Nutrition reviews
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We present a case of an African-American child with vitamin D-deficient rickets. In addition to being solely breast-fed for the period of 1 year, he resided in New England, where exposure to ultraviolet light is limited owing to its northern latitude and long cold winters. He presented with classical signs of nutritional rickets and was immediately responsive to treatment with vitamin D supplementation.
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Melanocortin peptides, derived from pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), appear to play a significant role in appetite and body weight regulation. Expression of the Pomc gene in the central nervous system results in the production of melanocortin peptides, which bind to the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4-R) and inhibit food intake. ⋯ Recently, Pomc knockout mice were generated and shown to develop hyperphagia and obesity with a time-course and severity comparable to MC4-R knockout mice, whereas daily administration of a stable alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone analogue reversed this effect. These data clearly implicate POMC peptides and melanocortin receptors in the pathophysiology of obesity and provide important new tools for their development as therapeutic targets in obesity.
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Obesity is an increasing problem for industrialized nations. The incidence of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and gastric cardia has also risen during the past two decades. ⋯ Obesity may not only increase the risk for adenocarcinoma of the upper gastrointestinal tract, but it may also increase the risk of colon cancer and overall mortality. More research is needed to understand obesity's health impact and ways to control this epidemic.
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Iodine intake influences the health of Americans today, but in different ways than it has in the past. In the early 1900s, iodine deficiency was responsible for widespread endemic goiter in the United States. The incidence of goiter was markedly reduced by the introduction of iodine supplementation of salt and other foods in the 1920s. ⋯ Recent and disturbing new data suggest that there has been a sharp decline in iodine intake during the last 20 years, especially in women of reproductive age. A brief comparison of thyroid response to insufficient and excessive intakes in normal and diseased thyroid tissue is presented. The population affected and the implications for therapy are also reviewed.
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Review Historical Article
Green tea polyphenols and cancer: biologic mechanisms and practical implications.
Polyphenolic compounds in fruits and vegetables have been associated with lower risk of some diseases, including cancer. Recent research has shown that the polyphenolic antioxidants in green tea possess cancer chemopreventive effects. This review discusses the cancer chemopreventive effects associated with green tea and the molecular mechanisms that underlie the broad anticarcinogenic effect of polyphenols in green tea.