Nutrition in infancy and long-term risk of obesity: evidence from 2 randomized controlled trials.

Background: Growth acceleration as a consequence of relative overnutrition in infancy has been suggested to increase the risk of later obesity. However, few studies have investigated this association by using an experimental study design.

Objective: We investigated the effect of early growth promotion on later body composition in 2 studies of infants born small for gestational age (weight <10th percentile in study 1 and <20th percentile in study 2).

Dietary nucleotides and early growth in formula-fed infants: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Dietary nucleotides are nonprotein nitrogenous compounds that are found in high concentrations in breast milk and are thought to be conditionally essential nutrients in infancy. A high nucleotide intake has been suggested to explain some of the benefits of breastfeeding compared with formula feeding and to promote infant growth. However, relatively few large-scale randomized trials have tested this hypothesis in healthy infants.

Dietary nucleotides and fecal microbiota in formula-fed infants: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Dietary nucleotides are nonprotein nitrogenous compounds that are thought to be important for growth, repair, and differentiation of the gastrointestinal tract. A higher nucleotide intake may also have favorable effects on the fecal microbial composition and incidence of diarrhea in infancy. However, few studies have tested this hypothesis with an experimental study design.

Infant nutrition and stereoacuity at age 4-6 y.

Background: Breastfeeding has been reported to benefit visual development in children. A higher concentration of docosahexaneoic acid (DHA) in breast milk than in formula has been proposed as one explanation for this association and as a rationale for adding DHA to infant formula, but few long-term data support this possibility.

Objective: The objectives of the study were, first, to test the hypothesis that breastfeeding benefits stereoscopic visual maturation and, second, if that benefit is shown, to ascertain whether it is mediated by the dietary intake of DHA.

Promotion of faster weight gain in infants born small for gestational age: is there an adverse effect on later blood pressure?

Background: Being born small for gestational age is associated with later risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure. Promotion of postnatal growth has been proposed to ameliorate these effects. There is evidence in animals and infants born prematurely, however, that promotion of growth by increased postnatal nutrition increases rather than decreases later cardiovascular risk.

Current practice for obtaining consent in UK neonatal units.

Working practice in neonatal units, like other medical and surgical specialties, is undergoing drastic changes to incorporate current legal and ethical requirements. We surveyed the current working practices of 60 neonatal units in this country. Consent appeared to be implied for routine procedures.

Structural (betaalpha)8 TIM barrel model of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A lyase.

This study describes three novel homozygous missense mutations (S75R, S201Y, and D204N) in the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) lyase gene, which caused 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaric aciduria in patients from Germany, England, and Argentina. Expression studies in Escherichia coli show that S75R and S201Y substitutions completely abolished the HMG-CoA lyase activity, whereas D204N reduced catalytic efficiency to 6.6% of the wild type.