Early Life Research Articles

Systematic review of fruit and vegetable voucher interventions for pregnant women and families with young children

Abstract Objective: This systematic review aimed to explore the impact of food voucher schemes during pregnancy and early life on fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption and explore experiences of schemes. Design: Six electronic databases and grey literature sources were searched. Interventional, observational, qualitative and mixed methods studies published from January 2000 to April 2024 in English were included. Setting: Food voucher interventions targeting F&V intake. Participants: Low-income pregnant women and families with young children (aged under 5 years). Results: 7,344 peer reviewed records, and 103 grey literature documents were screened. Sixteen peer reviewed studies (across eighteen reports) and eight grey literature documents met the inclusion criteria. All studies took place in the UK or the USA. There was a lack of consistency across primary quantitative outcomes. Overall, F&V voucher schemes did appear to increase fruit and/or vegetable consumption, but confidence in this finding was low. Qualitative data was more consistent. F&V vouchers were used in three main ways; as a financial benefit to subsidise food already being purchased, to increase the quantity or variety of F&V purchased, or as a safety net, to be used to ensure that the family had something to eat. Conclusions: F&V vouchers may increase F&V intake and are positively received by recipients. This review also highlights some of the difficulties that researchers face in evaluating the impact of public health measures to improve population health. It is clear that more high quality research is required to better understand the impacts of F&V vouchers on individual outcomes.

Ambient Fine Particulate Matter, Residential Greenness, and Childhood Cancer Risk by Trimester of Exposure in Minnesota 2000-2014: A Case-control Study

Abstract Background: Outdoor air pollution is a suspected risk factor for childhood cancer, and there is some evidence that greenness may reduce cancer risk. We examined relationships between prenatal exposure to ambient fine particle air pollution (PM2.5), greenness, and childhood cancer risk in Minnesota. Methods: Cases included individuals born in the state of Minnesota and reported to the Minnesota Cancer Reporting System between 2000-2014 (n=1272, aged 0-14yrs at diagnosis) and birthyear-matched cancer-free controls (n=5245). We used Network Common Data Form to estimate monthly PM2.5 exposure and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for census tract-level greenness. We estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) between high PM2.5 (≥12 µg/m³) and NDVI (≥ 0.3) exposure and each childhood cancer per trimester (T1, T2, T3) and full pregnancy (FP) using adjusted logistic regression. Results: High PM2.5 exposure was associated with increased odds of Burkitt lymphoma (ORT1: 1.93 [1.13-3.30]), lymphoreticular neoplasms (ORT1: 1.43 [1.01-2.01]), Hodgkin lymphoma (ORT2: 2.60 [1.52-4.45]), lymphoid leukemias (ORT3: 1.17 [1.01-1.37]), B-cell leukemia (ORT3: 1.20 [1.02-1.41]), and intracranial and intraspinal embryonal neoplasms (ORT3: 1.90 [1.07-3.37]). High residential greenness during early life was associated with reduced risk of malignant epithelial neoplasms and melanomas (ORT1: 0.34 [0.13-0.91]). Unexpectedly, greenness was also associated with increased risk of renal tumors (ORT2: 1.52 [1.11-2.08]; ORFP: 1.30 [0.98-1.72)) and neuroblastoma (ORT3: 1.44 [1.03-2.03]). Conclusions: We observed elevated risk associated with PM2.5 exposure throughout pregnancy for multiple individual cancers, namely leukemias, lymphomas, and CNS tumors. Impact: These findings demonstrate the complex relationship between PM2.5 and greenness.

A Review of Remote Sensing and GIS in Agronomic Decision-Making

Agronomical research benefits greatly from the use of remote sensing. Understanding the agronomic parameters has been made possible by the evaluation of agricultural crop canopies. Crop classification, yield assessment, and crop monitoring all heavily rely on remote sensing. Agronomical research requires the use of remote sensing since the field is extremely susceptible to changes in soil, climate, and other physico-chemical factors. Strong seasonal patterns are observed in the agricultural production system monitoring in relation to the crops' biological life cycle. Each of these elements varies greatly in both space and time. Furthermore, because of unfavourable growth circumstances, agricultural yield might fluctuate quickly. Observing of agricultural systems have to be adhered to promptly. Remote sensing is an essential tool for timely monitoring and giving a precise picture of the agriculture industry because of its high visit frequency and exceptional precision. Sustainable agriculture management requires a spatiotemporal analysis of all the factors influencing the agricultural industry. The assessment and management of agricultural activities heavily relies on remote sensing and other cutting-edge methods like geographical information systems and global positioning systems. These technologies have numerous multifaceted uses in agriculture, including yield estimation, weather forecasting, crop acreage estimation, crop growth monitoring, soil moisture estimation, soil fertility evaluation, crop stress detection, disease and pest infestation detection, drought and flood condition monitoring, precision agriculture to preserve the sustainability of agricultural systems and boost national economic growth.

Exploring the relationship between education and academic ability in childhood with healthcare utilization in adulthood: findings from the Aberdeen Children of the 1950s (ACONF)

Abstract We explored the association between education and academic ability in childhood and both outpatient appointments and hospital admissions in adulthood, accounting for adult factors, including long-term conditions. The analytical sample consisted of 7183 participants in the Aberdeen Children of the 1950s. Three outcomes were measured using routine Scottish medical records over a five-year period (2004–2008): (1) ≥5 outpatient appointments, (2) ≥2 hospital admissions, or (3) ≥3 outpatient appointments plus ≥1 hospital admission. We constructed a childhood (age 6–11) education and academic ability domain and calculated predicted risk scores of the three outcomes for each cohort member. Nested logistic regression models investigate the association between domain predicted risk scores and odds of each of the three outcomes accounting for childhood confounders and self-reported adult mediators. Adjusting for childhood confounders, lower childhood education and academic ability were positively associated with ≥5 outpatient appointments (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01–1.05), ≥2 hospital admissions (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.03–1.6), and ≥3 outpatient appointments plus ≥1 hospital admissions (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02–1.06). Accounting for adult mediators, associations remained statistically significant, but their effect sizes were reduced. When school leaving age was included in the model, the association between the exposure and all three outcomes were attenuated. Education and academic ability in early life may be related to the burden of multiple hospital admissions and outpatient appointments later in life. However, the age at which the participant left school seems to substantially mediate this relationship underscoring the positive impact of time spent in education.

Stress alters hypothalamic gene expression in adolescent male Golden hamsters.

In Golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus), a two-week exposure to chronic social stress in adolescence causes acceleration of agonistic behavior, enhanced adult aggression, impaired waiting impulsivity, and higher food intake, body fat, and long-term increased body weight. In adult rodents, stress is accompanied by widespread alterations in gene expression in the brain. As stress is a potent modulator of both gene expression and behavior, the present research investigated possible mechanistic-related transcriptomic changes in the lateral, dorsomedial, and arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus caused by adolescent stress using RNA Tag-sequencing, as these areas are involved in the regulation of metabolic and motivated behaviors. In each region, there were approximately 250 genes with higher expression compared to controls and 250 genes with lower expression. Many of the most significantly affected genes have been associated with metabolism and sex hormone function. For example, in the lateral hypothalamus, melanocortin 3 receptor, growth hormone releasing factor, both involved in metabolic processes, and neuropeptide VF precursor, involved in growth hormone inhibitory hormone production, were among the most increased in expression in stressed subjects. In the dorsomedial hypothalamus, neuropeptide W, involved in feeding cessation, was significantly decreased in expression in stressed animals. Across both regions, G-protein coupled receptor 50, involved in thermoregulation, sleep, and sex-related mood disorders, was significantly altered, but in opposite directions. In the arcuate nucleus, a number of blood brain barrier- and inflammation-related genes were altered as well. Furthermore, there were consistent patterns of genetic ensembles identified through gene ontology analysis and weighted gene correlation network analysis that were altered across each region. Many of these involved roles in RNA processing, DNA methylation, myelination, and synaptic organization. These findings reinforce prior behavioral, hormonal, and metabolic changes observed in this developmental model, and help guide future directions of research related to the negative consequences of early life stress.

Vulnerability factors for pediatric disorders of gut-brain interaction and implications for functional impairment.

To evaluate the frequency and number of vulnerability factors for the development of pain-predominant disorders of gut-brain interaction (p-DGBI) in a well-defined cohort of pediatric patients and examine associations with pain severity and functional impairment. Retrospective cross-sectional study of patients evaluated in a multidisciplinary abdominal pain program at a pediatric tertiary care center. Two hundred and fifty-two patients were included, 70.6% female, mean age 13.6 ± 3.1 years; 37.3% had functional abdominal pain (FAP), 31.7% irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and 31.0% functional dyspepsia (FD). At least one vulnerability was reported by 91.3%, with a mean of 2.2 ± 1.1 per patient, including early life events (42.9%), mental health problems (51.2%), a family history of mental health (52.4%), or chronic pain (55.2%) conditions. Functional disability scores were higher in patients with more vulnerability factors (p = 0.004). There was no association of increased number of vulnerability factors with pain intensity A triggering event precipitating p-DGBI symptoms was reported by 63.9% of patients: gastrointestinal infections (41.0%), extra-intestinal infections (16.1%), psychological stress (15.5%), concussion (8.7%), onset of organic disease (7.5%), medication reaction (5.0%), surgery (4.3%), or physical injury (3.7%). Results support the biopsychosocial model suggesting that patients with p-DGBI are inherently susceptible to developing chronic pain due to biologic vulnerabilities and environmental factors. While infections remain the most reported trigger of p-DGBI symptoms, this study newly identifies other triggers. The association of increased number of vulnerability factors with worse functioning raises the question if there may be a cumulative adverse effect of multiple vulnerability factors.

Posterior cingulate cortex downregulation training using fMRI neurofeedback in adolescents with early life adversity exposure: a randomized, single-blind trial

Early life adversity (ELA) disrupts default mode network (DMN) integrity subserving self-referential processes involved in emotional awareness and regulation. Mindfulness training (MT) reduces self-referential processing and down-regulates the DMN. We employed neurofeedback-augmented mindfulness training (NAMT), combining a core mindfulness strategy (focusing on breath) with real-time fMRI neurofeedback (rtfMRI-nf) to modulate DMN by targeting the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). ELA-exposed (ELA; n = 43) and healthy control (HC; n = 40) adolescents completed a scan with three conditions: (a) Focus-on-breath (MT): rtfMRI-nf was presented as a variable-height bar, and adolescents attempted to lower the bar; (b) Describe: engaging self-referential processing; and (c) Rest. ELA were single-blind randomized to active PCC rtfMR-nf (NF; n = 22) or artificial feedback (SHAM; n = 21). Adolescents reported perceived stress, state mindfulness, and affect at baseline, post-training, and one-week follow-up. General linear models (GLMs) examined group differences (ELA vs. HC; NF vs. SHAM) on neural (MT vs. Describe) and self-report measures. ELA showed greater difficulty in PCC down-regulation relative to HC. For ELA, SHAM evidenced similar PCC down-regulation as active NF. All adolescents reported increased state mindfulness post-training. Relative to HC, ELA reported greater improvements in positive affect, negative affect and stress at follow-up. There was no difference in self-reported measures between active and SHAM. PCC responses in ELA confirm the region’s utility as a potential treatment target. NAMT was feasible and acceptable for ELA-exposed adolescents, but may not enhance mindfulness training more than SHAM. Optimal strategies for enhancing PCC regulation in ELA may be elucidated with future research.

Household wealth index is associated with stunting among children under 5: a cross-sectional analysis of the Lao Social Indicator Survey II

BackgroundStunting in early life is associated with increased morbidity and mortality among children under 5, as well as impaired health and educational and economic performance in later life. However, few studies have investigated risk factors associated with stunting using nationwide representative data in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). The present study investigated the association of the household wealth index with stunting among children under 5 in Lao PDR using data from the Lao Social Indicator Survey II (LSIS II).MethodsThe present cross-sectional study used secondary data from the LSIS II in 2017. The survey used multi-stage stratified cluster sampling, covering all 18 provinces with 1170 clusters (village), resulting in a sample size of 23,400 households. The final analysis included 11,339 (weighted) children under 5. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to examine associated factors.ResultsRisk factors significantly associated with stunting were no health insurance coverage, minority ethnic groups, having ≥ 7 family members in the household, a poor household wealth index, having ≥ 2 children under 5 in the household, living in rural areas, living in the southern part, and low birth weight. Among them, household wealth index was significantly associated with stunting, independent of other socioeconomic risk factors.ConclusionsThe household wealth index was significantly associated with child stunting. Given the high prevalence of stunting in Lao PDR, there may be a need for the government to implement programs to improve household socioeconomic status in order to address stunting in Lao PDR.

Effects of mismatched mate availability cues on reproductive investment in female crickets

Animals use cues experienced during early life to adaptively adjust their phenotype to the social environment they will likely experience. However, since animals often use multiple cues to assess the social environment, what happens if cues provide mismatched information? We examined the effects of mismatched cues of mate availability on behaviour and reproductive investment in female Pacific field crickets (Teleogryllus oceanicus Le Guillou 1841) – a species that naturally encounters mismatched cues of mate availability due to the presence of singing and non-singing male morphs in Hawaiian populations. In our experiment, females experienced either matched or mismatched acoustic cues (male song) and non-acoustic cues (physical presence of males) of mate availability during development. Mismatched cues did not affect female behaviour – females took longer to respond to male signals after experiencing cues of high mate availability regardless of whether or not acoustic and non-acoustic cues matched. However, mismatched cues did influence reproductive investment: females developed heavier ovaries only when both acoustic and non-acoustic cues indicated high mate availability.

Child Abuse Exposure and Adult Sleep Continuity Disturbance, Sleep Duration, and Bedroom Safety

ABSTRACT Background While prior research has shown that early life events can impact sleep during adulthood. However, the specific aspects of sleep affected in those who experienced abuse as a child and potential environmental factors that may help ameliorate these difficulties is less understood. Objectives The present cross-sectional study examined the relationship between abuse as a child and several key dimensions of poor sleep (sleep quality, insomnia symptoms and typical sleep duration). Additionally, perceived bedroom safety was examined as a potential moderator. Participants and Methods A sample of 1,002 individuals completed measures of current sleep problems and perceived levels of safety in the bedroom. Additionally, participants indicated whether they had been exposed to physical or sexual abuse as a child. 204 participants reported being abused during childhood, defined as sexual or physical abuse. Results A series of linear regressions demonstrated – a) associations between a history of abuse as a child and adult poorer sleep quality, increased insomnia symptomology, and shorter sleep durations and b) these associations, in the main, were moderated by current perceived bedroom safety. Of those who had experienced abuse as a child, perceiving the bedroom as a safe environment was associated with a 52% reduction in perceived poor sleep quality, 19% reduction in insomnia symptoms and 37% increase in sleep duration compared to those who currently slept in an environment they perceived to be unsafe. Conclusions While childhood abuse is associated with worse sleep health, these self-reported results indicate that the adult perception of safe bedroom mitigates that association.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING AND INFANT WEIGHT GAIN AT AGE 0-6 MONTHS

The growth of infant body weight from 0 to 6 months of age is a key indicator for assessing nutritional adequacy and overall health in early life. Exclusive breastfeeding, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), is believed to fully meet infants' nutritional needs and provide immunological protection. This study aims to determine the relationship between exclusive breastfeeding and infant weight gain at the Posyandu in Danau Usung Village. The study used a correlational analytic design with a cross-sectional approach, involving 50 infants selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and weight measurements. The results showed that among the 30 infants who received exclusive breastfeeding, 93.3% had normal body weight, while in the group of infants who did not receive exclusive breastfeeding, only 75% had normal body weight. Statistical analysis yielded a p-value of 0.013 (p < 0.05), indicating a significant relationship between exclusive breastfeeding and infant weight gain.These findings affirm the important role of exclusive breastfeeding in supporting optimal nutritional status and growth in infants. In addition to providing complete nutrition, breast milk also protects infants from infections and digestive disorders, contributing to weight gain consistent with the WHO growth curve. The results of this study are expected to serve as a foundation for enhancing maternal education regarding the importance of exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of a baby’s life.

Growth phase diets diminish histone acetyltransferase Gcn5 function and shorten lifespan of Drosophila males.

The nutritional environment in early life, referred to as the nutrition history, exerts far-reaching health effects beyond the developmental stage. Here, with Drosophila melanogaster as a model, we fed larvae on diets consisting of a variety of yeast mutants and explored the resulting histories that impacted adult lifespan. A larval diet comprised of yeast nat3 KO shortened the lifespan of male adults; and remarkably, this diet diminished the function of histone acetyltransferase Gcn5 in larvae. Concordantly, perturbation of Gcn5-mediated gene regulation in the larval whole body or neurons significantly contributed to the earlier death of adults. The nat3 KO diet is much more abundant in long-chain fatty acids and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) than the control yeast diet. Supplementing the control diet with a combination of oleic acid, valine, and acetic acid recapitulated the effects of the nat3 KO diet on the larval transcriptome and the lifespan of males. Our findings strongly suggest a causal link between a fatty acids- and BCAA-rich diet in developmental stages and lifespan reduction via the adverse effect on the Gcn5 function.

Multi-technique characterization of iron reduction by an Antarctic Shewanella: an analog system for putative Martian biosignature identification.

Microbes from terrestrial extreme environments enable testing of biosignature production in conditions relevant to astrobiological targets. Mars, which was likely more conducive to life during early warmer and wetter epochs, has inspired missions that search for signs of early life in the surficial rock record, including mineral or organic biosignatures. Microbial iron reduction is a common and ancient metabolism that may have also operated on other rocky celestial bodies. To investigate biosignature production during iron reduction, a Shewanella sp. (strain BF02_Schw) isolated from a subglacial discharge known as Blood Falls, Antarctica, was incubated with the electron acceptor ferrihydrite (Fh). Biosignatures associated with Fh reduction were identified using a suite of techniques currently utilized or proposed for Mars missions, including X-ray diffraction and infrared, Mössbauer, and Raman spectroscopy. The biotic origin of features was validated by transcriptional changes observed between treatments with and without Fh and comparison to killed controls. In live treatments, Fh was reduced to magnetite and goethite, both detected in Martian lacustrine basins. Several soluble and volatile metabolites were also detected, including riboflavin and dimethyl sulfide (DMS), which could be astrobiological indicators of active microbial processes. While none of the identified biosignatures individually would serve as definitive proof of life (past or present), detecting concomitant features associated with known terrestrial biotic processes would provide compelling rationale for more targeted life detection missions. Terrestrial extremophiles can support the exploration of astrobiologically relevant microbial processes, validation of life detection instrumentation, and potentially the discovery of new biomarkers.IMPORTANCECulture-based experiments with terrestrial extremophiles can elucidate biosignatures that may be analogous to those produced under extraterrestrial conditions, and thus inform sampling and technology strategies for future missions. Here, we demonstrate the production of several biosignatures under iron-reducing conditions by Shewanella sp. BF02_Schw, originally isolated from an Antarctic analog feature. These biosignatures could be detectable using flight-ready instrumentation. Growth experiments with terrestrial extremophiles can identify biosignatures measurable by current methodologies and inform the development and optimization of techniques for detecting extant or extinct life on other worlds.

The Time Reliable Effect of Probiotic Clostridium butyricum on the Growth of Spotted Sea Bass (Lateolabrax maculatus).

Probiotic Clostridium butyricum has been demonstrated to enhance the growth of spotted sea bass (Lateolabrax maculatus). However, the time reliable effect of C. butyricum application for L. maculatus growth promotion is poorly understood, limiting our ability to make informed decisions about when the C. butyricum should be added and why. To address this, we employed multidisciplinary approach to investigate the growth response (including growth performance, intestinal morphology, digestive enzyme activities, and gut microbiome) of L. maculatus to C. butyricum supplementation throughout the entire breeding cycle (from juvenile to marketable size). The C. butyricum supplementation significantly increased the weight of L. maculatus during its early life stages. Correspondingly, 16S rRNA sequence showed that C. butyricum addition increased probiotic bacteria (including Lactobacillales), decreased pathogenic bacteria (including Enterobacterales, Burkholderiales, and Fusobacteriales), and reduced bacterial virulence processes (including quorum sensing, biofilm formation, and bacterial secretion systems) of gut microbiota in L. maculatus. Concurrently, C. butyricum supplementation increased intestinal villus height (up to 32.1%), muscle thickness (up to 115.8%), and digestive enzyme activities (up to 77.8%). Nevertheless, during the later stages of incubation, treatment with C. butyricum did not result in further improvements or even showed similar outcomes to the non-supplemented treatment. These findings emphasize that C. butyricum supplementation during the early breeding stage can significantly benefit L. maculatus growth, rather than adding it during later stages. This study provides evidence on the appropriate timing for C. butyricum supplementation in L. maculatus culture, offering timely information and technical support for its culture management.

An immune challenge affects growth dynamics, oxidative stress and survival in wild spotless starling nestlings.

The activation of the immune system in response to a pathogen infection can impose significant costs on growth and oxidative stress. Developing individuals are particularly vulnerable to this challenge, as their physiological systems are still maturing and their rapid growth to achieve an optimal size is resource demanding. Here, we investigated the costs in terms of growth and oxidative stress of an experimentally induced immune challenge in wild spotless starling (Sturnus unicolor) nestlings. To this aim, individuals were injected with a lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an antigen that triggers an immune response, or a control substance (PBS) in a within-brood design. Although the immune activation impaired the rate of body mass gain within the first 6h after the challenge, nestlings subsequently showed an accelerated increase in mass within the following 18h, reaching a similar body mass to the Controls by the next day. This represents a compensation ('catch-up growth') occurring within as little as 6h to 24h after the challenge. Despite this compensation, initially smaller challenged nestlings showed reduced body mass and survival rates by 8 days after treatment compared to smaller Control nestlings. The induced immune challenge also led to increased plasma levels of oxidative damage (reactive oxygen metabolites, ROMs) and antioxidant capacity (OXY), supporting the oxidative cost of immune system activation. These findings highlight the costs of mounting an immune response during early life, characterized by an altered growth dynamic and increased oxidative damage, and the condition-dependence of these effects.

‘You're Obviously Not Trying Hard Enough’: A Qualitative Exploration of the Construct of Overcontrol

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe concept of overcontrol is gaining increasing attention in clinical settings. However, research on the lived experience of overcontrol is limited. This study explores what constitutes overcontrol and how it interacts with mental health difficulties.MethodTwelve participants took part in two interviews each—one at the start of and one after an intervention targeting overcontrol, resulting in 24 interviews, paired as 12 dyads. While this was not an intervention study, this design was used to capture the depth and breadth of individuals' understanding of overcontrol, which was hypothesised to deepen over the course of engagement with supports, including this intervention. An interpretative phenomenological analysis approach was used to explore data sets.ResultsAnalysis identified three superordinate themes regarding how overcontrol is conceptualised. These were ‘Fallacy of control,’ ‘Lone outsider to common humanity’ and ‘Environmental learning.’ Three superordinate themes in relation to the interaction between overcontrol and mental health difficulties were also identified. These were ‘Isolation,’ ‘Safety and masking’ and ‘Reluctance to seek help.’ConclusionOvercontrol is a complex concept that participants described as a response style often perceived initially as fixed and driven by a need for safety. It was linked to feelings of isolation and being different from others. Participants commonly associated overcontrol with responses to challenging early life experiences or trauma. Themes such as reluctance to seek help, masking inner emotions and isolation were identified as factors affecting mental health. This research highlights the importance of increasing clinician awareness of overcontrol to develop appropriate interventions and to avoid underestimating the distress experienced by overcontrolled individuals.

Microglia as critical mediators linking perinatal immune stress to mental health trajectories.

Neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders that emerge in childhood (such as autism) and adolescence (such as depression and schizophrenia) currently lack broadly effective therapies, underlying an urgent need to better understand their etiology. While each disorder has its own set of complex genetic and environmental risk factors, perinatal exposure to intense immune activation and/or stress has been linked to increased disease risk. Microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, are impacted in each disorder and exquisitely sensitive to early life experience. Here, we review the literature suggesting microglia-specific changes in response to early life immune activation and/or stress with an emphasis on microglial interactions with neural synapses and circuits. We also review the existing literature linking these findings to microglia-specific changes in the brain in autism, depression, and schizophrenia. Our goal is to bridge the gap between developmental insults and the subsequent pathogenesis of these disorders, highlighting key areas for future mechanistic work.

A Cellular Coupling Strategy Leveraging Pathway Modularization and Cofactor Regeneration for the Biosynthesis of 3'-Sialyllactose.

3'-Sialyllactose is a major sialylated human milk oligosaccharide that plays an important role in promoting infant development and supporting various physiological functions critical for early life. In this study, N-acetylneuraminic acid and 3'-sialyllactose were successfully synthesized utilizing four genes across three modules through a whole-cell catalysis. Among these, Module III was employed to facilitate the conversion of cytidine-5'-monophosphate to cytidine 5'-triphosphate utilizing the intrinsic enzyme system of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This study presents the inaugural report demonstrating the synergistic synthesis of 3'-sialyllactose through three modules derived from Escherichia coli and S. cerevisiae, utilizing pyruvate, N-acetylglucosamine, lactose, and cytidine-5'-monophosphate as substrates. The induction and the whole-cell catalytic substrate dosage of the engineered E. coli JM109(DE3) were optimized, leading to a 3'-sialyllactose titer of 71.62 g/L. Ultimately, the strain underwent culture and whole-cell catalysis in a 5 L bioreactor, achieving a maximum titer of 78.03 g/L for 3'-sialyllactose.

The Effects of Childhood Abuse on Emerging Adulthood Inflammation: Investigating Protective Characteristics.

Biological embedding of stress is a process commonly observed among individuals with histories of early life adversity. Adverse experiences can get "under the skin" and influence the neural and biological characteristics of an individual, impacting a range of health domains including inflammation. This study aimed to identify characteristics that protect individuals against immune health challenges following childhood abuse (e.g., physical, emotional, sexual). Childhood self-regulation and peer likeability were tested as moderators in the effects of abuse on emerging adulthood inflammation. Participants (N = 421) were drawn from a follow-up study of emerging adults with and without maltreatment histories who participated in a research camp program as children. Maltreatment was determined based on CPS record data, self-regulation was informed by camp counselor report, peer likeability was indicated through camp participants' ratings, and adulthood inflammation was identified via salivary C-reactive protein (CRP). Results indicated that childhood abuse did not have a significant main effect on emerging adulthood inflammation. However, among youth who were more behaviorally disinhibited, the experience of abuse was predictive of lower inflammation. Peer likeability did not significantly moderate the association between abuse and inflammation. Results underscore how multifinality in health outcomes following abuse, including resilience, may be shaped by individual characteristics.

Association of childhood disadvantage with malnutrition in older ages in India

IntroductionMuch research on the association between childhood status and adult health has been focussed on high income countries and, hence, these findings cannot be generalised for all developing economies. Therefore, this study is an attempt to systematically examine the impact of multiple domains of early disadvantage on nutrition status during old age in India, while testing for potential mediation by adult health, socio-economic status and lifestyle.MethodsThe study uses data from the first wave of the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI), 2017-18. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the adjusted association of childhood and adulthood conditions with nutrition status. Two separate models were run for underweight and overweight. We used the structural equation modelling (SEM) approach to construct latent variables and structural models to test our hypothetical model.ResultsThe SEM explained 78% of the variance in underweight. The direct effect of education and childhood conditions on underweight was significant. The SEM explained 68% of the variance in overweight. Results shows that the direct effect of education and working status on overweight was significant. The indirect and total effect of childhood conditions on overweight was significant.ConclusionThe study underscores the importance of considering both direct and indirect effects in understanding the pathways through which early life experiences influence nutritional status in old age. The unexpected finding regarding the direct effect of childhood conditions on overweight in the Indian context raises important questions about the complexities of nutrition and health in this population.