Publisher's Synopsis
Advances in molecular biology and new studies on the role of nutrients in gene expression have ushered in a new era in nutrition research. The six contributions to this volume consist of critical reviews and original data on vitamin C, retinoids, calcium, vitamin K and malnutrition in pregnancy. Offering information on major topics of importance in disease prevention, these papers are aimed at nutrition researchers, dieticians, physicians, molecular biologists and physiologists.;The two opening articles discuss the mechanisms of the antioxidant actions of vitamin C and the effects of smoking on vitamin C requirements. Further articles focus on retinoids in the host defence system and the function and metabolism of vitamin K in haemorrhagic disease in the newborn. Another paper examines the comparative properties of erythrocyte calcium-transporting enzyme in different mammalian species, which is particularly relevant to understanding the pathology of major chronic diseases in Africa. The final contribution reviews the functional consequences of maternal malnutrition.
