Phytochemical Pharmacokinetics and Bioactivity of Oat and Barley Flour: A Randomized Crossover Trial.

While dietary fiber plays an important role in the health benefits associated with whole grain consumption, other ingredients concentrated in the outer bran layer, including alkylresorcinols, lignans, phenolic acids, phytosterols, and tocols, may also contribute to these outcomes. To determine the acute bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of the major phytochemicals found in barley and oats, we conducted a randomized, three-way crossover trial in 13 healthy subjects, aged 40-70 years with a body mass index (BMI) of 27-35.9 kg/m².

Effect of zinc supplementation on serum zinc concentration and T cell proliferation in nursing home elderly: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Zinc is essential for the regulation of immune response. T cell function declines with age. Zinc supplementation has the potential to improve the serum zinc concentrations and immunity of nursing home elderly with a low serum zinc concentration.

The role of eating frequency on relative weight in urban school-age children.

Background: The role of eating frequency on relative weight in childhood is not well understood.

Objective: To clarify this relationship by assessing the cross-sectional and prospective relationships of weekday eating frequency with BMI z-score (BMIz) and change in BMIz in a sample of schoolchildren.

Methods: Eating frequency, the average number of reported daily eating occasions, was assessed using two weekday 24-h diet recalls.

The role of eating frequency on total energy intake and diet quality in a low-income, racially diverse sample of schoolchildren.

Objective: The relationship of meal and snacking patterns with overall dietary intake and relative weight in children is unclear. The current study was done to examine how eating, snack and meal frequencies relate to total energy intake and diet quality.

Design: The cross-sectional associations of eating, meal and snack frequencies with total energy intake and diet quality, measured by the Healthy Eating Index 2005 (HEI-2005), were examined in separate multivariable mixed models.

Pilot study to determine interest of adult civilian dependents of active duty military personnel in participation in a weight control program.

Adult civilian dependents of active duty military personnel (ADMP) may play a central role in influencing the home food environment and the risk of overweight and obesity in American Warfighters and military families. However, there is no information on whether this group would be receptive to weight control programs. We conducted a survey to determine the level of interest of adult civilian dependents of ADMP in participating in a group weight control program.

The energy content of restaurant foods without stated calorie information.

Importance: National recommendations for the prevention and treatment of obesity emphasize reducing energy intake through self-monitoring food consumption. However, little information is available on the energy content of foods offered by nonchain restaurants, which account for approximately 50% of restaurant locations in the United States.

Objective: To measure the energy content of foods from independent and small-chain restaurants that do not provide stated information on energy content.

Efficacy of whey protein supplementation on resistance exercise-induced changes in lean mass, muscle strength, and physical function in mobility-limited older adults.

Background: Whey protein supplementation may augment resistance exercise-induced increases in muscle strength and mass. Further studies are required to determine whether this effect extends to mobility-limited older adults. The objectives of the study were to compare the effects of whey protein concentrate (WPC) supplementation to an isocaloric control on changes in whole-body lean mass, mid-thigh muscle cross-sectional area, muscle strength, and stair-climbing performance in older mobility-limited adults in response to 6 months of resistance training (RT).

β-Carotene in Golden Rice is as good as β-carotene in oil at providing vitamin A to children.

Background: Golden Rice (GR) has been genetically engineered to be rich in β-carotene for use as a source of vitamin A.

Objective: The objective was to compare the vitamin A value of β-carotene in GR and in spinach with that of pure β-carotene in oil when consumed by children.

Design: Children (n = 68; age 6-8 y) were randomly assigned to consume GR or spinach (both grown in a nutrient solution containing 23 atom% ²H₂O) or [²H₈]β-carotene in an oil capsule.

Age group and sex do not influence responses of vitamin K biomarkers to changes in dietary vitamin K.

Inadequate vitamin K intake has been associated with abnormal soft tissue calcification. Older adults may have insufficient intakes of vitamin K and respond less to vitamin K supplementation compared with younger adults. However, little is known about the determinants that influence the response to vitamin K supplementation.

Water homeostasis, frailty and cognitive function in the nursing home.

Objective: - To develop and test a practical clinical method to assess frailty in nursing homes; - To investigate the relationship between cognitive status of the elderly and the balance between water compartments of their body composition.

Design And Subjects: Cross-sectional study, conducted at two nursing homes in Boston-MA.

Methods: Body mass and height (Ht) were evaluated to calculate BMI (body mass index, in Kg/m²).

Cognitive dysfunction and depression in adult kidney transplant recipients: baseline findings from the FAVORIT Ancillary Cognitive Trial (FACT).

Objective: Hyperhomocysteinemia and B-vitamin deficiency may be treatable risk factors for cognitive impairment and decline. Hyperhomocysteinemia, cognitive impairment, and depression are all common in individuals with kidney disease, including kidney transplant recipients. Accordingly, we assessed the prevalence of cognitive impairment and depressive symptoms in transplant recipients and their association with kidney function, plasma total homocysteine, and B-vitamin concentrations.

Adjunctive daily supplementation with encapsulated fruit, vegetable and berry juice powder concentrates and clinical periodontal outcomes: a double-blind RCT.

Aim: A double-blind randomized controlled trial to determine whether dietary supplementation with fruit/vegetable/berry juice powder concentrates, simultaneously with non-surgical periodontal therapy, improved 2-month treatment outcomes.

Methods: Volunteers with chronic periodontitis were randomly assigned to one of three groups: fruit/vegetable (FV), fruit/vegetable/berry (FVB) or placebo. Supplements were taken daily during non-surgical debridement and maintenance and outcomes assessed at 2, 5 and 8 months after completion.

Accuracy of stated energy contents of restaurant foods.

Context: National recommendations for the prevention and treatment of obesity emphasize reducing energy intake. Foods purchased in restaurants provide approximately 35% of the daily energy intake in US individuals but the accuracy of the energy contents listed for these foods is unknown.

Objective: To examine the accuracy of stated energy contents of foods purchased in restaurants.

Patterns of antimicrobial use for respiratory tract infections in older residents of long-term care facilities.

Objectives: To describe patterns of antimicrobial use for respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in older residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs).

Design: Data from a prospective, randomized, controlled study of the effect of vitamin E supplementation on RTIs conducted from April 1998 through August 2001 were analyzed.

Setting: Thirty-three LTCFs in the greater Boston area.

Novel 16-minute technique for evaluating melanoma resection margins during Mohs surgery.

Background: Immunohistochemistry (IHC) applied to Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is time consuming and labor intensive, and the variability of staining quality has prevented its widespread use in clinical practice.

Objective: To investigate the readability of immunostains processed by a novel automated 16-minute technique used for evaluation of frozen sections prepared during MMS for melanoma.

Methods: A rapid automated instrument that performs MART-1 (melanoma antigen recognized by T cells) immunostains in 16 minutes was used to stain frozen sections and was compared with MART-1 stains of paraffin (permanent) sections, hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) stains of frozen and permanent sections from the positive or negative control specimens of the Mohs layers for melanoma.

Independent effects of age-related changes in waist circumference and BMI z scores in predicting cardiovascular disease risk factors in a prospective cohort of adolescent females.

Background: Cross-sectional data indicate that central adiposity is associated with cardiovascular disease risk, independent of total adiposity. The use of longitudinal data to investigate the relation between changes in fat distribution and the emergence of risk factors is limited.

Objective: We tested the hypothesis that age-related change in waist circumference (to reflect central adiposity) during adolescence is a significant predictor of longitudinal change in cardiovascular disease risk, after adjustment for change in body mass index (BMI) z score (to reflect total adiposity) in a cohort of postmenarcheal adolescent females.

Metabolic syndrome in the elderly living in marginal peri-urban communities in Quito, Ecuador.

Objective: The proportion of the Latin American population aged >60 years is expected to double during the next few decades. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, little is known about MetS in Latin America in general, and in Ecuador in particular.

Effects of weight loss, induced by gastric bypass surgery, on HDL remodeling in obese women.

Plasma lipoproteins and glucose homeostasis were evaluated after marked weight loss before and over 12 months following Roux-en-Y gastric-bypass (RYGBP) surgery in 19 morbidly obese women. Standard lipids, remnant-lipoprotein cholesterol (RLP-C); HDL-triglyceride (TG); apolipoproteins (apo) A-I, A-II, E, and A-I-containing HDL subpopulations; lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) and cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) mass and activity; plasma glucose and insulin levels were measured before and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after GBP surgery. Baseline concentrations of TG, RLP-C, glucose, and insulin were significantly higher in obese than in normal-weight, age-matched women, whereas HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), apoA-I, apoA-II, alpha-1 and alpha-2 levels were significantly lower.

IL-2 and IL-10 gene polymorphisms are associated with respiratory tract infection and may modulate the effect of vitamin E on lower respiratory tract infections in elderly nursing home residents.

Background: Vitamin E supplementation may be a potential strategy to prevent respiratory tract infections (RIs) in the elderly. The efficacy of vitamin E supplementation may depend on individual factors including specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at immunoregulatory genes.

Objective: We examined whether the effect of vitamin E on RIs in the elderly was dependent on genetic backgrounds as indicated by SNPs at cytokine genes.

The accuracy of stated energy contents of reduced-energy, commercially prepared foods.

The accuracy of stated energy contents of reduced-energy restaurant foods and frozen meals purchased from supermarkets was evaluated. Measured energy values of 29 quick-serve and sit-down restaurant foods averaged 18% more than stated values, and measured energy values of 10 frozen meals purchased from supermarkets averaged 8% more than originally stated. These differences substantially exceeded laboratory measurement error but did not achieve statistical significance due to considerable variability in the degree of underreporting.

Racial differences in central adiposity in a longitudinal cohort of black and white adolescent females.

Background: Central adiposity is related to chronic disease risk in adolescents. Racial differences in waist circumference have been identified using cross-sectional data from this age group. We tested for racial differences in age-related growth in waist circumference in a longitudinal cohort of black and white adolescent girls.

25-Hydroxyvitamin D, dementia, and cerebrovascular pathology in elders receiving home services.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency has potential adverse effects on neurocognitive health and subcortical function. However, no studies have examined the association between vitamin D status, dementia, and cranial MRI indicators of cerebrovascular disease (CVD).

Methods: Cross-sectional investigation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], dementia, and MRI measures of CVD in elders receiving home care (aged 65-99 years) from 2003 to 2007.

A simple single serum method to measure fractional calcium absorption using dual stable isotopes.

The dual stable isotope method with a timed 24-h urine collection is the gold standard approach to measure fractional calcium absorption. However, the need to collect urine for 24 h makes this technique time-consuming and laborious. Our study sought to determine whether a dual isotope method using a single serum sample obtained 4 h after administration of the initial isotope provides a useful approach to measure fractional calcium absorption.

Gamma-carboxylation of osteocalcin and insulin resistance in older men and women.

Background: The skeletal protein osteocalcin is gamma-carboxylated by vitamin K. High serum uncarboxylated osteocalcin reflects low vitamin K status. In vitro and animal studies indicate that high uncarboxylated osteocalcin is associated with reduced insulin resistance.

Impact of supplementation with bicarbonate on lower-extremity muscle performance in older men and women.

Unlabelled: This study describes the impact of bicarbonate treatment for 3 months on net acid excretion (NAE), nitrogen excretion, and muscle performance in older men and women. Bicarbonate reduced NAE, and the decrement was associated with a decrease in nitrogen excretion. Treatment also improved muscle power and endurance in the women.