Greater Adherence to the Alternative Healthy Eating Index Is Associated with Lower Incidence of Physical Function Impairment in the Nurses' Health Study.

BACKGROUND: Physical function is integral to healthy aging, in particular as a core component of mobility and independent living in older adults, and is a strong predictor of mortality. Limited research has examined the role of diet, which may be an important strategy to prevent or delay a decline in physical function with aging. OBJECTIVE: […]

Effects of walnut consumption on colon carcinogenesis and microbial community structure.

Walnuts are comprised of a complex array of biologically active constituents with individual cancer-protective properties. Here, we assessed the potential benefit of whole walnut consumption in a mouse tumor bioassay using azoxymethane (AOM). In study 1, a modest reduction (1.3-fold) in tumor numbers was observed in mice fed a standard diet (AIN-76A) containing 9.4% walnuts […]

Toxic and essential elements in five tree nuts from Hangzhou market, China.

In this study a total of thirty-five tree nut samples of walnut, pecan, pine seed, hickory nut and torreya were obtained from 5 farm product markets in Hangzhou, China and investigated for essential (Cr, Mn, Fe, Mo, Cu, Zn, Se, and Sr) and toxic (Al, As, Cd and Pb) elements by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy […]

Mass spectrometric analysis of allergens in roasted walnuts.

Thermal processing of allergenic foods can induce changes in the foods' constituent allergens, but the effects of heat treatment are poorly defined. Like other commonly allergenic tree nuts, walnuts often undergo heat treatment (e.g. roasting or baking) prior to consumption. This study evaluated the changes in solubility and detectability of allergens from roasted walnuts using […]

Effect of a high-fat Mediterranean diet on bodyweight and waist circumference: a prespecified secondary outcomes analysis of the PREDIMED randomised controlled trial.

Background: Because of the high density of fat, high-fat diets are perceived as likely to lead to increased bodyweight, hence health-care providers are reluctant to recommend them to overweight or obese individuals. We assessed the long-term effects of ad libitum, high-fat, high-vegetable-fat Mediterranean diets on bodyweight and waist circumference in older people at risk of […]

Modeling the effects of local climate change on crop acreage.

The impacts of climate change on agriculture depend on local conditions and crops grown. For instance, warmer winter temperatures in a given area would reduce chill hours, potentially cutting yields for some crops but extending the growing season for others. Using a century of climate data and six decades of acreage data, we established quantitative […]

Detection by real time PCR of walnut allergen coding sequences in processed foods.

A quantitative real-time PCR (RT-PCR) method, employing novel primer sets designed on Jug r 1, Jug r 3, and Jug r 4 allergen-coding sequences, was set up and validated. Its specificity, sensitivity, and applicability were evaluated. The DNA extraction method based on CTAB-phenol-chloroform was best for walnut. RT-PCR allowed a specific and accurate amplification of […]

Dietary walnut reduces hepatic triglyceride content in high-fat-fed mice via modulation of hepatic fatty acid metabolism and adipose tissue inflammation.

In this study, we evaluated the protective effects of dietary walnuts on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced fatty liver and studied the underlying mechanisms. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed either a regular rodent chow or HFD (45% energy-derived) with or without walnuts (21.5% energy-derived) for 20 weeks. Walnut supplementation did not change HFD-induced increase in body weight […]