A Diet Rich in Medium-Chain Fatty Acids Improves Systolic Function and Alters the Lipidomic Profile in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Pilot Study.

Context: Excessive cardiac long-chain fatty acid (LCFA) metabolism/storage causes cardiomyopathy in animal models of type 2 diabetes. Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) are absorbed and oxidized efficiently. Data in animal models of diabetes suggest MCFAs may benefit the heart.

Acute Dietary Nitrate Intake Improves Muscle Contractile Function in Patients With Heart Failure: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Trial.

Background: Skeletal muscle strength, velocity, and power are markedly reduced in patients with heart failure, which contributes to their impaired exercise capacity and lower quality of life. This muscle dysfunction may be partially because of decreased nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. We therefore sought to determine whether ingestion of inorganic nitrate (NO3 (-)) would increase NO production and improve muscle function in patients with heart failure because of systolic dysfunction.

Plasma biomarker of dietary phytosterol intake.

Background: Dietary phytosterols, plant sterols structurally similar to cholesterol, reduce intestinal cholesterol absorption and have many other potentially beneficial biological effects in humans. Due to limited information on phytosterol levels in foods, however, it is difficult to quantify habitual dietary phytosterol intake (DPI). Therefore, we sought to identify a plasma biomarker of DPI.

Effect of acute dietary nitrate intake on maximal knee extensor speed and power in healthy men and women.

Nitric oxide (NO) has been demonstrated to enhance the maximal shortening velocity and maximal power of rodent muscle. Dietary nitrate (NO3(-)) intake has been demonstrated to increase NO bioavailability in humans. We therefore hypothesized that acute dietary NO3(-) intake (in the form of a concentrated beetroot juice (BRJ) supplement) would improve muscle speed and power in humans.

Combined effects of ezetimibe and phytosterols on cholesterol metabolism: a randomized, controlled feeding study in humans.

Background: Both ezetimibe and phytosterols inhibit cholesterol absorption. We tested the hypothesis that the combination of ezetimibe and phytosterols is more effective than ezetimibe alone in altering cholesterol metabolism.

Methods And Results: Twenty-one mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects completed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, triple-crossover study.

One-year effects of vitamin D and calcium supplementation on chronic periodontitis.

Background: A previous study reported by this group found that patients in periodontal maintenance programs taking vitamin D and calcium supplementation had a trend for better periodontal health compared to patients not taking supplementation. The objective of the present study is to determine, for the same cohort of subjects, whether such differences persist over a 1-year period.

Methods: Fifty-one patients enrolled in maintenance programs from two dental clinics were recruited.

The effects of phytosterols present in natural food matrices on cholesterol metabolism and LDL-cholesterol: a controlled feeding trial.

Background/objectives: Extrinsic phytosterols supplemented to the diet reduce intestinal cholesterol absorption and plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol. However, little is known about their effects on cholesterol metabolism when given in native, unpurified form and in amounts achievable in the diet. The objective of this investigation was to test the hypothesis that intrinsic phytosterols present in unmodified foods alter whole-body cholesterol metabolism.

Phytosterol-deficient and high-phytosterol diets developed for controlled feeding studies.

Phytosterols reduce cholesterol absorption and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, but the quantity and physiological significance of phytosterols in common diets are generally unknown because nutrient databases do not contain comprehensive phytosterol data. The primary aim of this study was to design prototype phytosterol-deficient and high-phytosterol diets for use in controlled feeding studies of the influence of phytosterols on health. A second aim was to quantify the phytosterol content of these prototype diets and three other diets consumed in the United States.

Dose effects of dietary phytosterols on cholesterol metabolism: a controlled feeding study.

Background: Phytosterol supplementation of 2 g/d is recommended by the National Cholesterol Education Program to reduce LDL cholesterol. However, the effects of different intakes of phytosterol on cholesterol metabolism are uncertain.

Objective: We evaluated the effects of 3 phytosterol intakes on whole-body cholesterol metabolism.

Alveolar bone measurement precision for phosphor-plate images.

Objectives: The aim was to demonstrate methods for determining measurement precision and to determine the precision of alveolar bone measurements made with a vacuum-coupled positioning device and phosphor plate images.

Study Design: Subjects were rigidly attached to the x-ray tube by means of a vacuum coupling device and custom cross-arch bite plates. Original and repeat radiographs (taken within minutes of each other) were obtained of the mandibular posterior teeth of 51 subjects, and cementoenamel junction-alveolar crest (CEJ-AC) distances were measured on both sets of images.