Annals of nutrition & metabolism
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Research on vitamins has advanced considerably over the past 100 years with numerous advancements in the fields of biochemistry, medicine, and nutrition. The purpose of this article is to present the history of vitamins using Nobel Prizes as a framework for each vitamin-related discovery. The Nobel Prize Presentation Speech and Nobel Lecture were reviewed for each Nobel Laureate who received an award for vitamin-related research. ⋯ Nobel Prizes were awarded primarily for the identification, isolation, and synthesis of vitamins. Additional awards recognized the role of specific vitamins in disease processes. The awarding of over 10 Nobel Prizes in Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine in the last century has recognized the seminal work of numerous scientists and physicians and showcased multiple important advancements in vitamins research.
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In the year 2011, 6.9 million children under the age of 5 years died worldwide, one third of them related to increased susceptibility to illnesses due to undernutrition. An estimated 178 million children under 5 years are stunted, 55 million are wasted, and 19 million of these are severely affected and are at a higher risk of premature death, the vast majority being from sub-Saharan Africa and South-Central Asia. Globally, over 2 billion people are at risk for vitamin A, iodine, and/or iron deficiency. ⋯ The median coverage rate of interventions along the continuum of care for Countdown countries has however been ≥80% for vaccination and vitamin A supplementation. However, for several interventions, including early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding below 6 months of age and case management of childhood illnesses, the median coverage rate hovers at or below 50%. This suggests that interventions requiring strong health systems or behavior change appear to be stalled and need to be re-examined to find more effective ways of delivery.
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Maternal and child undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies affect approximately half of the world's population. These conditions include intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), low birth weight, protein-energy malnutrition, chronic energy deficit of women, and micronutrient deficiencies. Although the rates of stunting or chronic protein-energy malnutrition are increasing in Africa, the absolute numbers of stunted children are much higher in Asia. ⋯ Human development is not possible without taking care to control undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. Poverty, food insecurity, ignorance, lack of appropriate infant and young child feeding practices, heavy burden of infectious illnesses, and poor hygiene and sanitation are factors responsible for the high levels of maternal and child undernutrition in developing countries. These factors can be controlled or removed by scaling up direct nutrition interventions and eliminating the root conditions including female illiteracy, lack of livelihoods, lack of women's empowerment, and poor hygiene and sanitation.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of intraoperative amino acid infusion on blood glucose under general anesthesia combined with epidural block.
To investigate the effect of intraoperative amino acid infusion on blood glucose in patients under general anesthesia combined with epidural block. ⋯ Intraoperative amino acid infusion in patients under general anesthesia combined with epidural block may accelerate the increase of blood glucose concentration and stimulate insulin secretion, and can alleviate hypothermia during the later period of surgery and postoperatively.