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Am J Clin Nutr 2019 Apr 17. Epub 2019 Apr 17.

Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.

Background: Micronutrient malnutrition is highly prevalent in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and disproportionately affects women and children. Although the effectiveness of large-scale food fortification (LSFF) of staple foods to prevent micronutrient deficiencies in high-income settings has been demonstrated, its effectiveness in LMICs is less well characterized. This is important as food consumption patterns, potential food vehicles, and therefore potential for impact may vary substantially in these contexts. Read More

Int J Vitam Nutr Res 2019 Apr 15:1-12. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

5 School of Medicine and Surgery Federal University of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, such as bad eating habits, are typical in adolescence and lead to the consumption of meals that are not always sufficient in vitamins A, E, β-carotene, excess calories and elevated serum leptin levels. The purpose of this research is to study the relationship between vitamin A deficiency (VAD), β-carotene deficiency (βcD), vitamin E deficiency (VED) and to explore the association of leptin receptor Q223R polymorphisms with obesity and other risk factors for CVD.

Method: This observational study included 237 adolescents recruited from Adolescents Reference Center, Brazil. Read More

J Toxicol Sci 2019 ;44(4):257-271

Department of Hygiene Chemistry, Ohu University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Vitamin A and its derivatives contribute to many physiological processes, including vision, neural differentiation, and reproduction. Vitamin A deficiency causes early cessation of spermatogenesis, characterized by a marked depletion of germ cells. However, there has been no clear understanding about the role of chronic intake of vitamin A excess (VAE) in spermatogenesis. Read More

Klin Monbl Augenheilkd 2019 Apr 27;236(4):483-486. Epub 2019 Mar 27.

Ophthalmology, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Luzern, Switzerland.

Nutrients 2019 Mar 22;11(3). Epub 2019 Mar 22.

Maternal and Child Healthcare Postgraduate Program, Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira (IMIP), Recife 50070-550, Pernambuco, Brazil.

Vitamin A is a crucial micronutrient for pregnant women and their fetuses. In addition to being essential for morphological and functional development and for ocular integrity, vitamin A exerts systemic effects on several fetal organs and on the fetal skeleton. Vitamin A requirements during pregnancy are therefore greater. Read More

Clin Nutr ESPEN 2019 Apr 8;30:126-130. Epub 2019 Feb 8.

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Bhubaneswar, Orissa, 751023, India. Electronic address:

Objective: To carry out a systematic review and meta-analysis of the trials to identify as well as quantify the effect of vitamin A fortified food on serum vitamin A concentration among children under 10 year.

Study Design: All the relevant studies has been retrieved by MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, ProQuest and the Cochrane Library and secondary referencing. A random effects model was applied to compute the pooled effect size of effect of serum retinol. Read More

Front Microbiol 2019 22;10:268. Epub 2019 Feb 22.

Children's Nutrition Research Center, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing, China.

To investigate the specific role of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in the regulation of the intestinal mucosa-associated microbiota by vitamin A (VA). Both TLR4 (knockout, KO) and wild-type (WT) female mice were randomly fed a VA normal (VAN) or VA deficient (VAD) diet for 4 weeks to establish the following four mouse model groups: TLR4 mice fed a VAN diet (KO VAN), TLR4 mice fed a VAD diet (KO VAD), WT mice fed a VAN diet (WT VAN), and WT mice fed a VAD diet (WT VAD). Then, the mice from each experimental group were mated with male mice with the same genetic background. Read More

BMC Public Health 2019 Mar 8;19(1):282. Epub 2019 Mar 8.

Faculty of Arts and Science, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Background: Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is of major public health significance; it is a risk factor for childhood deaths from diarrhoea and measles in low and middle-income countries and an important cause of preventable childhood blindness in low income countries. Vitamin A supplementation (VAS) is being implemented in many LMICs and high coverage reduces the prevalence of blinding corneal diseases in children. However, national estimates of coverage may not reveal any inequities in intra country coverage. Read More

Child Care Health Dev 2019 May;45(3):380-386

Department of Paediatrics, Sligo Regional Hospital, Sligo, Ireland.

Background And Objectives: Studies suggest that trace element and vitamin deficiencies are common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Data describing the rates of vitamin and trace element deficiencies in the ASD population of the northwest of Ireland is lacking. We wished to determine the prevalence of zinc and vitamin A deficiency in the ASD population compared with controls within this geographical area. Read More

Optom Vis Sci 2019 Mar;96(3):227-232

Retina Consultants of Orange County, Los Alamitos, California

Significance: Although rare, vitamin A retinopathy should be considered by the clinicians in their differentials for conditions that can lead to nyctalopia, especially in those patients who have undergone bariatric surgery. Patients must be educated on this potential delayed adverse effect of the surgery and possible lifelong vitamin A supplementation.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to report a rare case of delayed vitamin A retinopathy that occurred because of vitamin A malabsorption secondary to bariatric surgery. Read More

Nutrients 2019 Feb 21;11(2). Epub 2019 Feb 21.

Research Center for Vitamins and Vaccines, Bandim Health Project, Statens Serum Institut, 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark.

A total of 12 trials have tested the effect of neonatal vitamin A supplementation (NVAS) on mortality. Overall, NVAS had no effect on mortality, but results were heterogeneous. Two competing hypotheses have been put forward to explain the divergent effects: A) NVAS works by preventing vitamin A deficiency (VAD) and not all countries have VAD; B) NVAS interacts negatively with subsequent diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine, increasing mortality in females; in countries with low DTP coverage NVAS may have a beneficial effect. Read More

Front Plant Sci 2019 29;10:30. Epub 2019 Jan 29.

International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Texcoco, Mexico.

Aflatoxin contamination of maize grain and products causes serious health problems for consumers worldwide, and especially in low- and middle-income countries where monitoring and safety standards are inconsistently implemented. Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) also compromises the health of millions of maize consumers in several regions of the world including large parts of sub-Saharan Africa. We investigated whether provitamin A (proVA) enriched maize can simultaneously contribute to alleviate both of these health concerns. Read More

Indian J Ophthalmol 2019 Mar;67(3):386-390

Department of Ophthalmology, Schell Eye Hospital, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.

Purpose: Childhood blindness is second to cataract in terms of blind person years; population-based prevalence of ocular morbidity among tribal children has not been studied. We conducted this study to determine the prevalence of ocular morbidity in tribal children age 15 years or younger in Jawadhi hills, southern India.

Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in four tribal villages where all children below 15 years of age were invited to participate in the study. Read More

Nutrients 2019 Feb 5;11(2). Epub 2019 Feb 5.

Department of Laboratory Medicine and Genetics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 06351, Korea.

As microbiological diagnostic techniques improve and the frequency of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) infection increases worldwide, NTM-PD is becoming increasingly important to clinicians and researchers. Vitamin activity has been associated with the host immune response in tuberculosis; however, such information is very limited in NTM-PD. We performed a case-control study in 150 patients with NTM-PD and 150 healthy controls to investigate serum vitamin status. Read More

Matern Child Nutr 2019 01;15 Suppl 1:e12721

USAID's Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP)/PATH, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.

In Mozambique, about two thirds of children 6-59 months of age are affected by vitamin A deficiency and anaemia. The objective of this case study is to provide programme considerations for planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating vitamin A and iron deficiency interventions within the context of lessons learned to date for vitamin A supplementation, micronutrient powders (MNPs), and food-based strategies. For 15 years, the Mozambique Ministry of Health implemented twice-yearly vitamin A supplementation through both campaigns and routine health services. Read More

Chem Biol Interact 2019 Apr 4;302:117-122. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA. Electronic address:

Retinol dehydrogenase 11 (RDH11) is an NADPH-dependent retinaldehyde reductase that was previously reported to function in the visual cycle. Recently, we have shown that RDH11 contributes to the maintenance of retinol levels in extraocular tissues under conditions of vitamin A deficiency or reduced vitamin A availability. RDH11 is also expressed in the embryo. Read More

Food Chem 2019 Jun 14;283:131-140. Epub 2019 Jan 14.

Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xingke Road 723, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510650, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China. Electronic address:

Bananas are a recommended food source to alleviate vitamin A deficiency because they contain a high ratio of provitamin A precursors. The objective of this study was to investigate carotenoid accumulation pattern in banana fruits during postharvest ripening and the mechanisms regulating this process. Ripe banana pulp had an unusually high α-/β-carotene ratio (1. Read More

Fish Shellfish Immunol 2019 Apr 1;87:546-558. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China; Fish Nutrition and Safety Production University Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China; Key Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China. Electronic address:

The present study was the first to investigate the effects of dietary vitamin A (VA) on the intestinal physical barrier function associated with oxidation, antioxidant system, apoptosis and cell-cellular tight junction (TJ) in the proximal (PI), mid (MI) and distal (DI) intestines of young grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). Fish were fed graded levels of dietary VA for 10 weeks, and then a challenge test using an injection of Aeromonas hydrophila was conducted for 14 days. Results indicated that dietary VA deficiency caused oxidative damage to fish intestine partly by the reduced non-enzymatic antioxidant components glutathione (GSH) and VA contents as well as reduced antioxidant enzyme activities [not including manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD)]. Read More

Matern Child Health J 2019 Jan;23(Suppl 1):79-85

Institute of Research for Development (IRD), UMR 204 Nutripass IRD/UM/SupAgro, Montpellier, France.

Objective The SMILING (Sustainable Micronutrient Interventions to Control Deficiencies and Improve Nutritional Status and General Health in Asia) project aimed at creating awareness and improving policies around micronutrient deficiencies in five Southeast Asian countries (Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia). Results The project showed large gaps in recent data on micronutrient status in most of the five countries. By updating existing, or creating national food composition tables, the SMILING project enabled analyses of food consumption in women of reproductive age and young children. Read More

PLoS One 2019 24;14(1):e0211071. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States of America.

The roles of retinoids in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remain unclear and a better understanding may lead to therapies that prevent or limit NAFLD progression. We examined the actions of retinoic acid receptor (RAR) agonists- AM80 for RARα and AC261066 for RARβ2- in a murine model of NAFLD. We fed wild type C57Bl/6 mice a chow or a 45% high fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks, followed by 4 additional weeks with the HFD+AM80; HFD+AC261066; or HFD. Read More

Front Immunol 2018 8;9:3090. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States.

Vitamin A deficiency affects over 250 million preschool-age children worldwide and is associated with increased childhood mortality and risk of developing enteric infections. Vitamin A deficient (A-) mice developed chronic infection. A single oral dose of retinoic acid (RA) at d7 post-infection was sufficient to induce clearance of the pathogen in A- mice. Read More

Indian J Med Res 2018 Nov;148(5):511-521

Centre for Promotion of Nutrition Research and Training with Special Focus on North East, Tribal & Inaccessible Population, Division of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research (Campus II), Tuberculosis Association of India Building, New Delhi; ICMR-Desert Medicine Research Centre, Jodhpur, India.

Micronutrients play an important role in the proper growth and development of the human body and its deficiency affects the health contributing to low productivity and vicious cycle of malnutrition, underdevelopment as well as poverty. Micronutrient deficiency is a public health problem affecting more than one-fourth of the global population. Several programmes have been launched over the years in India to improve nutrition and health status of the population; however, a large portion of the population is still affected by micronutrient deficiency. Read More

Indian J Med Res 2018 Nov;148(5):496-502

National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India.

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) among 1-5 yr old children is reported to be widely prevalent in Southeast Asia and some parts of Africa. It is the leading cause of preventable blindness in young children in the low-income countries in the world. Children even with milder signs of VAD have higher risk of morbidity and mortality. Read More

J Pineal Res 2019 Apr 14;66(3):e12558. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.

Congenital spinal deformities are a result of defective somitogenesis and are associated with vitamin A deficiency (VAD). However, the molecular mechanisms of VAD-associated congenital spinal deformities remain largely unknown. Increasing number of studies suggested that microRNAs and melatonin played important roles in the development of congenital spinal deformities. Read More

Arch Argent Pediatr 2019 02;117(1):19-25

Instituto de Desarrollo e Investigaciones Pediátricas (IDIP) "Prof. Dr. Fernando E. Viteri", Hospital de Niños "Sor María Ludovica", La Plata, Buenos Aires.

Introduction: Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) has been recognized as an important public health problem in developing countries. Preschoolers account for risk groups within vulnerable populations. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of VAD and associated factors in a sample of preschoolers. Read More

Methods Mol Biol 2019 ;1931:209-220

Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™, Johnston, IA, USA.

To help alleviate vitamin A deficiency in Africa, we have developed nutritionally enhanced sorghum with stabilized high all-trans-β-carotene accumulation. Toward the finalization of this nutritionally enhanced sorghum for food production, confined field trials were conducted to determine the agronomic performance of thirteen independent transgenic events in Iowa and Hawaii. Through these trials, three leading events with no negative impact on agronomic performance were identified. Read More

Glob Health Promot 2019 Jan 16:1757975918789350. Epub 2019 Jan 16.

2 University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The Nutrition-Friendly School Initiative was developed in 2006 to counter the double burden of malnutrition and implemented on a pilot basis in primary schools in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) in 2009. A baseline study was conducted in intervention and control schools and repeated in 2014 to assess the impact. This paper reports on anthropometric and biochemical data in the final and baseline surveys. Read More

J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2018 Jun 10;16(1):57-61. Epub 2017 Oct 10.

Child Health Department, National Research Centre, Medical Division, 33 El-Bohouth Street, Dokki, POB:12311, Cairo, Egypt.

Vitamins are evaluated for their role in immunity. Recently, vitamin A received a particular attention as a critical micronutrient for regulating immune system. Therefore, the present study aimed to search for new about vitamin A. Read More

Indian J Pediatr 2019 Jan 14. Epub 2019 Jan 14.

Department of Pediatrics and Clinical Epidemiology, Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi, India.

High dose vitamin A (HDVA) concentrate began to be distributed in India in 1970 as a short-term, stop-gap approach to reduce clinical signs of vitamin A deficiency. As this problem declined globally, the purpose of distributing them changed to the reduction of young child mortality. However, their impact on this has also declined, if not disappeared, as suggested in India by the enormous DEVTA study. Read More

Biomed Res Int 2018 11;2018:6592757. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

School of Life Science and Technology, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China.

This study was to investigate the vitamin levels in the serum of children in the Northeast of China and some factors associated with the vitamin levels. The sera were obtained from 2096 normal children aged 1 month to 12 years in the Northeast of China. Vitamins A and E were detected using their sera by HPLC, and the level of vitamin D was detected by LC-MS. Read More

Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2019 Jan 13:1-16. Epub 2019 Jan 13.

a Department of Consumer and Food Sciences , University of Pretoria, Hatfield Campus , Pretoria, South Africa.

Significant efforts have been made to address the hidden hunger challenges due to iron, zinc, iodine, and vitamin A since the beginning of the 21st century. Prioritizing the vitamin A deficiency (VAD) disorders, many countries are looking for viable alternative strategies such as biofortification. One of the leading causes of VAD is the poor bioconversion of β-carotene into retinoids. Read More

Food Secur 2018 25;10(6):1501-1519. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

3Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA USA.

The addition of orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) to the food environment is an effective nutrition-sensitive agricultural approach to improve vitamin A intakes. However, the adoption of this biofortified crop merits further study. The objective of our research was to understand factors that affect Mozambican farmers' adoption and retention of OFSP varieties, with a specific interest in the retention of planting material. Read More

Foods 2019 Jan 4;8(1). Epub 2019 Jan 4.

School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bioengineering, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, P.O Box 7062 Kampala, Uganda.

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) and under nutrition are major public health concerns in developing countries. Diets with high vitamin A and animal protein can help reduce the problem of VAD and under nutrition respectively. In this study, composite flours were developed from orange fleshed sweet potato (OFSP), amaranth leaves and skimmed milk powders; 78:2:20, 72. Read More

Genesis 2019 01 21;57(1):e23278. Epub 2019 Jan 21.

Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a set of neurodevelopmental malformations caused by maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. FASD sentinel facial features are unique to the disorder, and microcephaly is common in severe forms of FASD. Retinoic acid deficiency has been shown to cause craniofacial malformations and microcephaly in animal models reminiscent of those caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. Read More

Afr Health Sci 2018 Sep;18(3):737-742

Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

Background: Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) and diarrhoea are still important contributors to childhood deaths in Africa, and vitamin A deficient children are at increased risk as well as severity of diarrhoea.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of VAD and identify the associated factors among children with diarrhoea.

Methods: The study was a hospital-based cross-sectional descriptive study. Read More

Ann Hepatol 2018 Oct;17(6):920-932

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.

Malnutrition is prevalent in cirrhosis. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies, including vitamin D, vitamin A, and zinc, are common and have been shown to correlate with survival. Our aim was to review the mechanisms of vitamin D, vitamin A, and zinc deficiencies in cirrhosis and the clinical assessment of affected patients, their outcomes based on the current literature, and management. Read More

Poult Sci 2019 May;98(5):2189-2192

Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.

A dose-response experiment with 8 supplemental vitamin A levels (0, 500, 1,000, 1,500, 2,500, 3,500, 7,000, and 14,000 IU/kg) were conducted to examine the effects of vitamin A on growth performance and tissue retinol of starter White Pekin ducks. A total of 512 one-day-old male Pekin ducks were randomly divided into 8 treatments and each treatment contained 8 replicate pens of 8 ducks. All these ducks were reared in raised wire-floor pens from hatch to 21 D of age. Read More

Public Health Nutr 2018 Dec 26:1-10. Epub 2018 Dec 26.

3Department of Food Technology, Nutrition and Consumer Sciences,Sokoine University of Agriculture,Morogoro,Tanzania.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a social marketing intervention in enhancing knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) related to consumption of vitamin A-fortified oil.

Design: The intervention employed community events, distribution of educational materials and radio broadcasts. The intervention was assessed in a quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group study design by collecting information on KAP regarding vitamin A-fortified oil consumption before and after 9 months of a 13-month intervention. Read More

Dis Model Mech 2019 01 11;12(1). Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC 20010, USA

The development of the aortic arch is a complex process that involves remodeling of the bilaterally symmetrical pharyngeal arch arteries (PAAs) into the mature asymmetric aortic arch. Retinoic acid signaling is a key regulator of this process by directing patterning of the second heart field (SHF), formation of the caudal PAAs and subsequent remodeling of the PAAs to form the aortic arch. Here, we identify the HECTD1 ubiquitin ligase as a novel modulator of retinoic acid signaling during this process. Read More

Ochsner J 2018 ;18(4):308-317

Department of Pediatrics, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA.

Background: Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) often have infections, growth deficits, and impaired immunity, problems that also are observed in individuals with a vitamin A deficiency (plasma retinol concentration <20 μg/dL). The goal of this study was to investigate the association between vitamin A, health status, and the in vitro immune function of children with SCD.

Methods: Fifty-nine children (40 SS, 11 SC, and 8 Sβ [Sβ] hemoglobin genotypes) 9 months to 18 years old were investigated for plasma levels of retinol, retinol binding protein, C-reactive protein, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein, lymphocyte proliferation, and interleukin (IL)-2 activity in supernatant of phytohemagglutinin-treated lymphocytes. Read More

Cesk Slov Oftalmol Spring 2018;73(5-6):222-224

Xerosis is a corneal and ocular surface disease caused by vitamin A deficiency. It is a rare disease in developed countries, but in third world countries it is a common cause of blindness. We describe a typical xerosis in patient with vitamin A deficiency and long-term malnutrition and alcoholism in our case. Read More

Eur J Clin Nutr 2019 Mar 6;73(3):416-423. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA.

Background/objectives: In 2009, the Ministry of Health of Kyrgyzstan launched a national Infant and Young Child Nutrition (IYCN) program which included point-of-use fortification of foods with micronutrient powders (MNP) containing iron, vitamin A, and other micronutrients. Caretakers of children aged 6-23 months were given 30 sachets of MNP every 2 months. Micronutrient surveys were conducted in 2009 and 2013. Read More

Matern Child Health J 2019 Jan;23(Suppl 1):29-45

Nutripass, Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement (IRD), Montpellier, France.

Objectives Since the 1990s, programs for the control of micronutrient deficiencies became a public health priority for many governments, including the countries partnering the project "Sustainable Micronutrient Interventions to Control Deficiencies and Improve Nutritional Status and General Health in Asia" (SMILING): Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos-PDR, Thailand and Vietnam. The aim of this study was to map which micronutrient deficiencies have been addressed and which interventions were in place in the SMILING countries. Methods The mapping covered the period up to 2012. Read More

J Nutr 2018 Dec;148(12):1968-1975

Global Health Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH.

Background: In the growing embryo, the vitamin A requirement is tightly regulated. Maternal vitamin A deficiency during pregnancy may alter maternal immune function to accommodate the fetus.

Objective: Our primary objective was to determine the effect of oral vitamin A supplementation (VAS) during pregnancy and until 6 mo postpartum on pandemic H1N1-vaccine responses in mothers and their infants at 6 mo of age. Read More

Curr Eye Res 2019 Apr 10;44(4):368-375. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

c Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital , Chongqing Medical University , Chongqing , China.

Purpose: To assess the effects of marginal vitamin A deficiency (MVAD) on rat Meibomian gland morphology as well as retinoic acid receptor (RAR) and retinoid X receptor (RXR) amounts and localization.

Methods: Eight adult female rats were randomized into MVAD and vitamin A normal (VAN) groups, and fed vitamin A-deficient and normal control diets, respectively, for 3 weeks before mating. At postnatal week 4 (P4w), eight newborn animals in both groups were euthanized, respectively. Read More

Food Sci Nutr 2018 Nov 8;6(8):2285-2292. Epub 2018 Oct 8.

Food and Nutrition Science Laboratory International Institute of Tropical Agriculture Ibadan Nigeria.

Besides being a veritable tool for easing the problem of vitamin A deficiency (VAD), this study sought to explore another potential health benefit of vitamin A-biofortified maize (VABM). In the present study, the nutritional composition and glycemic index (GI) of tuwo masara (a nonfermented maize-based dumpling), made from VABM and the indigenous white maize (IWM) genotype, were evaluated. VABM showed significantly (<0. Read More

Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets 2019 ;19(2):128-135

Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sensory Organs, University of Bari, School of Medicine, Bari, Italy.

Background: Secondary lymphoid organs (SLO) are distributed in many districts of the body and, especially, lymph nodes, spleen and gut-associated lymphoid tissue are the main cellular sites. On the other hand, tertiary lymphoid organs (TLO) are formed in response to inflammatory, infectious, autoimmune and neoplastic events. Developmental Studies: In the present review, emphasis will be placed on the developmental differences of SLO and TLO between small intestine and colon and on the role played by various chemokines and cell receptors. Read More

Complement Ther Med 2018 Dec 28;41:215-219. Epub 2018 Sep 28.

Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. Electronic address:

Introduction: Considering the link between vitamin A deficiency and disease activity in ulcerative colitis (UC) and also the association between dietary intake of vitamin A and gastrointestinal symptoms in these patients, this study aimed to investigate the effect of vitamin A supplementation on disease activity in patients with UC.

Method: In the present double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial, one hundred and fifty patients with Mayo score of 6-12 were randomly assigned to receive 25,000 IU/day vitamin A supplements or placebo for two months. The disease activity was calculated by the Mayo clinic score. Read More

Arch Dis Child 2019 Mar 13;104(3):217-226. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.

Background: Biannual vitamin A supplementation is a well-established survival tool for preschool children 6 months and older in vitamin A deficient populations but this schedule misses the opportunity to intervene on most young infant deaths. Randomised trials of neonatal vitamin A supplementation (NVAS) in the first few days of life to assess its impact on under 6-month mortality in low/middle-income countries have had varying results.

Methods: Investigators of 11 published randomised placebo-controlled NVAS trials (n=163 567 children) reanalysed their data according to an agreed plan and pooled the primary outcomes of mortality from supplementation through 6 and 12 months of age using random effects models and meta-regression. Read More

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2018 29;9:644. Epub 2018 Oct 29.

Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.

Vitamin A (retinol) is important for multiple functions in mammals. In testis, the role of vitamin A in the regulation of testicular functions is clearly involved in rodents. It is essential for sperm production. Read More