Focus on vitamin D, inflammation and type 2 diabetes.

The initial observations linking vitamin D to type 2 diabetes in humans came from studies showing that both healthy and diabetic subjects had a seasonal variation of glycemic control. Currently, there is evidence supporting that vitamin D status is important to regulate some pathways related to type 2 diabetes development. Since the activation of inflammatory pathways interferes with normal metabolism and disrupts proper insulin signaling, it is hypothesized that vitamin D could influence glucose homeostasis by modulating inflammatory response.

Do patients with osteogenesis imperfecta need individualized nutritional support?

Objective: Information regarding nutrition and body composition in patients diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is scarce. In the present study, nutritional status, bone mineral density, and biochemical parameters of subjects with OI were evaluated.

Methods: Patients with type I OI (n = 13) and type III OI (n = 13) and healthy controls (n = 8) were selected.

Folic acid supplementation during early hepatocarcinogenesis: cellular and molecular effects.

Folic acid (FA) supplementation during carcinogenesis is controversial. Considering the impact of liver cancer as a public health problem and mandatory FA fortification in several countries, the role of FA supplementation in hepatocarcinogenesis should be elucidated. We evaluated FA supplementation during early hepatocarcinogenesis.

Farnesol inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis after partial hepatectomy in rats.

Purpose: To study farnesol (FOH) effects on liver regeneration after 70% partial hepatectomy (PH) in rats.

Methods: Animals received FOH (25 mg/100 g body weight/day) or corn oil (CO, 0.25 mL/100 g body weight/day, controls).

All-trans and 9-cis retinoic acids, retinol and beta-carotene chemopreventive activities during the initial phases of hepatocarcinogenesis involve distinct actions on glutathione S-transferase positive preneoplastic lesions remodeling and DNA damage.

Chemopreventive activities of all-trans retinoic acid (AtRA), 9-cis retinoic acid (9cRA), retinol (ROL) and beta-carotene (betaC) were evaluated during hepatocarcinogenesis. Rats received 1 mg/100 g body wt AtRA (AtRA group), 9cRA (9cRA group), ROL (ROL group), 7 mg/100 g body wt betaC (betaC group) or corn oil (CO group, controls). Hepatocyte nodule incidence was reduced (P < 0.