Catálogo de publicaciones - libros

Some 30 years ago Dörner proposed that disease risk and body functions in human adults are programmed during critical early periods of development by hormones and metabolites. Indeed, dietary factors in pregnant and lactating women and in their children were shown to modulate growth and functional development of the organism and to exert life-long programming effects on health, disease and mortality risks in adulthood, neural function and behaviour, and the quality of life. Much of the available evidence on nutritional programming in humans has come from historical observational studies that cannot examine the association with diet directly, establish whether associations are causal, and identify appropriate dietary recommendations for pregnant women and infants. Also, open questions exist on the critical pre- and postnatal time periods during which nutritional exposures programme later health. Therefore, a new approach is required to study early programming of adult health that integrates evidence from randomised controlled trials in humans, prospective observational studies and animal experiments. Considering the far-reaching consequences for public health, policy and product development, major investments in research on early nutritional programming are justified.

The family contains 22 recognized virus species, each of them strongly associated with a rodent species (except Tacaribe virus which is associated with a species of bat), suggesting an ancient co-evolutionary process. Although the concept of co-evolution between rodents and arenaviruses is now largely accepted, little has been uncovered in terms of dating the phenomenon and the mechanisms of evolution, including speciation and pathogenicity. These questions are targeted in the present chapter. Old World arenaviruses are associated with the Eurasian rodents in the family Muridae. New World arenaviruses are associated with American rodents in the subfamily Sigmodontinae. The correlation between the rodent host phylogeny and the viruses suggests a long association and a co-evolutionary process. Furthermore, three distinct New World arenaviruses share a common ancestor, demonstrating a unique recombination event that probably occurred in that ancestor. This shows that recombination among arenaviruses of different lineages might occur in nature. Recombination and co-evolutionary adaptation appear as the main mechanisms of arenavirus evolution, generating a high degree of diversity. The diversity among rodent host reservoir and virus species and the potential to exchange genomic material provide a basis for the emergence of new viruses and the risk of these becoming pathogenic for humans.

There is increasing evidence that breastfeeding has long term beneficial effects on the infant. The most important are improved cognitive development, reduced incidence of immune related diseases (e.g. Type-1 diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease), and childhood cancers. A reduced risk of breast cancer in the mother is another important benefit.

Nutritional manipulation targeted at specific periods of embryo or placental development can result in substantial changes in fetal organ development despite no effects on fetal weight. In particular, kidney and fat mass are greater in nutrient restricted offspring in conjunction with higher mRNA abundance for leptin, insulin-like growth factors I/II and glucocorticoid receptors. As young adults, nutrient restricted offspring exhibit a blunting of the cardiovascular baroreflex. They also demonstrate increased plasma leptin following sympathetic stimulation, not observed in controls, indicating resetting of adipocyte sensitivity to stress. In conclusion, global nutrient restriction confined to periods of early development programmes adult physiology in a manner that may predispose to later disease given the appropriate environmental stimuli.

The family contains 22 recognized virus species, each of them strongly associated with a rodent species (except Tacaribe virus which is associated with a species of bat), suggesting an ancient co-evolutionary process. Although the concept of co-evolution between rodents and arenaviruses is now largely accepted, little has been uncovered in terms of dating the phenomenon and the mechanisms of evolution, including speciation and pathogenicity. These questions are targeted in the present chapter. Old World arenaviruses are associated with the Eurasian rodents in the family Muridae. New World arenaviruses are associated with American rodents in the subfamily Sigmodontinae. The correlation between the rodent host phylogeny and the viruses suggests a long association and a co-evolutionary process. Furthermore, three distinct New World arenaviruses share a common ancestor, demonstrating a unique recombination event that probably occurred in that ancestor. This shows that recombination among arenaviruses of different lineages might occur in nature. Recombination and co-evolutionary adaptation appear as the main mechanisms of arenavirus evolution, generating a high degree of diversity. The diversity among rodent host reservoir and virus species and the potential to exchange genomic material provide a basis for the emergence of new viruses and the risk of these becoming pathogenic for humans.

The purpose of this review is to describe the studies which investigate the association between early growth pattern and future metabolic risks. Childhood obesity is increasing but other growth parameters are also changing. There is a trend of earlier maturation and increasing height. The increase in height from one generation to the next occurs mainly in the first years of life. Rapid growth in early life (rapid weight and length gain, early adiposity rebound) is associated with various health risks in later life (obesity, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes). Pattern of growth rather than absolute level of fatness seams to be of most importance.

The relationship between breast-feeding and childhood obesity is of great interest.. Since 2000, sixteen studies have been published with conflicting data regarding the potential protective effect of breast-feeding on childhood obesity. A narrative review of Dewey in 2003 suggested a protective effect of breast-feeding, but an editorial in the British Medical Journal later that year cited two more recent studies without such an effect and stated there was inconclusive evidence A recent meta-analysis, however, has suggested a small, but significant, protective effect of breast-feeding. This paper summarises this meta-analysis and discusses the strengths and limitations of the meta-analysis approach.

Requirements for the safety and nutritional adequacy of infant formula are set by legislation and aim for the best possible substitute for human milk with regard to growth, development and biological effects. This is, however, a continuous process and has to be supported by science-driven innovative activities of manufacturers and be confirmed by adequate clinical studies performed according to agreed standards.

Ten Central and Eastern [NLG4]European countries have recently joined the European Union. This historical enlargement provided a good opportunity to discuss the challenges and opportunities in Pan-European Research Collaboration for researchers from Central/Eastern Europe. This paper summarises examples of productive research collaboration between East and West, current challenges[NLG5], and ideas on how to facilitate better collaboration. A short overview of training, mobility and career development opportunities, covered by the Marie Curie actions, is also presented.

Dissemination of results is a contractual obligation of participation in research initiatives supported under the European Union’s Framework Six Programme. The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research is heavily involved in communicating the results of EU-funded research to the media and the general public. In any research project it is important to start thinking about dissemination and exploitation right at the beginning. How can this be possible when the project has not yet yielded any results? Examples from two ongoing EU supported projects are shared and discussed.