solution (without swallowing and with rinsing between tastings) and then point to the solution with a taste or that tastes different from water. The concentration of the stimulus in the subsequent pair increases after a single incorrect response and decreases after two consecutive correct responses. A reversal occurs when the concentration sequence changes direction. The task is deemed completed after the occurrence of four reversals, provided there are a maximum of two dilution steps between two successive reversals, and the series of reversals do not form an ascending pattern. These additional criteria ensure greater reliability in outcomes. The TDT is then calculated as the geometric mean of the concentrations of the four reversals. This method has real-world relevance as it provides information on a dimension of taste perception that is independent of hedonics, and that can change with aging and certain disease states, making it a valuable psychophysical test.
Nursing Research, 2020
Nurses are, and have been, trained to evaluate patients asmore thana sumof their parts and to app... more Nurses are, and have been, trained to evaluate patients asmore thana sumof their parts and to appreciate the complexities and interconnected nature of multiple body systems onhumanhealth (Knisely&Draucker, 2016). Although this method of patient evaluation and multisystems-based approach is being adopted by many disciplines, including medicine (Wells et al., 2015), the multidimensional training required to study the role of the microbiome in human health from a nursing lens is not generally well understood. Many nurse scientists have advanced education in genetics and genomics from doctoral programs and postdoctoral training. This advanced training makes them well posed to be the link between preclinical microbiome research and clinical/ translational research that facilitates improvements in clinical care and patient outcomes. A background in holistic care is foundational for the development of research hypotheses testing the effect of physical, mental, and environmental factors on the bacterial communities in the microbiome and how the microbiome may have implications for clinical interventions and patient health. With this generation of “bedside to bench and back” research, nurses are at the forefront of translational microbiome research. Viewing research from a nursing perspective allows nurse scientists to combine the patientcentered questions carved from their clinical experiencewith cutting-edge genomic technologies to understand complex human–microbiome–environment interactions (Figure 1). The microbiome is made up of the communities of bacteria that live in and on the human body and their collective genetic information (Ursell et al., 2012). Advances in microbial sequencing technologies have enhanced rapid knowledge accumulation of these microbial communities. The clinical and therapeutic potential of the microbiome has been witnessed by the explosion of research linking disruptions in themicrobiome with disease (Gilbert et al., 2016; Lynch & Pedersen, 2016). Therapies centered on modulating the microbiome, such as fecal microbiota transplantation (“transplanting” stool from a healthy person to a diseased patient), have effectively treated complex clinical conditions such as Clostridium difficile colonization and colitis (Allegretti et al., 2019). The improvement of clinical outcomes, unmatched by standard antibiotic protocols (Allegretti et al., 2019), hints at the potential that microbiome therapeuticsmayhaveoncewehaveacomprehensive
Epigenomics, 2021
Aim: To investigate the association between placental genome-wide methylation at birth and antena... more Aim: To investigate the association between placental genome-wide methylation at birth and antenatal depression and stress during pregnancy. Methods: We examined the association between placental genome-wide DNA methylation (n = 301) and maternal depression and stress assessed at six gestation periods during pregnancy. Correlation between DNA methylation at the significantly associated CpGs and expression of nearby genes in the placenta was tested. Results: Depression and stress were associated with methylation of 16 CpGs and two CpGs, respectively, at a 5% false discovery rate. Methylation levels at two of the CpGs associated with depression were significantly associated with expression of ADAM23 and CTDP1, genes implicated in neurodevelopment and neuropsychiatric diseases. Conclusion: Placental epigenetic changes linked to antenatal depression suggest potential fetal brain programming. Clinical trial registration number: NCT00912132 (ClinicalTrials.gov)
Nutrients
Prenatal caffeine exposure (PCE) has been positively associated with elevated body mass index (BM... more Prenatal caffeine exposure (PCE) has been positively associated with elevated body mass index (BMI) in children. Why this association occurs is unclear, but it is possible that PCE alters the in utero development of brain structures associated with food preference, leading to more total sugar intake (TSI, grams) later in childhood. To test this hypothesis, we investigated if PCE (daily/weekly/ 0.01) of excessive PCE (vs. no exposure) with elevated BMI (daily/weekly/daily limit; consistent in boys and girls), increased TSI (daily) and insular thickness (daily/weekly), as well as low middle frontal cortex (MFC) activation (daily). Our sub-analysis revealed an association of daily/weekly PCE (vs. no exposure) with increased gram sugar intake from soft drinks. We also identified a positive relationship of excessive PCE with elevated TSI and increased insular thickness (a key gustatory region), while in a Sobel test, reward sensitivity (reduced brain reactivity to reward anticipation in ...
Physiological Reviews
Taste and smell play a key role in our ability to perceive foods. Overconsumption of highly palat... more Taste and smell play a key role in our ability to perceive foods. Overconsumption of highly palatable energy-dense foods can lead to increased caloric intake and obesity. Thus there is growing interest in the study of the biological mediators of fat taste and associated olfaction as potential targets for pharmacologic and nutritional interventions in the context of obesity and health. The number of studies examining mechanisms underlying fat taste and smell has grown rapidly in the last 5 years. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review is to summarize emerging evidence examining the biological mechanisms of fat taste and smell. A literature search was conducted of studies published in English between 2014 and 2021 in adult humans and animal models. Database searches were conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science for key terms including fat/lipid, taste, and olfaction. Initially, 4,062 articles were identified through database searches, and a total of 84 rele...
Alcohol and Alcoholism, 2022
Background Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with poor diet. Mixed reports in literatur... more Background Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with poor diet. Mixed reports in literature, so far, emphasize on the detailed understanding of relationships between diet composition and binge drinking at different drinking thresholds. Objective We examined the association of alcohol consumption thresholds with macronutrient composition, caloric intake and anthropometric measures from the NHANES 2017–2018 dataset. Methods A total of 2320 participants’ data were analyzed. Energy and nutrient content from daily food and beverage intake were assessed via two dietary recall interviews. Physical examination and Alcohol Use Questionnaire including details about lifetime and current usage patterns were obtained. Correlations were evaluated using the Rao-Scott F Adjusted Chi-square statistic and Wald F-test. Sample-weighted multiple linear regression models were built to analyze the associations among volume of alcohol consumed, weight history and macronutrient intake. Results Waist ...
Competing models of obesity and its treatment often contrast the relative roles of dietary fat ve... more Competing models of obesity and its treatment often contrast the relative roles of dietary fat versus carbohydrate. Advocates of low-carbohydrate diets posit that intake of high glycemic carbohydrates leads to elevated postprandial insulin thereby promoting body fat accumulation while increasing hunger and energy intake according to the carbohydrate-insulin model of obesity. Alternatively, proponents of low-fat diets argue that high fat intake promotes body fat storage due to passive overconsumption of energy resulting from the high energy density of dietary fat. To test these competing models, 20 adults without diabetes aged (mean±SE) 29.9±1.4 y with BMI=27.8±1.3 kg/m2 were admitted as inpatients to the NIH Clinical Center and randomized to consume ad libitum either a plant-based, low-fat (PBLF) diet (75.2% carbohydrate, 10.3% fat, non-beverage energy density = 1.1 kcal/g) or an animal-based, ketogenic, low-carbohydrate (ABLC) diet (75.8% fat,10.0% carbohydrate, non-beverage energy...
Archives of Psychiatric Nursing
Frontiers in Psychiatry
Chronic exposure to addictive drugs in substance use disorders and stressors in mood disorders re... more Chronic exposure to addictive drugs in substance use disorders and stressors in mood disorders render the brain more vulnerable to inflammation. Inflammation in the brain, or neuroinflammation, is characterized by gliosis, microglial activation, and sustained release of cytokines, chemokines, and pro-inflammatory factors compromising the permeability of the blood-brain barrier. There is increased curiosity in understanding how substance misuse and/or repeated stress exposure affect inflammation and contribute to abnormal neuronal activity, altered neuroplasticity, and impaired cognitive control, which eventually promote compulsive drug-use behaviors and worsen mood disorders. This review will emphasize human imaging studies to explore the link between brain function and peripheral markers of inflammation in substance use disorders and mood disorders.
This is the follow-up survey sent to members and was built based on issues flagged for additional... more This is the follow-up survey sent to members and was built based on issues flagged for additional data collection in the initial survey.<br>
Individuals with underlying chronic health conditions are reported to be at increased risk for CO... more Individuals with underlying chronic health conditions are reported to be at increased risk for COVID-19 infection1. Obesity, in particular, is recognized as a major contributor to the severity of COVID-19 illness, especially in young adults with BMI >30 kg/m22. Despite the severity, COVID-19 symptoms have not been systematically assessed in this population group. Here we propose to systematically describe and compare the symptoms in COVID-19 in adults who self-report to be obese or non-obese. While the mechanisms linking excess body weight with COVID-19 are unclear, it is suggested that a pro-inflammatory status in obese adults may impair the adaptive immune response to influenza virus3. Another unique characteristic of COVID-19 is the loss of smell and/or taste4, now a diagnostic criterion for the illness. Interestingly, impaired smell/taste functions are commonly reported in obese adults without COVID-19, and they are attributed to their chronic inflammatory state5,6. Nonethele...
This is the preregistration for an observational online study: the GCCR Smell-&-Taste-Check. It c... more This is the preregistration for an observational online study: the GCCR Smell-&-Taste-Check. It combines 1) an online survey with questions about demographics, health (e.g., medical history, COVID-19 status, COVID-19 symptoms), quantitative self-reported remembered ability to smell, taste, and experience oral irritation (like the burning from chili peppers) as well as the ability to breathe through the nose with 2) a practical part where participants rate the smell and taste intensity of four suggested household items/foods (e.g., the smell of shampoo or the sweetness of sugar). Participants are given visual analogue scales with anchors at both ends that produce quantitative evaluations of self-reported sensory abilities (part 1) and experienced intensity (part 2), respectively. The study was designed to provide a means to test (if used once) or monitor (if used more than once) chemosensory abilities. Here, we propose a first analysis with the aim to assess the relationship between ...
Sensory Science and Chronic Diseases, 2021
Behavioral Sciences, 2020
Black/African American women are at high risk for depression, yet are underrepresented in psychia... more Black/African American women are at high risk for depression, yet are underrepresented in psychiatric genetic research for depression prevention and treatment. Little is known about the factors that influence participation in genetic testing for Black/African American women at risk. The purpose of this study was to elicit the beliefs that underlie participation in genetic testing for depression in Black/African American mothers, a subgroup at high risk. Willingness to participate in genetic testing procedures was also determined. A qualitative, descriptive design was employed. Exactly 19 mothers aged 21–42 completed open-ended questionnaires. Directed content and descriptive analyses of the text were conducted based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. Salient beliefs included: behavioral advantages—diagnosing/detecting depression (31.6%), finding cure/treatment (21.1%); disadvantages—not finding follow-up treatment/help (21.1%); salient referents, who approves—family members (47.4%),...
The Lancet Global Health, 2020
Background Although progress has been made in developed countries to increase the representation ... more Background Although progress has been made in developed countries to increase the representation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), women in African countries lag behind. Stark gender disparities exist in STEM in Africa due to economic, environmental, sociocultural, and personal factors. Here, we describe the African Research Academies for Women (ARA-W) summer undergraduate research programme that seeks to reverse the under-representation of women in STEM through fellowship opportunities with mentored training at reputable academic and research institutions. Methods Applicants are selected through a competitive application process on the basis of academic performance, STEM experience, their personal statement, and career potential. Fellows are paired with established leaders in their fields who provide rigorous mentoring for 8 weeks. Fellows submit weekly progress reports, complete a community service project, and participate in a final presentation. Findings Since 2014, 65 fellows have completed projects on topics including the transmission dynamics of malaria, in-vitro procedures for evaluating cytotoxicity and use of high-performance liquid chromatography, palliative-care training for caregivers of cancer patients, and converting plastic wastes into biodiesel. Mean age of participants was 20 years and 76%, 11%, and 14% studied science, technology, and engineering, respectively. All fellows attended universities in Ghana at the time of participation. Interpretation Securing funding to cover the full costs of the programme is a challenge. ARA-W is a volunteerled organisation, which significantly reduces overhead costs. However, because there is no paid full-time staff, we must be mindful of coordinating responsibilities around teammates' schedules. We plan to increase enrolment by 20 fellows every year, and finalise the development of MentorSpace, an online professional mentorship pairing platform to connect individuals affiliated with ARA-W. Through ARA-W's MentorSpace, fellows can connect with an expanded network both within and outside their fields. New fellows will connect with our alumni network, using their knowledge and experience to open doors for future scholars. We have begun to collaborate with academic institutions in Nigeria to allow our model to be translated across Africa. Funding Individuals and organisations donate to ARA-W to support our mission.
Biological Research For Nursing, 2020
Background: Obesity plays a major role in the development of insulin resistance (IR) and diabetes... more Background: Obesity plays a major role in the development of insulin resistance (IR) and diabetes (T2DM). Increased adipose tissue (AT) is particularly of interest because it activates a chronic inflammatory response in adipocytes and other tissues. AT plays key endocrine and metabolic functions, acting in the regulation of insulin sensitivity and energy homeostasis. Additionally, it can be easily collected during bariatric surgery. The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the potential differences in AT metabolism, through comparing the untargeted metabolomic profiles of diabetic and non-diabetic obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Methods: For this exploratory study, samples were collected from 17 subjects. Subcutaneous AT (SAT) samples from obese-diabetic (n = 8) and Obese-non-Diabetic (n = 9) subjects were obtained from the Human Metabolic Tissue Bank. Untargeted metabolomic profiling was performed by Metabolon® Inc. Statistical analysis was performed using the Me...
SUCROSE THRESHOLDS AND GENETIC POLYMORPHISMS OF SWEET AND BITTER TASTE RECEPTOR GENES IN CHILDREN... more SUCROSE THRESHOLDS AND GENETIC POLYMORPHISMS OF SWEET AND BITTER TASTE RECEPTOR GENES IN CHILDREN Paule Valery Joseph Charlene Compher, PhD, RD Background: Many illnesses of modern society are due to poor food choices. Excess consumption of sugars has been associated with obesity and diabetes. Children, due to their basic biology, are more vulnerable than adults to overeat foods rich in sugars. Little research has focused on whether there are individual differences among children in their sensitivity to sweet taste and if so the biological correlates of such differences. Aims: The goal of this study was to determine whether variations in children’s sucrose detection thresholds relate to their age and sex, taste genotype, added sugar or caloric intake, temperament or food neophobia and adiposity. Methods: Sucrose detection thresholds in children age 7-14 years were tested individually using a validated two-alternative, forced-choice, paired-comparison tracking method. Genetic variant...
Decision-making deficits in obesity and alcohol use disorder (AUD) may contribute to the choice o... more Decision-making deficits in obesity and alcohol use disorder (AUD) may contribute to the choice of immediate rewards despite their long-term deleterious consequences. Gambling task functional MRI in Human connectome project (HCP) dataset was used to investigate neural activation differences associated with reward or punishment (a key component of decision-making behavior) in 418 individuals with obesity (high BMI) and without obesity (lean BMI) and either at high (HR) or low (LR) risk of AUD based on their alcohol drinking levels. Interaction between BMI and alcohol drinking was seen in regions of the default mode network (DMN) and those implicated in self-related processing, memory, and salience attribution. ObesityHR relative to obesityLR also recruited DMN along with primary motor and regions implicated in inattention, negative perception, and uncertain choices, which might facilitate impulsive choices in obesityHR. Furthermore, obesityHR compared to leanHR/leanLR also demonstrat...
Journal of Visualized Experiments, 2021
This paper describes a two-alternative, forced-choice, staircase, tracking procedure, called the ... more This paper describes a two-alternative, forced-choice, staircase, tracking procedure, called the Taste Detection Threshold (TDT) test, that provides a reliable measure of sweet, salty, and umami taste detection thresholds from childhood to adulthood. Advantages of the method include procedures that are identical for children and adults, thus allowing the determination of age-related and individual differences in taste perception, if any, and tasks that can be completed in a relatively short time frame, do not rely on continuous attention or require memorization, control for subjective response biases, and minimize the impact of language development. After a 1 hour fast, participants are presented with pairs of solutions; in each pair, one solution is water, and the other solution contains varying concentrations of the tastant. Using a whole-mouth tasting method, participants taste each solution (without swallowing and with rinsing between tastings) and then point to the solution with a taste or that tastes different from water. The concentration of the stimulus in the subsequent pair increases after a single incorrect response and decreases after two consecutive correct responses. A reversal occurs when the concentration sequence changes direction. The task is deemed completed after the occurrence of four reversals, provided there are a maximum of two dilution steps between two successive reversals, and the series of reversals do not form an ascending pattern. These additional criteria ensure greater reliability in outcomes. The TDT is then calculated as the geometric mean of the concentrations of the four reversals. This method has real-world relevance as it provides information on a dimension of taste perception that is independent of hedonics, and that can change with aging and certain disease states, making it a valuable psychophysical test.
Nursing Research, 2020
Nurses are, and have been, trained to evaluate patients asmore thana sumof their parts and to app... more Nurses are, and have been, trained to evaluate patients asmore thana sumof their parts and to appreciate the complexities and interconnected nature of multiple body systems onhumanhealth (Knisely&Draucker, 2016). Although this method of patient evaluation and multisystems-based approach is being adopted by many disciplines, including medicine (Wells et al., 2015), the multidimensional training required to study the role of the microbiome in human health from a nursing lens is not generally well understood. Many nurse scientists have advanced education in genetics and genomics from doctoral programs and postdoctoral training. This advanced training makes them well posed to be the link between preclinical microbiome research and clinical/ translational research that facilitates improvements in clinical care and patient outcomes. A background in holistic care is foundational for the development of research hypotheses testing the effect of physical, mental, and environmental factors on the bacterial communities in the microbiome and how the microbiome may have implications for clinical interventions and patient health. With this generation of “bedside to bench and back” research, nurses are at the forefront of translational microbiome research. Viewing research from a nursing perspective allows nurse scientists to combine the patientcentered questions carved from their clinical experiencewith cutting-edge genomic technologies to understand complex human–microbiome–environment interactions (Figure 1). The microbiome is made up of the communities of bacteria that live in and on the human body and their collective genetic information (Ursell et al., 2012). Advances in microbial sequencing technologies have enhanced rapid knowledge accumulation of these microbial communities. The clinical and therapeutic potential of the microbiome has been witnessed by the explosion of research linking disruptions in themicrobiome with disease (Gilbert et al., 2016; Lynch & Pedersen, 2016). Therapies centered on modulating the microbiome, such as fecal microbiota transplantation (“transplanting” stool from a healthy person to a diseased patient), have effectively treated complex clinical conditions such as Clostridium difficile colonization and colitis (Allegretti et al., 2019). The improvement of clinical outcomes, unmatched by standard antibiotic protocols (Allegretti et al., 2019), hints at the potential that microbiome therapeuticsmayhaveoncewehaveacomprehensive
Epigenomics, 2021
Aim: To investigate the association between placental genome-wide methylation at birth and antena... more Aim: To investigate the association between placental genome-wide methylation at birth and antenatal depression and stress during pregnancy. Methods: We examined the association between placental genome-wide DNA methylation (n = 301) and maternal depression and stress assessed at six gestation periods during pregnancy. Correlation between DNA methylation at the significantly associated CpGs and expression of nearby genes in the placenta was tested. Results: Depression and stress were associated with methylation of 16 CpGs and two CpGs, respectively, at a 5% false discovery rate. Methylation levels at two of the CpGs associated with depression were significantly associated with expression of ADAM23 and CTDP1, genes implicated in neurodevelopment and neuropsychiatric diseases. Conclusion: Placental epigenetic changes linked to antenatal depression suggest potential fetal brain programming. Clinical trial registration number: NCT00912132 (ClinicalTrials.gov)