There is no other time in life when the provision of adequate and balanced nutrition is of greater importance than during infancy and childhood. During this dynamic phase characterized by rapid growth, development and developmental plasticity, a sufficient amount and appropriate composition of nutrients both in health and disease are of key importance for growth, functional outcomes such as cognition and immune response, and the metabolic programming of long-term health and well-being. This compact reference text provides concise information to readers who seek quick guidance on practical issues in the nutrition of infants, children and adolescents. After the success of the first edition, which sold more than 50'000 copies in several languages, the editors prepared this thoroughly revised and updated second edition which focuses again on nutritional challenges in both affluent and poor populations around the world. Serving as a practical reference guide, this book will contribute to further improving the quality of feeding of healthy infants and children, as well as enhancing the standards of nutritional care in sick children.

As aging trends in the United States and Europe in particular are strongly suggestive of increasingly older society, it would be prudent for health care providers to better prepare for such changes. By including physiology, disease, nutrition, pharmacology, pathology, radiology and other relevant associated topics, Geriatric Gastroenterology fills the void in the literature for a volume devoted specifically to gastrointestinal illness in the elderly. This unique volume includes provision of training for current and future generations of physicians to deal with the health problems of older adults. It will also serve as a comprehensive guide to practicing physicians for ease of reference. Relevant to the geriatric age group, the volume covers epidemiology, physiology of aging, gastrointestinal physiology, pharmacology, radiology, pathology, motility disorders, luminal disorders, hepato-biliary disease, systemic manifestations, neoplastic disorders, gastrointestinal bleeding, cancer and medication related interactions and adverse events, all extremely common in older adults; these are often hard to evaluate and judge, especially considering the complex aging physiology. All have become important components of modern medicine. Special emphasis is be given to nutrition and related disorders. Capsule endoscopy and its utility in the geriatric population is also covered. Presented in simple, easy to read style, the volume includes numerous tables, figures and key points enabling ease of understanding. Chapters on imaging and pathology are profusely illustrated. All chapters are written by specialists and include up to date scientific information. Geriatric Gastroenterology is of great utility to residents in internal medicine, fellows in gastroenterology and geriatric medicine as well as gastroenterologists, geriatricians and practicing physicians including primary care physicians caring for older adults.

As an internationally renowned specialist in childhood allergy and immunology, Prof. Susan Prescott takes us on a journey into the science behind the allergy epidemic. As both an allergy specialist working in a busy children's hospital and as a cutting edge research scientist, Prescott is perfectly placed to explore how and why we are experiencing an epidemic rise in allergic diseases, as well as the practical side of dealing with these potentially serious conditions. With clear, no-nonsense explanations and a very personable style, Prescott informs, assures, and educates in this book.

Considerable advances have been made in science in order to understand the varied mixture of bioactive components in human milk. The 94th Nestlé Nutrition Institute Workshop was designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest findings in human milk research and its potential to modulate mucosal immunity, the microbiome, and its impact on the neonate. The publication provides a balanced state-of-the-art update on the current knowledge about milk, mucosal immunity, and the microbiome as well as their impact on breastfeeding in mammalian neonates. The first part reviews data on the immunology of milk and lactation from a historical perspective to the latest scientific findings. The second part discusses the microbiology of human milk and lactation in detail, with a focus on premature infants and necrotizing enterocolitis. And finally, in the third part, light is shed on the protective factors in human milk and their role in influencing the neonate’s immune system. Important new insights will provide great scientific support for all people seeking a deeper understanding of human milk and its immunological properties and will enlarge the knowledge of those who have already specialized in human milk research.

A great number of diverse microorganisms inhabit the human body and are collectively referred to as the human microbiome. Until recently, the role of the human microbiome in maintaining human health was not fully appreciated. Today, however, research is beginning to elucidate associations between perturbations in the human microbiome and human disease and the factors that might be responsible for the perturbations. Studies have indicated that the human microbiome could be affected by environmental chemicals or could modulate exposure to environmental chemicals. Environmental Chemicals, the Human Microbiome, and Health Risk presents a research strategy to improve our understanding of the interactions between environmental chemicals and the human microbiome and the implications of those interactions for human health risk. This report identifies barriers to such research and opportunities for collaboration, highlights key aspects of the human microbiome and its relation to health, describes potential interactions between environmental chemicals and the human microbiome, reviews the risk-assessment framework and reasons for incorporating chemicalâ€"microbiome interactions.

A comprehensive overview on the advances in the field, this volume presents the science underpinning the probiotic and prebiotic effects, the latest in vivo studies, the technological issues in the development and manufacture of these types of products, and the regulatory issues involved. It will be a useful reference for both scientists and technologists working in academic and governmental institutes, and the industry.

Groundbreaking research over the last 10 years has given rise to the hologenome concept of evolution. This concept posits that the holobiont (host plus all of its associated microorganisms) and its hologenome (sum of the genetic information of the host and its symbiotic microorganisms), acting in concert, function as a unique biological entity and therefore as a level of selection in evolution. All animals and plants harbor abundant and diverse microbiota, including viruses. Often the amount of symbiotic microorganisms and their combined genetic information far exceed that of their host. The microbiota with its microbiome, together with the host genome, can be transmitted from one generation to the next and thus propagate the unique properties of the holobiont. The microbial symbionts and the host interact in a cooperative way that affects the health of the holobiont within its environment. Beneficial microbiota protects against pathogens, provides essential nutrients, catabolizes complex polysaccharides, renders harmful chemicals inert, and contributes to the performance of the immune system. In humans and animals, the microbiota also plays a role in behavior. The sum of these cooperative interactions characterizes the holobiont as a unique biological entity. Genetic variation in the hologenome can be brought about by changes in either the host genome or the microbial population genomes (microbiome). Evolution by cooperation can occur by amplifying existing microbes, gaining novel microbiota and by acquiring microbial and viral genes. Under environmental stress, the microbiome can change more rapidly and in response to more processes than the host organism alone and thus influences the evolution of the holobiont. Prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics and phage therapy are discussed as applied aspects of the hologenome concept.

The book provides an overview on how the gut microbiome contributes to human health. The readers will get profound knowledge on the connection between intestinal microbiota and immune defense systems. The tools of choice to study the ecology of these highly-specialized microorganism communities such as high-throughput sequencing and metagenomic mining will be presented. In addition the most common diseases associated to the composition of the gut flora are discussed in detail. The book will address researchers, clinicians and advanced students working in biomedicine, microbiology and immunology.