A quantitative study of vapor diffusions for crystallizations: rates and solvent parameter changes.

Vapor diffusion crystallizations are among the most versatile methods for growing X-ray quality crystals. While many experimental sections describe the successful use of various solvent combinations, the literature has been entirely lacking in quantitative data (rates, measures of solvent strength changes) that might allow more informed planning rather than simple trial-and-error approaches. We here report the diffusion-induced volume changes for 44 solvent combinations over the first 60 h under standardized conditions, plus six more combinations that exhibit little or no volume changes.

Effects of Dietary Fructose Restriction on Liver Fat, De Novo Lipogenesis, and Insulin Kinetics in Children With Obesity.

Background & Aims: Consumption of sugar is associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and cardiovascular disease. The conversion of fructose to fat in liver (de novo lipogenesis [DNL]) may be a modifiable pathogenetic pathway. We determined the effect of 9 days of isocaloric fructose restriction on DNL, liver fat, visceral fat (VAT), subcutaneous fat, and insulin kinetics in obese Latino and African American children with habitual high sugar consumption (fructose intake >50 g/d).

Short-term isocaloric fructose restriction lowers apoC-III levels and yields less atherogenic lipoprotein profiles in children with obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Background And Aims: Dietary fructose may play a role in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome (MetS). In a recently published study of obese children with MetS, we showed that isocaloric fructose restriction reduced fasting triglyceride (TG) and LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C). In these ancillary analyses, we tested the hypothesis that these effects were also accompanied by improved quantitative and qualitative changes in LDL and HDL subclasses and their apolipoproteins; as well as change in VLDL, particularly apoC-III.

Isocaloric fructose restriction and metabolic improvement in children with obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Objective: Dietary fructose is implicated in metabolic syndrome, but intervention studies are confounded by positive caloric balance, changes in adiposity, or artifactually high amounts. This study determined whether isocaloric substitution of starch for sugar would improve metabolic parameters in Latino (n = 27) and African-American (n = 16) children with obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Methods: Participants consumed a diet for 9 days to deliver comparable percentages of protein, fat, and carbohydrate as their self-reported diet; however, dietary sugar was reduced from 28% to 10% and substituted with starch.

Effects of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I/IGF-binding protein-3 treatment on glucose metabolism and fat distribution in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients with abdominal obesity and insulin resistance.

Context: HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy are at increased risk for excess visceral adiposity and insulin resistance. Treatment with GH decreases visceral adiposity but worsens glucose metabolism. IGF-I, which mediates many of the effects of GH, improves insulin sensitivity in HIV-negative individuals.

Comparison of surrogate and direct measurement of insulin resistance in chronic hepatitis C virus infection: impact of obesity and ethnicity.

Unlabelled: Studies using surrogate estimates show high prevalence of insulin resistance in hepatitis C infection. This study prospectively evaluated the correlation between surrogate and directly measured estimates of insulin resistance and the impact of obesity and ethnicity on this relationship. Eighty-six nondiabetic, noncirrhotic patients with hepatitis C virus (age = 48 +/- 7 years, 74% male, 44% white, 22% African American, 26% Latino, 70% genotype 1) were categorized into normal-weight (body mass index [BMI] < 25, n = 30), overweight (BMI = 25-29.

The effects of recombinant human leptin on visceral fat, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance in patients with human immunodeficiency virus-associated lipoatrophy and hypoleptinemia.

Context: Leptin deficiency is associated with dyslipidemia and insulin resistance in animals and humans with lipoatrophy; leptin replacement ameliorates these abnormalities.

Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of leptin therapy in lipoatrophic HIV-infected patients with dyslipidemia and hypoleptinemia.

Design: This was a 6-month, open-label, proof-of-principle pilot study.