Vegetarian and vegan weaning of the infant: How common and how evidence-based? a population-based survey and narrative review

Background: Vegetarian and vegan weaning have increasing popularity among parents and families. However, if not correctly managed, they may lead to wrong feeding regimens, causing severe nutritional deficiencies requiring specific nutritional support or even the need for hospitalization. Aim: To assess the prevalence of vegetarian and vegan weaning among Italian families and to provide an up-to-date narrative review of supporting evidence. Materials and methods: We investigated 360 Italian families using a 40-item questionnaire. The narrative review was conducted searching scientific databases for articles reporting on vegetarian and vegan weaning. Results: 8.6% of mothers follow an alternative feeding regimen and 9.2% of infants were weaned according to a vegetarian or vegan diet. The breastfeeding duration was longer in vegetarian/vegan infants (15.8 vs. 9.7 months; p < 0.0001). Almost half of parents (45.2%) claim that their pediatrician was unable to provide sufficient information and adequate indications regarding unconventional weaning and 77.4% of parents reported the pediatrician’s resistance towards alternative weaning methods. Nine studies were suitable for the review process. The vast majority of authors agree on the fact that vegetarian and vegan weaning may cause severe nutritional deficiencies, whose detrimental effects are particularly significant in the early stages of life. Discussion and conclusion: Our results show that alternative weaning methods are followed by a significant number of families; in half of the cases, the family pediatrician was not perceived as an appropriate guide in this delicate process. To date, consistent findings to support both the safety and feasibility of alternative weaning methods are still lacking. Since the risk of nutritional deficiencies in the early stages of life is high, pediatricians have a pivotal role in guiding parents and advising them on the most appropriate and complete diet regimen during childhood. Efforts should be made to enhance nutritional understanding among pediatricians as an unsupervised vegetarian or vegan diet can cause severe nutritional deficiencies with possible detrimental long-term effects

Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger

On 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of ~1.7 s with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of 40+8-8 Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 Mo. An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ~40 Mpc) less than 11 hours after the merger by the One- Meter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ~10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transient’s position ~9 and ~16 days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta

O Enigma da Dimensao Vertical

Enigma of Vertical Dimensio

Evaluation of mandibular growth using cone-beam computed tomography in a rabbit model: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this pilot study was to describe three-dimensional (3D) changes during mandibular growth in a rabbit model using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: CBCT scans were taken of three growing New Zealand white rabbits at baseline and then fortnightly for eight weeks. Metallic tantalum 1-mm spheres were implanted as bone reference markers. 3D images were constructed, and mandibular growth was described by six measurements. RESULTS: The animals coped well with the experimental procedures. The use of CBCT to evaluate 3D mandibular growth appeared feasible in this rabbit model. Consistent mandibular growth (of 0.6 to 5.7 mm) was observed in all rabbits. Distances between the bone markers changed slightly (0.0 to 1.6 mm). CONCLUSION: During the observation period, vertical ramus growth in the rabbit mandible was more prominent than either sagittal or transverse growth. The mandibular molar region seemed to be the most stable area for radiographic superimposition in the rabbit model. 3D evaluation of mandibular growth in a rabbit model using CBCT represents a promising approach for the preclinical evaluation of proposed treatment intervention studies

Effect of prior knowledge about treatment on cephalometric measurements

Objective: We hypothesised that prior knowledge of details for a growth modification treatment influences cephalometric measurements and results in a detectable bias. Design: Observational study. Setting: University teaching facility. Methods: Six orthodontic residents assessed 48 lateral cephalograms taken before and after functional appliance treatment from 24 patients. The residents assessed six cephalometric measurements, (Cd-Pog, Cd-Me, Ar-Pog, Ar-Me, Go-Me, SNB) over three separate sessions, in either a random concealed order or as matched pairs with information about treatment and time disclosed. Results: When information was disclosed, five out of the six cephalometric measurements were significantly higher that the corresponding cephalometric measurements taken randomly with undisclosed information. The bias was in the range of 1.6-3.2 mm for linear measurements and was 1.1° for SNB. Conclusion: Disclosing treatment information does introduce systematic errors in cephalometric measurements. Cephalometric analysis in orthodontic clinical research should be carried out by assessors who are blinded to treatment details, to minimise risk of bias