John W Erdman Jr.

• Professor Emeritus at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disease often leading to cognitive and motor impairment. Little research has examined motor preparation and initiation outcomes in the brain among persons with MS. The lateralized readiness potential is an ERP component that indexes pre‐motor activity evaluating the stimulus (LRP‐S) and motor activatio...

The cholesterol-fed rabbit is useful for atherosclerosis research. We describe development of a low-magnesium (Mg) cholesterol-containing diet to accelerate atherosclerosis in this model. Male New Zealand White rabbits were fed either chow or one of four atherogenic diets: 1% cholesterol 10% fat 0.11% Mg, 1% cholesterol 10% fat 0.40% Mg, 2% cholest...

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) and iron deficiency anemia coexist around the world, particularly in children and women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries. Within this scenario, there is a known interaction between vitamin A and iron, and it has been postulated that lack of vitamin A impairs iron metabolism, leading to vitamin A def...

Recent efforts to chart human brain growth across the lifespan using large-scale MRI data have provided reference standards for human brain development. However, similar models for nonhuman primate (NHP) growth are lacking. The rhesus macaque, a widely used NHP in translational neuroscience due to its similarities in brain anatomy, phylogenetics, c...

Recent efforts to chart human brain growth across the lifespan using large-scale MRI data have provided reference standards for human brain development. However, similar models for nonhuman primate (NHP) growth are lacking. The rhesus macaque, a widely used NHP in translational neuroscience due to its similarities in brain anatomy, phylogenetics, c...

Processed foods have been part of the American diet for decades, with key roles in providing a safe, available, affordable, and nutritious food supply. The USDA Food Guides beginning in 1916 and the US Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) since 1980 have included various types of commonly consumed processed foods (e.g., heated, fermented, dried)...

Background To facilitate the evaluation of vitamin E (α-tocopherol, αT) status on health outcomes, the αT transfer protein knockout (Ttpa–/–) mouse model has proved to be an effective tool for lowering αT body stores. Our previous study showed a further reduction in grip strength in LPS-treated Ttpa–/– compared with wild-type (WT) mice during a 9-w...

Background Currently available behavioral and dietary weight‐loss programs lack magnitude and sustainability compared with bariatric surgery. A novel dietary weight‐loss program was developed to assist participants in achieving sustainable diet changes by building knowledge and skills in food self‐selection. Although the approach worked, a large va...

Introduction: β-carotene oxygenase 1 (BCO1) and β-carotene oxygenase 2 (BCO2) are responsible for the cleavage of carotenoids in mammals. Objective: The goals of this study were to (1) establish the relative contribution of each enzyme on lycopene accumulation in mice, and (2) examine the role of lycopene on gene expression in the gut of wild-ty...

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is traditionally managed using disease modifying pharmaceutical therapies as a 1st line approach for treatment, yet there is increasing interest in lifestyle factors, particularly diet, for managing disease outcomes. Lutein has neuroprotective properties in healthy adults, but no previous research has examined l...

Background: The integrative impacts of prostate cancer risk factors, such as diet and endocrine status, on cancer-associated miRNA expression are poorly defined. Objective: This study defines the influence of androgens and diet (tomato and lycopene) on prostatic miRNA expression during early carcinogenesis in the transgenic adenocarcinoma of the...

Background The α-tocopherol transfer protein-null (Ttpa-/-) mouse model is a valuable tool for studying the molecular and functional consequences of vitamin E (α-tocopherol, αT) deficiency. Because αT has been associated with reduced oxidative stress and improved immune function, we hypothesized that depleted αT levels would exacerbate lipopolysacc...

Nutrition during the first years of life has a significant impact on brain development. This study characterized differences in brain maturation from birth to 6 months of life in infant macaques fed formulas differing in content of lutein, β-carotene, and other carotenoids using Magnetic Resonance Imaging to measure functional connectivity. We obse...

Soy is a hotly debated and widely discussed topic in the field of nutrition. However, health practitioners may be ill-equipped to counsel clients and patients about the use of soyfoods because of the enormous, and often contradictory, amount of research that has been published over the past 30 years. As interest in plant-based diets increases, ther...

Our food supply contains a range of essential and non-essential food components. There are substantial epidemiologic findings and additional clinical data to support the health benefits for some non-essential food components – these compounds are often referred to as bioactives. While there is a well-established process in place to make science-bas...

Background: MRI-derived proton density fat fraction (PDFF) is an accurate, reliable, and safe biologic marker for use in the noninvasive diagnosis of hepatic steatosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Because of the cost and limited availability of MRI, it is necessary to develop an accurate method to diagnose NAFLD with p...

Although the food and beverage industry plays a critical role in advancing food and nutrition science, industry-funded research is subject to intense scrutiny as a result of various perceived and real biases related to funding sources. To address this, the Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences (IAFNS) Assembly on Scientific I...

Objectives To evaluate the impact of gender and ablation of β-carotene oxygenase 1 (BCO1), β-carotene oxygenase 2(BCO2) or both on tissue accumulation of lycopene dosed transgenic mice. Previous work from our laboratories suggests that BCO2 appears to be the primary carotenoid cleavage enzyme for lycopene in vivo. Methods Three-week old C57BL/6 ma...

Objectives The α-tocopherol transfer protein-null (Ttpa−/−) mouse model is a valuable tool for studying the molecular and functional consequences of vitamin E (α-tocopherol, αT) deficiency. Our objective was to assess how dietary αT restriction, followed by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure affected the inflammatory response in Ttpa−/− and wild-typ...

Obesity is a significant contributor to the development of chronic diseases, some of which can be prevented or reversed by weight loss. However, dietary weight loss programs have shortcomings in the success rate, magnitude, or sustainability of weight loss. The Individualized Diet Improvement Program’s (iDip) objective was to test the feasibility o...

In many non-Asian countries, soy is consumed via soy-based meat and dairy alternatives, in addition to the traditional Asian soyfoods, such as tofu and miso. Meat alternatives are typically made using concentrated sources of soy protein, such as soy protein isolate (SPI) and soy protein concentrate (SPC). Therefore, these products are classified as...

Human epidemiology suggests a protective effect of tomatoes or tomato phytochemicals, such as lycopene, on prostate cancer risk. However, human epidemiology alone cannot reveal causal relationships. Laboratory animal models of prostate cancer provide opportunities to investigate hypotheses regarding dietary components in precisely controlled, exper...

Background: MRI-derived proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) is an accurate, reliable, and safe biomarker for noninvasive diagnosis of hepatic steatosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Due to MRI’s limitation of cost and availability, there is a need to develop an accurate method with potential point-of-care access. Pu...

Objectives To develop and evaluate deep learning models devised for liver fat assessment based on ultrasound (US) images acquired from four different liver views: transverse plane (hepatic veins at the confluence with the inferior vena cava, right portal vein, right posterior portal vein) and sagittal plane (liver/kidney). Methods US images (four...

Background Epidemiologic studies suggests lycopene and tomato intake are inversely associated with human prostate cancer incidence. Genetically-driven murine prostate carcinogenesis (TRAMP model) is inhibited by lycopene- or tomato-feeding, and these effects are modulated by beta-carotene oxygenase 2 (Bco2) genotype. Objectives We seek insight int...

Prostate cancer (PCa) remains the second most diagnosed cancer worldwide. Higher body weight is associated with chronic inflammation, increased angiogenesis, and treatment-resistant tumor phenotypes. Dietary tomato reduces PCa risk, which may be due to tomato inhibition of angiogenesis and disruption of androgen signaling. This pilot study investig...

Background Tomatoes contain carotenoids that have the potential to alter the effects of external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). Objectives We hypothesized that dietary lyophilized tomato paste (TP) would reduce apoptosis within carotenoid-containing nonneoplastic tissues in EBRT-treated TRansgenic Adenocarcinoma of the Mouse Prostate (TRAMP) mice....

Natural (RRR-) α-tocopherol (αT) is more bioactive than synthetic (all racemic, all rac-) αT, but not enough is known about the tissue kinetics of the two αT sources. We examined the time-course bioaccumulation of natural vs. synthetic αT in tissues of young, marginally vitamin E-deficient mice using 13C-RRR-αT or 13C-all rac-αT tracers. In experim...

Objectives The objective of this study was to investigate the interplay between tomato powder (TP), incorporated into control (CON) and obesogenic (OB) diets, and PCa tumor growth and blood perfusion over time in a transgenic model of PCa. We hypothesized that TP would be protective against PCa growth. Methods Diets (either CON [17.2% kcal from fa...

Objectives To evaluate the role of β-carotene oxygenase 1 (BCO1) and BCO2 on lycopene tissue distribution. Methods Three-week old C57BL/6 male and female mice (wild type [WT], Bco1−/−, Bco2−/−, Bco1−/− × Bco2−/− double knock out [DKO]) were divided into groups based on genotype (n = 16 per group split evenly by sex) and fed a powdered AIN 93G cont...

Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) can cause retinal thinning among persons with MS with optic neuritis (MS-ON). Macular xanthophylls are carotenoids that comprise the macular pigment, filtering blue light and countering photo-oxidation. However, macular xanthophyll status and its implications for markers of neuroaxonal degeneration have not been e...

The US Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) provide dietary recommendations to meet nu-trient needs, promote health, and prevent disease. Despite 40 years of DGA, the prevalence of under-consumed nutrients continues in the US and globally, although dietary supplement use can help to fill shortfalls. Nutrient recommendations are based on Dietary R...

Obesity is a significant contributor to the development of chronic diseases, some of which can be prevented or reversed by weight loss. However, dietary weight loss programs have shortcomings in success rate and magnitude or sustainability of weight loss. The objective of the Individualized Diet Improvement Program (iDip) was to test the feasibilit...

Dietary bioactives are food substances that promote health but are not essential to prevent typical deficiency conditions. Examples include lutein and zeaxanthin, omega-3 fatty acids, and flavonoids. When quality evidence is available, quantified intake recommendations linking dietary bioactives with specific health benefits will enable health prof...

Lycopene is a non-provitamin A carotenoid that exhibits several health benefits. Epidemiological data support a correlation between lycopene intake and the attenuation of several chronic diseases, including certain types of cancers and cardiovascular diseases. It is currently unknown whether the beneficial effects are from the native structure of l...

Background Vitamin E (α-tocopherol, α-T) deficiency causes neurological pathologies. α-T supplementation improves outcomes, but the relative bioactivities of dietary natural and synthetic α-T in neural tissues are unknown. Objective To assess the effects of dietary α-T source and dose on oxidative stress and myelination in adult Ttpa−/− mice cereb...

Background The xanthophyll carotenoids lutein+zeaxanthin and the dietary component choline have been linked to benefits in cognition. However, knowledge on the interactive influence of these dietary components on cognitive function is sparse. Design 80 middle-aged adults with overweight and obesity (Body Mass Index: (BMI) ≥25.0 kg/m²), completed 7...

Background and Aims: Although MRI-derived proton density fat fraction (PDFF) is effective, reliable, and safe for noninvasive diagnosis of hepatic steatosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients, its clinical use is limited due to its cost and availability. To overcome this limitation, less expensive and potentially more widely avail...

Studying vitamin E [α-tocopherol (α-T)] metabolism and function in the brain and other tissues requires an animal model with low α-T status, such as the transgenic α-T transfer protein (Ttpa)-null (Ttpa- / -) mouse model. Ttpa+ / - dams can be used to produce Ttpa- / - and Ttpa+/+ mice for these studies. However, the α-T content in Ttpa+ / - dams'...

Background: Inflammation has been associated with higher rates of recurrence and mortality in head and neck cancer (HNC). While the biological mechanisms predisposing patients to heightened inflammatory states remain largely unknown, DNA methylation has been proposed to reflect systemic inflammation. In this analysis, we attempt to identify meanin...

Background: α-Tocopherol (αT) in its natural form [2'R, 4'R, 8'R αT (RRR-αT)] is more bioactive than synthetic α-tocopherol (all rac-αT). All rac-αT is widely used in infant formulas, but its accretion in formula-fed infant brain is unknown. Objective: We sought to compare αT and stereoisomer status in infant rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) fed...

Objectives Vitamin E (α-tocopherol, α-T) restriction during brain development alters the expression of neurogenesis-related genes in cerebella of juvenile α-tocopherol transfer protein-null (Ttpa−/−) mice. Synthetic α-T (SYN), compared to natural α-T (NAT), downregulates cerebellar myelin genes in adolescent Ttpa−/− mice. We studied how early-life...

Objectives Individualized Diet Improvement Program (iDip) has been developed for a sustainable diet for weight management through self-experimentation with emphasis on increasing protein and fiber and reducing caloric intake. Upon a successful feasibility test with the first study completed in 2018 (iDip 1), we hypothesized that assigning homework...

Objectives There is a clear link between abdominal obesity and chronic diseases. Dietary changes leading to substantial weight loss reduce obesity and improve health; however, no viable dietary treatment program exists that produces clinically significant, cost-effective, and sustainable weight loss. To test the hypothesis that a diet dense in lean...

Background: Plasma cholesterol is one of the strongest risk factors associated with the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and myocardial infarction. Human studies suggest that elevated plasma β-carotene is associated with reductions in circulating cholesterol and the risk of myocardial infarction. The molecular mechanis...

Background: Dietary tomato products or lycopene protect against prostate carcinogenesis, but their impact on the emergence of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is unknown. Objective: We hypothesized that tomato or lycopene products would reduce the emergence of CRPC. Methods: Transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP) mi...

Background Radiofrequency ultrasound data from the liver contain rich information about liver microstructure and composition. Deep learning might exploit such information to assess nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Purpose To develop and evaluate deep learning algorithms that use radiofrequency data for NAFLD assessment, with MRI-derived pr...

Background: Advanced confounder-corrected chemical-shift-encoded (CSE) magnetic resonance imaging-derived proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) is a leading parameter for fat fraction quantification in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Due to the limited availability of this MRI technique, there is a need to develop and validate quantitati...

Approximately two of every five people will develop cancer in their lifetime. Dietary modifications are one of the most promising lifestyle changes that can adjust the risk of developing cancer by nearly 40%. Carotenoids are a diverse group of natural pigments and are present in many fruits and vegetables. The data surrounding carotenoids and their...

Background: Vitamin E (α-tocopherol; α-T) deficiency causes spinocerebellar ataxia. α-T supplementation improves neurological symptoms, but little is known about the differential bioactivities of natural versus synthetic α-T during early life. Objective: We assessed the effects of dietary α-T dose and source on tissue α-T accumulation and gene e...

Objectives: Excess adiposity increases risk for cognitive impairment. Consumption of avocado, a highly bioavailable source of the xanthophyll lutein, has been shown to improve retinal lutein accumulation and cognitive function. Thus, we evaluated the influence of avocado consumption on cognitive function and lutein status among adults with overwei...

The objective of soft-tissue quantitative ultrasound (QUS) is to improve diagnostic ultrasound imaging via quantitative outcomes. Over the past three or so decades, there have been an increasing number of QUS successes. In a UIUC-UCSD collaboration, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) assessed from seven QUS biomarkers [AC, BSC, three Lizzi-Fe...

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a progressive condition characterized by hepatic fat fraction (FF) ≥ 5%. The gut-microbiota-liver axis has been implicated in NAFLD development. Aim: to assess microbial taxa, bile acid concentrations, and FF among adults with overweight or obesity; cross-sectional study was conducted among adults (n = 11...

We have developed quantitative ultrasound (QUS) and deep learning algorithms to estimate hepatic fat fraction from radiofrequency (RF) ultrasound data backscattered by the liver. To facilitate the translation of such algorithms for clinical care and research, we developed a standalone software tool that can automatically generate fat fraction estim...

Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) aims to improve diagnostic ultrasound imaging by extracting objective tissue parameters from backscattered signals. Deep learning can facilitate this process because of its ability to extract high-level information from the raw data. We have demonstrated that deep learning approaches applied to backscattered signals ca...

Qualitative sonography is used to assess nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), an important health issue worldwide. We used B-mode image deep-learning to objectively assess NAFLD in 4 views of the liver (hepatic veins at confluence with inferior vena cava, right portal vein, right posterior portal vein and liver/kidney) in 135 patients with kno...

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Current diagnosis relies on invasive biopsy. Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) may provide a noninvasive alternative, using parameters such as attenuation (AC) and backscatter (BSC) coefficients. This study examines how exclusion of larger blood vessels from...

The adrenal gland has traditionally been viewed as a source of "weak androgens"; however, emerging evidence indicates 11-oxy-androgens of adrenal origin are metabolized in peripheral tissues to potent androgens. Also emerging is the role of gut bacteria in the conversion of C21 glucocorticoids to 11-oxygenated C19 androgens. Clostridium scindens AT...

Many terms for plant-derived food components are commonly used in the literature, but there is a notable lack of standardization and definition of nomenclature. The use of terms is often field-specific, leading to misunderstanding and problems with literature searches and systematic reviews, and results in isolated and divided research; this impact...

Objectives: Lutein is a carotenoid found in green leafy vegetables, avocados, and eggs, and is purported to have protective effects against age-related macular degeneration (AMD) as well as benefits for visual and cognitive health. Recent studies have indicated significant variation in serum lutein among individuals and that gastrointestinal (GI)...

Objectives: To develop a cost-effective program for safe weight loss and sustainable maintenance for overweight adults with associated comorbidities through dietary modifications. Methods: The approach of Individualized Diet Improvement Program (iDip) was to build knowledge of participants to enable personalized selection of food items for weigh...

Objectives: The Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (RAGE) and its ligands have been shown to be both over expressed and critical to prostate cancer (PCa) development. Importantly, the overexpression of both RAGE and its ligands is associated with poor PCa patient survival, suggesting its promise as a molecular target. Additionally, one o...

Objectives: The objective was to determine whether dietary tomato or lycopene supplementation impacted the expression of biomarkers associated with aggressive tumors and poorer prognostic outcomes in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Methods: Transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP) mice were castrated at 12 weeks of ag...

Objectives: Overweight and obesity affect over two-thirds of the US population. This is concerning, as excess adiposity increases risk for dementia in later life. Thus, it is important to elucidate dietary approaches that benefit cognition. Lutein is a xanthophyll carotenoid thought to impact cognitive function. Daily consumption of avocado has be...

Objectives: Epidemiologic evidence suggests consuming tomato and lycopene are associated with a reduced risk of advanced and lethal prostate cancer. Prior studies of prostate cancer prevention in the TRAMP mouse model indicate that lifelong tomato- or lycopene-feeding reduce incidence of early carcinoma by up to 70%, and this effect is dependent o...

Objectives: External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is one of the most common treatments for primary prostate cancer. The primary limitation for EBRT is the potential for damage to surrounding tissues. Epidemiological evidence indicates that tomato products are associated with reduced PCa progression. Tomatoes contain carotenoids and other potent a...

Objectives: Humans with vitamin E (α-tocopherol, αT) deficiency develop neurological disorders. Similarly, α-tocopherol transfer protein knockout (Ttpa-/- ) mice have low vitamin E status and exhibit neurodegeneration with age. Shifts in the transcriptome may precede behavioral manifestations of vitamin E deficiency, but it is unknown how early ab...

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects 25% of the population globally. We developed a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1-D CNN) method for ultrasound tissue characterization using radio-frequency (RF) data and demonstrated its potential for liver fat classification and quantification. We investigate herein the interpretabilit...

Dietary carotenoids, plant pigments with anti-oxidant properties, accumulate in neural tissue and are often found in lower concentrations among individuals with obesity. Given previous evidence of negative associations between excess adiposity and memory, it is possible that greater carotenoid status may confer neuroprotective effects among persons...

Of the antioxidant vitamin E isoforms, α‐tocopherol (αT) and γ‐tocopherol (γT) are the most abundant in the human diet, and αT is consumed from both natural and synthetic sources. αT and γT may differentially impact inflammation and influence cardiovascular outcomes, in part by modulating gene expression. The goal of this study was to compare the e...

First-line therapy for advanced or metastatic prostate cancer (PCa) involves the removal of tumor-promoting androgens by androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), resulting in transient tumor regression. Recurrent disease is attributed to tumor adaptation to survive, despite lower circulating androgen concentrations, making the blockage of downstream and...

Objectives To assess inter-platform reproducibility of ultrasonic attenuation coefficient (AC) and backscatter coefficient (BSC) estimates in adults with known/suspected nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods This HIPAA-compliant prospective study was approved by an institutional review board; informed consent was obtained. Participants...

Background: Higher intakes of cruciferous vegetables (CVs) and green leafy vegetables (GLVs) in observational studies are associated with improvements in survival and cancer-related biomarkers in patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer (HNC). These results have yet to be corroborated in a randomized clinical trial (RCT). Objective: Determin...

Objectives To show that quantitative ultrasound biomarkers attenuation (AC) and backscatter (BSC) coefficients are effective tools to detect early changes in acute pancreatitis, using a cerulein‐induced pancreatitis rat model. Methods Sprague‐Dawley rats (n = 68) were divided into 8 groups: uninjected cage controls, saline‐injected controls, and c...

Untreated nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) lead to irreversible liver damage. We hypothesized that a low-fat diet (LFD) or a high-fat diet (HFD) with soy protein isolate (SPI) would be an effective intervention to halt or reverse NAFLD progression. To test these hypotheses, we conducted 2 studies. In...

Background/Objective Lutein, a yellow xanthophyll pigment, is selectively taken up in primate retina and brain and may have critical roles in eye and brain health. Given that lutein's unique accumulation pattern could imply its functional role, the aim of this study was to investigate lutein's bioaccumulation pattern in response to dietary caroteno...

Background Prostate cancer (PCa) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the sixth most common cause of cancer‐related deaths in the United States. Worldwide, PCa is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer‐related deaths. PCa incidence is higher in more developed countries, with Australia/New Zealand...

Alpha‐tocopherol (α‐Toc), one of the eight compounds constituting vitamin E, may play a role in preventing atherosclerosis in humans. Previous studies have shown that severe α‐Toc deficiency promotes atherosclerosis in mice and that α‐Toc is anti‐inflammatory. In contrast, another vitamin E vitamer, γ‐tocopherol (γ‐Toc), may be pro‐inflammatory. A...

Background Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an increasingly prevalent manifestation of metabolic dysfunction characterized by elevated hepatic fat accumulation and elevated liver enzymes. Currently it is estimated that NAFLD may affect up to half of the US population. Although previous work has linked excess adiposity with NAFLD, there i...

Despite the growing awareness regarding lutein's putative roles in eyes and brain, its pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution in primates have been poorly understood. We hypothesized that ¹³C-lutein will be differentially distributed into tissues of an adult rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) 3 days following a single oral dose. After a year of pref...

Objective: To assess the repeatability and reproducibility (R&R) of ultrasonic attenuation coefficient (AC) and backscatter coefficient (BSC) measured in the livers of adults with known or suspected nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods: Institutional review board approved this HIPAA-compliant prospective study; informed consent was obt...

The purpose of this study was to investigate if the enhanced bioaccumulation of lutein in retina and brain of breastfed, compared to formula-fed, infant monkeys was associated with higher levels of serum total and HDL cholesterol, apolipoproteins, or mRNA/protein expression of carotenoid-related genes. Newborn rhesus macaques were either breastfed,...

Carotenoids are orange, yellow, and red lipophilic pigments present in many fruit and vegetables, as well as other food groups. Some carotenoids contribute to vitamin A requirements. The consumption and blood concentrations of specific carotenoids have been associated with reduced risks of a number of chronic conditions. However, the interpretation...

Objectives: To assess inter-sonographer reproducibility of ultrasound attenuation coefficient (AC), backscatter coefficient (BSC) and shear wave speed (SWS) in adults with known/suspected non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods: The institutional review board approved this HIPAA-compliant prospective study; informed consent was obtain...

Between 80-100 million people in the United States suffer from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). It is currently being diagnosed via MRI and biopsies, however, these tend to be expensive and painful. In this study, a Siemens 3000 ultrasound scanner was used to obtain the quantitative ultrasound (QUS) parameters [backscatter coefficient, BSC...

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in the United States, affects 30% of adult Americans, may progress to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and end-stage liver disease, and is a risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The diagnosis, grading, and staging of NAFLD currently is base...

The attenuation coefficient (AC) and backscatter coefficient (BSC) measures in the liver were found repeatable and inter-transducer reproducible in previous studies. This study assesses the inter-sonographer reproducibility of the two parameters. 56 participants (sex: 20M, 36F; age: 51.5±13.5, 24–74 yo; BMI: 32.2±5.2, 23.9–47.4 kg/m2; 43 had MRI-P...