Medium-chain triglycerides may improve memory in non-demented older adults: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Background: Ketosis has been exploited for its neuroprotective impact and treatment of neurological conditions via ketone production. Exogenous medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) supplementation may induce nutritional ketosis. The aim of this systematic review is to explore the effects of MCTs on memory function in older adults without cognitive impairment. Methods: A systematic literature search of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science was employed from inception until April 2022 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, investigating the impact of MCT oils on components of memory. Risk of bias (RoB2) tool was utilized for quality assessment. Results: Six trials were included for qualitative synthesis, in which two studies examined the effect of MCTs through a ketogenic meal. MCT supplementation compared to controls was associated with improved indices of memory function in 4 out of 6 studies, particularly working memory. A meta-analysis was not employed due to the low number of studies, therefore, a true effect measure of MCT supplementation was not explored. Conclusions: MCT supplementation may enhance working memory in non-demented older adults. These effects may be more prominent in individuals with lower baseline scores, from short and long-term supplementation. Further studies are warranted to confirm these findings in terms of optimal dose and MCTs composition, which may protect from memory decline during aging

Medium-chain triglycerides may improve memory in non-demented older adults: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

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The impact of branched-chain amino acid supplementation on measures of glucose homeostasis in individuals with hepatic disorders: A systematic review of clinical studies.

BackgroundBranched chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation may influence glucose metabolism in individuals with impaired glycemic profile. This systematic review investigated the effects of isolated BCAA supplementation on measures of glucose homeostasis in individuals with hepatic disorders.MethodsWe searched PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Scopus for published clinical trials that investigated the effects of isolated BCAA supplementation on measures of glucose homeostasis, including serum glucose and insulin, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, and Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) scores.ResultsEleven trials met the inclusion criteria. Only one study revealed a decrease in serum glucose from BCAA supplementation compared to three studies that showed increases. Five studies demonstrated no significant changes in serum glucose, and two studies displayed no changes in HbA1c following BCAA supplementation. Serum levels of insulin were decreased in three studies, remained unchanged in one, whilst increased in the remaining three studies. BCAA supplementation reduced HOMA-IR scores in two studies, increased HOMA-IR scores in another two or resulted in no changes in two other studies.ConclusionsBCAA supplementation in isolation had no effect on overall glucose homeostasis in individuals with hepatic disorders, although some improvements on serum insulin levels and HOMA-IR scores were observed. Overall, there is little evidence to support the utilization of BCAA supplementation as a potential nutritional strategy for improving measures of glucose homeostasis in individuals with hepatic disorders. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Medium-chain triglycerides may improve memory in non-demented older adults: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

BackgroundKetosis has been exploited for its neuroprotective impact and treatment of neurological conditions via ketone production. Exogenous medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) supplementation may induce nutritional ketosis. The aim of this systematic review is to explore the effects of MCTs on memory function in older adults without cognitive impairment.MethodsA systematic literature search of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science was employed from inception until April 2022 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, investigating the impact of MCT oils on components of memory. Risk of bias (RoB2) tool was utilized for quality assessment.ResultsSix trials were included for qualitative synthesis, in which two studies examined the effect of MCTs through a ketogenic meal. MCT supplementation compared to controls was associated with improved indices of memory function in 4 out of 6 studies, particularly working memory. A meta-analysis was not employed due to the low number of studies, therefore, a true effect measure of MCT supplementation was not explored.ConclusionsMCT supplementation may enhance working memory in non-demented older adults. These effects may be more prominent in individuals with lower baseline scores, from short and long-term supplementation. Further studies are warranted to confirm these findings in terms of optimal dose and MCTs composition, which may protect from memory decline during aging

SBA-15 Mesoporous Silica as Delivery Vehicle for rhBMP-2 Bone Morphogenic Protein for Dental Applications

(1) Background: A proposed approach to promote periodontal tissue regeneration in cases of peri-implantitis is the local administration of growth factors at the implant site. Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rh-BMP-2) can effectively promote bone regeneration and osseointegration and the development of appropriate carriers for its delivery is of paramount importance. The aim of the present study was to develop SBA-15 mesoporous nanoparticles (MSNs) with varying porosity, evaluate their biocompatibility with human Periodontal Ligament Cells (hPDLCs) and to investigate their effectiveness as carriers of rh-BMP-2. (2) Methods: SBA-15 type mesoporous silicas were synthesized via sol–gel reaction. The calcined SBA-15 samples were characterized by N2 porosimetry, Fourier transform–infrared spectrometry (FTIR), Scanning (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Rh-BMP-2 loading and release kinetics were evaluated by UV spectroscopy. (3) Results: MSNs presented hexagonally arranged, tubular pores of varying length and diameter. Slightly higher loading capacity was achieved for SBA-15 with large pores that presented good hemocompatibility. MTT assay revealed no cytotoxic effects for all the tested materials, while SBA-15 with large pores induced a significant upregulation of cell viability at day 5. (4) Conclusions: SBA-15 MSNs may prove a valuable delivery platform towards the effective release of bone-inducing proteins

Optimization of Hydrothermal Pretreatment of Hardwood and Softwood Lignocellulosic Residues for Selective Hemicellulose Recovery and Improved Cellulose Enzymatic Hydrolysis

The sustainable utilization of lignocellulosic biomass as a renewable and abundant source lies at the core of the emerging biobased economy for the production of fuels, materials, and platform chemicals. The first step in the implementation of many biomass valorization technologies is the “pretreatment” that aims at biomass fractionation and recovery of its main structural components, i.e., cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, which can be then converted by downstream (bio)­catalytic processes to targeted high added value intermediate chemicals or final products. In this respect, hydrothermal pretreatment in pure water (also called liquid hot water or autohydrolysis) offers a method with low operational costs, free of organic solvents and corrosive acids or bases, and with no use of “external” liquid or solid catalysts. In the present work, the hydrothermal pretreatment of three types of lignocellulosic forestry and agricultural residues/byproducts was studied. They are representative of hardwood (residual poplar branches from logging operations and grapevine pruning) and softwood (pine sawdust) biomass. The pretreatment experiments were conducted in a batch-mode, high-pressure reactor under autogenous pressure at varying temperature (170–220 °C) and time (15–180 min) regimes and at liquid-to-solid ratio (LSR) of 15. The intensification of the process was expressed by the severity factor, log Ro. The process was optimized for increasing the recovery of hemicellulose in the form of monomeric sugars (xylose, mannose, galactose) or the respective oligo-saccharides, as well as for improving the production of glucose in the subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis of the pretreated biomass. Maximum hemicellulose recovery for poplar, grapevine, and pine in the liquid products was around 60% at ∼70%–85% hemicellulose removal, based on initial hemicellulose content of each biomass type, and was achieved at relatively moderate treatment severities (log Ro = 3.8–4.1). Formation of major degradation products, such as acids (i.e., formic and levulinic acid) and furans (i.e., furfural and HMF) was relatively low and below ca. 1 mg/mL for the whole range of pretreatment severities. Enzymatic hydrolysis of the parent lignocellulosic materials toward glucose was very low (i.e., 10%) and remained low for the pretreated pine biomass (16%) but was substantially improved for poplar (49%) and especially for grapevine (77%) as a result of hydrothermal pretreatment at the highest severity (log Ro = 4.7). The significant improvement of enzymatic hydrolysis of grapevine was attributed to the nearly complete removal of hemicellulose and to the changes in the morphological and textural characteristics of biomass particles, with the most pronounced one being the 9-fold increase in surface and pore volume