Plant-Based Diets in Children: Secular Trends, Health Outcomes, and a Roadmap for Urgent Practice Recommendations and Research—A Systematic Review

People are increasingly encouraged to reduce animal food consumption and shift towards plant-based diets; however, the implications for children’s health are unclear. In this narrative review of research in high-income settings, we summarize evidence on the increasing consumption of plant-based diets in children and update an earlier systematic review regarding their associations with children’s health outcomes. The evidence indicates that vegan, but not vegetarian, diets can restrict growth relative to omnivorous children and increase the risk of being stunted and underweight, although the percentage affected is relatively small. Bone mineral content is reduced in vegetarian and, in particular, vegan children, compared to omnivores. Both vegetarian and vegan children who do not use vitamin B12 supplements manifest with B12 deficiency; however, supplementation rectifies this problem. Both vegetarians and vegans have lower concentrations of 25(OH)D if unsupplemented, and lower body iron stores, but usually have normal iron metabolism markers. Both groups are at risk of iodine deficiency, and this might affect thyroid health. Children consuming a vegan diet have a more favorable lipid profile than omnivorous children; however, the results for a vegetarian diet are inconsistent and vary by outcome. Based on the same scientific evidence, national and international dietary recommendations are heterogeneous, with some countries supporting plant-based diets among infants, children, and adolescents, and others discouraging them. We offer a research roadmap, highlighting what is needed to provide adequate evidence to harmonize dietary recommendations for plant-based diets in children. A number of measures should urgently be introduced at international and national levels to improve the safety of their use in children

Cranioectodermal Dysplasia, Sensenbrenner Syndrome, Is a Ciliopathy Caused by Mutations in the IFT122 Gene

Cranioectodermal dysplasia (CED) is a disorder characterized by craniofacial, skeletal, and ectodermal abnormalities. Most cases reported to date are sporadic, but a few familial cases support an autosomal-recessive inheritance pattern. Aiming at the elucidation of the genetic basis of CED, we collected 13 patients with CED symptoms from 12 independent families. In one family with consanguineous parents two siblings were affected, permitting linkage analysis and homozygosity mapping. This revealed a single region of homozygosity with a significant LOD score (3.57) on chromosome 3q21-3q24. By sequencing candidate genes from this interval we found a homozygous missense mutation in the IFT122 (WDR10) gene that cosegregated with the disease. Examination of IFT122 in our patient cohort revealed one additional homozygous missense change in the patient from a second consanguineous family. In addition, we found compound heterozygosity for a donor splice-site change and a missense change in one sporadic patient. All mutations were absent in 340 control chromosomes. Because IFT122 plays an important role in the assembly and maintenance of eukaryotic cilia, we investigated patient fibroblasts and found significantly reduced frequency and length of primary cilia as compared to controls. Furthermore, we transiently knocked down ift122 in zebrafish embryos and observed the typical phenotype found in other models of ciliopathies. Because not all of our patients harbored mutations in IFT122, CED seems to be genetically heterogeneous. Still, by identifying CED as a ciliary disorder, our study suggests that the causative mutations in the unresolved cases most likely affect primary cilia function too

External validation of a prediction model for estimating fat mass in children and adolescents in 19 countries: individual participant data meta-analysis

Peer reviewed: TrueAcknowledgements: We thank John Reilly for his advice on data sources and data access; Cara L Eckhardt, Josephine Avila, Igor Y Kon, and Jinzhong Wang from the Eckhardt et al study23; and all staff involved in recruitment and data collection from the included studies. Data gathered from South Africa was supported by South Africa Medical Research Council and National Research Foundation.Objective To evaluate the performance of a UK based prediction model for estimating fat-free mass (and indirectly fat mass) in children and adolescents in non-UK settings. Design Individual participant data meta-analysis. Setting 19 countries. Participants 5693 children and adolescents (49.7% boys) aged 4 to 15 years with complete data on the predictors included in the UK based model (weight, height, age, sex, and ethnicity) and on the independently assessed outcome measure (fat-free mass determined by deuterium dilution assessment). Main outcome measures The outcome of the UK based prediction model was natural log transformed fat-free mass (lnFFM). Predictive performance statistics of R2 , calibration slope, calibration-in-the-large, and root mean square error were assessed in each of the 19 countries and then pooled through random effects meta-analysis. Calibration plots were also derived for each country, including flexible calibration curves. Results The model showed good predictive ability in non-UK populations of children and adolescents, providing R2 values of >75% in all countries and >90% in 11 of the 19 countries, and with good calibration (ie, agreement) of observed and predicted values. Root mean square error values (on fat-free mass scale) were <4 kg in 17 of the 19 settings. Pooled values (95% confidence intervals) of R2 , calibration slope, and calibration-in-the-large were 88.7% (85.9% to 91.4%), 0.98 (0.97 to 1.00), and 0.01 (−0.02 to 0.04), respectively. Heterogeneity was evident in the R2 and calibration-in-the-large values across settings, but not in the calibration slope. Model performance did not vary markedly between boys and girls, age, ethnicity, and national income groups. To further improve the accuracy of the predictions, the model equation was recalibrated for the intercept in each setting so that country specific equations are available for future use. Co nclusion The UK based prediction model, which is based on readily available measures, provides predictions of childhood fat-free mass, and hence fat mass, in a range of non-UK settings that explain a large proportion of the variability in observed fat-free mass, and exhibit good calibration performance, especially after recalibration of the intercept for each population. The model demonstrates good generalisability in both low-middle income and high income populations of healthy children and adolescents aged 4-15 year

External validation of a prediction model for estimating fat mass in children and adolescents in 19 countries: individual participant data meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of a UK based prediction model for estimating fat-free mass (and indirectly fat mass) in children and adolescents in non-UK settings. DESIGN: Individual participant data meta-analysis. SETTING: 19 countries. PARTICIPANTS: 5693 children and adolescents (49.7% boys) aged 4 to 15 years with complete data on the predictors included in the UK based model (weight, height, age, sex, and ethnicity) and on the independently assessed outcome measure (fat-free mass determined by deuterium dilution assessment). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcome of the UK based prediction model was natural log transformed fat-free mass (lnFFM). Predictive performance statistics of R2, calibration slope, calibration-in-the-large, and root mean square error were assessed in each of the 19 countries and then pooled through random effects meta-analysis. Calibration plots were also derived for each country, including flexible calibration curves. RESULTS: The model showed good predictive ability in non-UK populations of children and adolescents, providing R2 values of >75% in all countries and >90% in 11 of the 19 countries, and with good calibration (ie, agreement) of observed and predicted values. Root mean square error values (on fat-free mass scale) were <4 kg in 17 of the 19 settings. Pooled values (95% confidence intervals) of R2, calibration slope, and calibration-in-the-large were 88.7% (85.9% to 91.4%), 0.98 (0.97 to 1.00), and 0.01 (-0.02 to 0.04), respectively. Heterogeneity was evident in the R2 and calibration-in-the-large values across settings, but not in the calibration slope. Model performance did not vary markedly between boys and girls, age, ethnicity, and national income groups. To further improve the accuracy of the predictions, the model equation was recalibrated for the intercept in each setting so that country specific equations are available for future use. CONCLUSION: The UK based prediction model, which is based on readily available measures, provides predictions of childhood fat-free mass, and hence fat mass, in a range of non-UK settings that explain a large proportion of the variability in observed fat-free mass, and exhibit good calibration performance, especially after recalibration of the intercept for each population. The model demonstrates good generalisability in both low-middle income and high income populations of healthy children and adolescents aged 4-15 years

Measurement of the branching fraction of the decay Bs0→KS0KS0B_s^0\to K_S^0 K_S^0

International audienceA measurement of the branching fraction of the decay Bs0→KS0KS0 is performed using proton–proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5  fb-1 collected by the LHCb experiment between 2011 and 2016. The branching fraction is determined to be B(Bs0→KS0KS0)=[8.3±1.6(stat)±0.9(syst)±0.8(norm)±0.3(fs/fd)]×10-6, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, and the third and fourth are due to uncertainties on the branching fraction of the normalization mode B0→ϕKS0 and the ratio of hadronization fractions fs/fd. This is the most precise measurement of this branching fraction to date. Furthermore, a measurement of the branching fraction of the decay B0→KS0KS0 is performed relative to that of the Bs0→KS0KS0 channel, and is found to be B(B0→KS0KS0)B(Bs0→KS0KS0)=[7.5±3.1(stat)±0.5(syst)±0.3(fs/fd)]×10-2

Updated measurement of time-dependent CP-violating observables in Bs0→J/ψK+K−B^{0}_{s}\to J/\psi K^+ K^- decays

International audienceThe decay-time-dependent $CP$ asymmetry in ${{B} ^0_{s}} \rightarrow J/\psi {{K} ^+} {{K} ^-}$ decays is measured using proton–proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $1.9\,\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ , collected with the LHCb detector at a centre-of-mass energy of $13\,\mathrm {TeV}$ in 2015 and 2016. Using a sample of approximately 117 000 signal decays with an invariant ${{K} ^+} {{K} ^-}$ mass in the vicinity of the $\phi (1020)$ resonance, the $CP$ -violating phase $\phi _s$ is measured, along with the difference in decay widths of the light and heavy mass eigenstates of the ${{B} ^0_{s}}$ - ${{\overline{B}{}} {}^0_{s}}$ system, $\Delta \Gamma _s$ . The difference of the average ${{B} ^0_{s}}$ and ${{B} ^0}$ meson decay widths, $\Gamma _s-\Gamma _d$ , is determined using in addition a sample of ${{B} ^0} \rightarrow J/\psi {{K} ^+} {{\pi } ^-}$ decays. The values obtained are $\phi _s = -0.083\pm 0.041\pm 0.006\mathrm { \,rad}$ , $\Delta \Gamma _s = 0.077 \pm 0.008 \pm 0.003 {\mathrm { \,ps^{-1}}}$ and $\Gamma _s-\Gamma _d = -0.0041 \pm 0.0024 \pm 0.0015{\mathrm { \,ps^{-1}}}$ , where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. These are the most precise single measurements of these quantities to date and are consistent with expectations based on the Standard Model and with a previous LHCb analysis of this decay using data recorded at centre-of-mass energies 7 and 8 TeV. Finally, the results are combined with recent results from ${{B} ^0_{s}} \rightarrow J/\psi {{\pi } ^+} {{\pi } ^-}$ decays obtained using the same dataset as this analysis, and with previous independent LHCb results

Measurement of the Bc−B_c^- meson production fraction and asymmetry in 7 and 13 TeV pppp collisions

International audienceThe production fraction of the Bc- meson with respect to the sum of B- and B¯0 mesons is measured in both 7 and 13 TeV center-of-mass (c.m.) energy pp collisions produced by the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), using the LHCb detector. The rate, approximately 3.7 per mille, does not change with energy, but shows a transverse momentum dependence. The Bc--Bc+ production asymmetry is also measured and is consistent with zero within the determined statistical and systematic uncertainties of a few percent

Determination of quantum numbers for several excited charmed mesons observed in B−→D∗+π−π−B^- \to D^{*+} \pi^- \pi^- decays

International audienceA four-body amplitude analysis of the B-→D*+π-π- decay is performed, where fractions and relative phases of the various resonances contributing to the decay are measured. Several quasi-model-independent analyses are performed aimed at searching for the presence of new states and establishing the quantum numbers of previously observed charmed meson resonances. In particular the resonance parameters and quantum numbers are determined for the D1(2420), D1(2430), D0(2550), D1*(2600), D2(2740) and D3*(2750) states. The mixing between the D1(2420) and D1(2430) resonances is studied and the mixing parameters are measured. The dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.7  fb-1, collected in proton-proton collisions at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8 and 13 TeV with the LHCb detector

Measurement of the electron reconstruction efficiency at LHCb

International audienceThe single electron track-reconstruction efficiency is determined using a sample corresponding to $1.3~\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$of $pp$ collision data recorded with the LHCb detector in 2017. This measurement exploits $B^+\to J/\psi (e^+e^-)K^+$ decays, where one of the electrons is fully reconstructed and paired with the kaon, while the other electron is reconstructed using only the information of the vertex detector. Despite this partial reconstruction, kinematic and geometric constraints allow the $B^+$-meson mass to be reconstructed and the signal to be well separated from backgrounds. This in turn allows the electron reconstruction efficiency to be measured by matching the partial track segment found in the vertex detector to tracks found by LHCb's regular reconstruction algorithms. The agreement between data and simulation is evaluated, and corrections are derived for simulated electrons in bins of kinematics. The presented method allows LHCb to measure branching fractions involving single electrons with a an electron reconstruction systematic uncertainty below $1\%$