Background: Evidence from epidemiological, clinical and animal studies suggests a link may exist between low bone density and cardiovascular disease, with inflammatory mediators implicated in the pathophysiology of both conditions. This project examined whether supplementation with soy isoflavones (IF), shown to have antiinflammatory properties, could prevent tissue expression of TNF-α and the development of skeletal pathology in an animal model of chronic inflammation.

Simultaneous selective positional ion monitoring of C-labeled metabolites and their mass isotopomers in tissues and blood opens new avenues for the early detection and response to therapy testing of pancreatic cancer using GC-MS and/or magnetic resonance imaging-based methods. This study emphasizes the benefits of stable isotope-based dynamic metabolic profiling, when applied in vivo, and the several advantages it offers to positron emission tomography.

This pilot study examined the effects of freeze-dried mango (Mangifera indica L.) supplementation on anthropometrics, body composition, and biochemical parameters in obese individuals. Twenty obese adults (11 males and 9 females) ages 20- to 50-years old, received 10 g/day of ground freeze-dried mango pulp for 12 weeks. Anthropometrics, biochemical parameters, and body composition were assessed at baseline and final visits of the study. After 12 weeks, mango supplementation significantly reduced blood glucose in both male (−4.45 mg/dL, P = 0.018) and female (−3.56 mg/dL, P = 0.003) participants. In addition, hip circumference was reduced in male (−3.3 cm, P = 0.048) but not in female participants. However, there were no significant changes in body weight or composition in either gender. Our findings indicate that regular consumption of freeze-dried mango by obese individuals does not negatively impact body weight but provides a positive effect on fasting blood glucose.

Brain zinc dysregulation is linked to many neurological disorders. However, the mechanisms regulating brain zinc homeostasis are poorly understood. We performed secondary analyses of brain MRI GWAS and exome sequencing data from adults in the UK Biobank. Coding ZIP12 polymorphisms in zinc transporter ZIP12 (SLC39A12) were associated with altered brain susceptibility weighted MRI (swMRI). Conditional and joint association analyses revealed independent GWAS signals in linkage disequilibrium with 2 missense ZIP12 polymorphisms, rs10764176 and rs72778328, with reduced zinc transport activity. ZIP12 rare coding variants predicted to be deleterious were associated with similar impacts on brain swMRI. In Neuro‐2a cells, ZIP12 deficiency by short hairpin RNA (shRNA) depletion or CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing resulted in impaired mitochondrial function, increased superoxide presence, and detectable protein carbonylation. Inhibition of Complexes I and IV of the electron transport chain reduced neurite outgrowth in ZIP12 deficient cells. Transcriptional coactivator PGC‐1α, mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (SOD2), and chemical antioxidants α‐tocopherol, MitoTEMPO, and MitoQ restored neurite extension impaired by ZIP12 deficiency. Mutant forms of α‐synuclein and tau linked to familial Parkinson’s disease and frontotemporal dementia, respectively, reduced neurite outgrowth in cells deficient in ZIP12. Zinc and ZIP12 may confer resilience against neurological diseases or premature aging of the brain.