Effect of an Energy-Restricted, Nutritionally Complete, Higher Protein Meal Plan on Body Composition and Mobility in Older Adults With Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Increasing protein content of the diet might be an effective strategy to preserve muscle mass in older adults undergoing caloric restriction, thereby preserving muscle function.

Methods: Ninety-six older adults (70.3 ± 3.

Effectiveness of a Medifast meal replacement program on weight, body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese adults: a multicenter systematic retrospective chart review study.

Background: Recent medical guidelines emphasize the importance of actively treating overweight and obesity with diet and lifestyle intervention to achieve ≥ 5% weight loss in a 6-month period. Commercial programs offer one approach provided there is evidence of their efficacy and safety. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the Medifast® 4 & 2 & 1 Plan™ on weight loss, body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese adults.

Developing regulatory strategy for microbicides.

Ever since the discovery that a virus was responsible for AIDS, prevention of HIV infection has been a drug/vaccine development target in therapeutic research. Microbicide products are a viable, globally applicable option; however, to date, no product has been approved anywhere in the world. Development of such a product will need to account for the changing disease landscape and will need to leverage available regulatory pathways to gain approvals in the developed world and emerging markets.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPAn-6) algal oils reduce inflammatory mediators in human peripheral mononuclear cells in vitro and paw edema in vivo.

The anti-inflammatory activity associated with fish oil has been ascribed to the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), predominantly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Here we examined the anti-inflammatory effects of two DHA-rich algal oils, which contain little EPA, and determined the contribution of the constituent fatty acids, particularly DHA and docosapentaenoic acid (DPAn-6). In vitro, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) secretion in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was inhibited with apparent relative potencies of DPAn-6 (most potent) > DHA > EPA.

Metabolism and biological production of resolvins derived from docosapentaenoic acid (DPAn-6).

17S-HDPAn-6 (17S-hydroxydocosa-4Z,7Z,10Z,13Z,15E-pentaenoic acid) and 10S,17S-HDPAn-6 (10S,17S-dihydroxydocosa-4Z,7Z,11E,13Z,15E-pentaenoic acid) are potent anti-inflammatory resolvins derived from DPAn-6 (docosapentaenoic acid n-6) and are analogous in structure and action to DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)-derived resolvins. These resolvins have proven to be potential drug candidates, albeit with therapeutic profiles that need optimization. The main objectives of this study were to evaluate key features of DPAn-6 derived resolvins that are important for therapeutic efficacy, demonstrate that these DPAn-6 resolvins could be produced naturally, and could therefore have physiological significance.

Biogenic synthesis, purification, and chemical characterization of anti-inflammatory resolvins derived from docosapentaenoic acid (DPAn-6).

Enzymatically oxygenated derivatives of the omega-3 fatty acids cis-4,7,10,13,16,19-docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and cis-5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid, known as resolvins, have potent inflammation resolution activity (Serhan, C. N., Clish, C.

Algal-oil capsules and cooked salmon: nutritionally equivalent sources of docosahexaenoic acid.

Food and nutrition professionals question whether supplement-sourced nutrients appear to be equivalent to those derived from natural food sources. We compared the nutritional availability of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from algal-oil capsules to that from assayed cooked salmon in 32 healthy men and women, ages 20 to 65 years, in a randomized, open-label, parallel-group study. In this 2-week study comparing 600 mg DHA/day from algal-oil capsules to that from assayed portions of cooked salmon, mean change from baseline in plasma phospholipids and erythrocyte DHA levels was analyzed and DHA levels were compared by Student's t tests.

Bioequivalence of Docosahexaenoic acid from different algal oils in capsules and in a DHA-fortified food.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid, is important for eye and brain development and ongoing visual, cognitive, and cardiovascular health. Unlike fish-sourced oils, the bioavailability of DHA from vegetarian-sourced (algal) oils has not been formally assessed. We assessed bioequivalence of DHA oils in capsules from two different algal strains versus bioavailability from an algal-DHA-fortified food.

Docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acid concentrations in human breast milk worldwide.

Concentrations of the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) and arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n-6) in human breast milk are important indicators of infant formula DHA and AA concentrations, and recent evidence suggests that neural maturation of breastfed infants is linked to breast-milk LCPUFA concentrations. We report a descriptive meta-analysis that considered 106 studies of human breast milk culled to include only studies that used modern analysis methods capable of making accurate estimates of fatty acid (FA) profiles and criteria related to the completeness of reporting. The final analysis included 65 studies of 2474 women.

Distribution, interconversion, and dose response of n-3 fatty acids in humans.

n-3 Fatty acids have important visual, mental, and cardiovascular health benefits throughout the life cycle. Biodistribution, interconversion, and dose response data are reviewed herein to provide a basis for more rational n-3 dose selections. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the principal n-3 fatty acid in tissues and is particularly abundant in neural and retinal tissue.

Bioavailability and safety of a high dose of docosahexaenoic acid triacylglycerol of algal origin in cystic fibrosis patients: a randomized, controlled study.

Objective: Several studies have reported omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid imbalances in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Whether these imbalances contribute to or are manifestations of the pathophysiology of CF is unknown. The study objective was to determine bioavailability, tissue accretion, and safety of a large dose of an algal source of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) triacylglycerol and to observe effects on lung function in patients with CF.

Maintenance of liver functions in rat hepatocytes cultured as spheroids in a rotating wall vessel.

Rat hepatocytes were cultured initially as spheroids on culture plates and then transferred into a rotating wall vessel (high-aspect ratio vessel [HARV]) for further culturing. Morphological evaluation based on electron microscopy showed that hepatocyte spheroids cultured for 30 d in the HARV had a compact structure with tight cell-cell junctions, numerous smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum, intact mitochondria, and bile canaliculi lined with microvilli. The viability and differentiated properties of the hepatocytes cultured in the HARV were further substantiated by the presence of both phase I oxidation and phase II conjugation drug-metabolizing enzyme activities, as well as albumin synthesis.