Hormones in breast milk and effect on infants’ growth : A systematic review

Breast milk is characterized by a dynamic and complex composition which includes hormones and other bioactive components that could influence infant growth, development, and optimize health. Among the several beneficial effects associated with prolonged breastfeeding, a 13% decrease in the risk of overweight and obesity has been reported. Recent research has focused on breast milk hormones contributing to the appetite and energy balance regulation and adiposity. Accordingly, we conducted a literature systematic review with the aim to provide an update on the effect of leptin, ghrelin, Insulin Growth Factor 1, adiponectin, and insulin on infants\u2019 and children\u2019s growth and body composition. The revised literature reveals contrasting findings concerning the potential role of all these hormones on modeling growth and fat mass apposition and health outcomes later in life. Further studies are needed to gain further insight into the specific role of these bioactive components in metabolic pathways related to body composition. This could help gain a further insight on infants\u2019 growth, both in physiological and pathological settings

The influence of a formula supplemented with dairy lipids and plant oils on the erythrocyte membrane omega-3 fatty acid profile in healthy full-term infants : a double-blind randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Human milk is the optimal nutrition for infants. When breastfeeding is not possible, supplementation of infant formula with long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids appears to promote neurodevelopmental outcome and visual function. Plant oils, that are the only source of fat in most of infant formulas, do not contain specific fatty acids that are present in human and cow milk and do not encounter milk fat triglyceride structure. Experimental data suggest that a mix of dairy lipids and plant oils can potentiate endogenous synthesis of n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. This trial aims to determine the effect of an infant formula supplemented with a mixture of dairy lipids and plant oils on the erythrocyte membrane omega-3 fatty acid profile in full-term infants (primary outcome). Erythrocyte membrane long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and fatty acids content, the plasma lipid profile and the insulin-growth factor 1 level, the gastrointestinal tolerance, the changes throughout the study in blood fatty acids content, in growth and body composition are evaluated as secondary outcomes. METHODS/DESIGN: In a double-blind controlled randomized trial, 75 healthy full-term infants are randomly allocated to receive for four months a formula supplemented with a mixture of dairy lipids and plant oils or a formula containing only plant oils or a formula containing plant oils supplemented with arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. Twenty-five breast-fed infants constitute the reference group. Erythrocyte membrane omega-3 fatty acid profile, long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and the other fatty acids content, the plasma lipid profile and the insulin-growth factor 1 level are measured after four months of intervention. Gastrointestinal tolerance, the changes in blood fatty acids content, in growth and body composition, assessed by means of an air displacement plethysmography system, are also evaluated throughout the study. DISCUSSION: The achievement of an appropriate long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids status represents an important goal in neonatal nutrition. Gaining further insight in the effects of the supplementation of a formula with dairy lipids and plant oils in healthy full-term infants could help to produce a formula whose fat content, composition and structure is more similar to human milk. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01611649

DEFECTS IN Fe7C3 TYPE CARBIDE FORMED DURING THE CRYSTALLIZATION OF AMORPHOUS HIGH CARBON ALLOYS AND THEIR RELATION WITH THE AMORPHOUS STATE

Les carbures de type M7C3 ont une structure orthorhombique (R. FRUCHART et al.). Cette structure peut être masquée par des défauts qui sont propres au mode de préparation. Dans le cas du carbure Fe7C3 formé lors de la recristallisation d'un alliage amorphe Fe75C25 préparé par sputtering, la taille des défauts (inférieure à 100 Å) est du même ordre de grandeur que celle des domaines allongés suivant certaines directions. Pour les carbures primaires présents dans les fontes blanches et les aciers au carbone, les domaines sont environ cent fois plus grands. Ces résultats suggèrent que la croissance des domaines est bloquée pendant la cristallisation de l'amorphe. Un très grand nombre de germes peut déjà exister dans l'état amorphe ou se former très rapidement. L'apparition de Fe7C3 est discutée dans le cadre du modèle de GASKELL.M7C3 type carbides have an orthorhombic structure, as proposed by R. FRUCHART et al. This structure may be hidden by defects which are typical of the preparation method. In Fe7C3 formed by crystallization of sputter-deposited amorphous Fe75C25 alloys, the defects are only consistent with elongated domains whose size is less than [MATH] 100 Å, the order of the defect size. In primary M7C3 carbides, present in white cast-iron and chromium steels, domains are about 100 times larger than in the latter case. Both results suggest that domain growth is impeded during the crystallization of amorphous Fe75C25. Nuclei may thus already exist in or be easily formed with a large density from the amorphous state. The formation of Fe7C3 is discussed within the frame of the GASKELL model

Surface engineering by thermal spraying nanocrystalline coatings: X-ray and TEM characterisation of As-deposited iron aluminide structure

Iron Aluminide coatings were produced by thermal spraying atomized (microcrystalline) and milled (nanocrystalline) powders using the High Velocity Oxy-Fuel (HVOF) and the Atmospheric Plasma Spraying (APS) techniques. The as-sprayed coatings were investigated by X-ray diffraction. In particular, X-ray line shape broadening analysis was used to determine the size of the coherently diffracting domains and the internal microstrains. Significant peak broadening was observed whatever the thermal spraying technique and the starting feedstock powder. This surprising result is discussed, at the light of SEM and TEM observations, by considering chemical composition heterogeneities and the presence of structural defects in the coatings.Des revêtements d'aluminure de fer ont été projetés à l'aide des techniques HVOF et APS en utilisant comme précurseur de la poudre atomisée à structure microcristalline ou de la poudre à structure nanocristalline obtenue par broyage mécanique. La microstructure des revêtements a été analysée par diffraction des rayons X en utilisant, en particulier, des analyses de profils de raies. Des élargissements importants des raies de diffraction ont été mesurés quelque soit la technique de projection utilisée ou la nature des précurseurs. Ces résultats surprenants sont discutés, à l'aide d'observations effectuées en MEB et MET, en prenant en compte les gradients chimiques et la présence de défauts structuraux observés dans les revêtements

Can basic characteristics estimate body composition in early infancy?

Objectives: Increasing evidence demonstrates that body composition in early life contributes to the programming of health later in life in both full-term and preterm infants. Given the important role of body composition, the increased availability of easy, noninvasive, and accurate techniques for its assessment has been recommended. The aim of the present study was to identify basic characteristics and anthropometric measurements that best correlate with body composition in infants. Methods: Anthropometric measurements and body composition assessed by air-displacement plethysmography were assessed either at birth or at term-corrected age in 1239 infants (654 full-term, 585 preterm). The associations of sex, GA (gestational age), and weight with FFM (fat-free mass) and FM (fat mass) adjusted by length (g/cm) were investigated by multiple linear regression models. Bland-Altman tests were performed, and an equation for calculating FFM was determined. Results: Preterm infants exhibited increased FM and reduced FFM compared with full-term infants (477.6 \ub1 204 vs 259.7 \ub1 147 g and 2583 \ub1 494 vs 2770 \ub1 364 g, respectively). GA, male sex, and weight were positively associated with FFM (r 2 = 0.806, P < 0.0001; 6.1 g of average bias). GA and male sex were negatively associated with FM, whereas weight was positively associated with FM (r 2 = 0.641, P < 0.0001; 4.9 g of average bias). Conclusions: The assessment of body composition represents the criterion standard. When body composition assessment is not feasible, the equation based on sex, GA, and anthropometric measurements can be useful in predicting body composition in both full-term and preterm infants