New York Academy Of Sciences Research Articles

Economic assessment of maize (Zea mays L.) – Spinach (Basella alba L.) intercropping system for improving the livelihood of smallholders’ in South-Asia

Economic assessment of maize (Zea mays L.) – Spinach (Basella alba L.) intercropping system for improving the livelihood of smallholders’ in South-Asia

James Croll and 1876: an exceptional year for a ‘singularly modest man’

ABSTRACTJames Croll left school at the age of 13 years, yet while a janitor in Glasgow he published a landmark paper on astronomically-related climate change, claimed as ‘the most important discovery in paleoclimatology’, and which brought him to the attention of Charles Darwin, William Thomson and John Tyndall, amongst others. By 1867 he was persuaded to become Secretary and Accountant of the newly established Geological Survey of Scotland in Edinburgh, and a year after the appearance of his keynote volume Climate and time in 1875, he was lauded with an honorary doctorate from Scotland's oldest university, Fellowship of the Royal Society of London and Honorary Membership of the New York Academy of Sciences. Using a range of archival and published sources, this paper explores aspects of his ‘journey’ and the background to the award of these major accolades. It also discusses why he never became a Fellow of his national academy, the Royal Society of Edinburgh. In the world of 19th-Century science, Croll was not unusual in being both an autodidact and of humble origins, nor was he lacking in support for his endeavours. It is possible that a combination of Croll's modesty and innovative genius fostered advancement, though this did not hinder a willingness to engage in vigorous argument.

The power of wonder

The broad implications of acknowledging and embracing the emotions of awe and wonder are discussed in this special issue of Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, from their role as an incentive or impediment to scientific progress, to the many ways in which they connect to aesthetic experience, religious attitudes, and ethical concerns.

The Cultural Aspect of M.B. Kenin-Lopsan Scientific Work

The article is devoted to some aspects of the scientific work of the outstanding Tuvan writer Mongush Borakhovich Kenin-Lopsan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Peoples Writer of the Republic of Tyva, Honored Worker of Culture of the Tuva Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, Honored Scientist of the Republic of Tuva, Full Member of the New York Academy of Sciences, holder of the international title Living Treasure of Shamanism. Being the permanent president of the republican society of shamans Dungur and the only connoisseur of the secret knowledge of the ancient religion at the moment, he reveals to the reader its basic ideological concepts, explains the essence of ritual practice and attributes of shamans. The scientific works of M. Kenin-Lopsan are gaining more and more value in connection with the new phenomena of neoshamanism, the inclusion in the traditional system of innovations that distort the understanding of the national religion of Tuvans. A study of his works leads us to the conclusion that the scientist reveals the general features of the ancient culture of the SayanAltai Turks of the pre-Mongol period of Tuva. He recorded the unique stories of the best connoisseurs of folklore and traditions of Tuvans during the Soviet era, when interest in traditional culture was considered as a manifestation of nationalism

Real-Time Glucose Monitoring System Containing Enzymatic Sensor and Reference Electrodes for Application In Vivo

Nearly every electrochemical biosensor uses two or three electrode setup which involves sensing electrode (usually containing oxidoreductase) for a specific reaction, metal/salt reference electrode (i.e., Ag/AgCl or Hg/Hg2Cl2) for the control of the potential and, is some cases, counter electrode for the compensation of the current. This setup did not change significantly since 1962,1 when the idea of biosensors was proposed, despite having significant flaws related to metal/salt reference electrodes: they are bulky and difficult to miniaturize, leak electrolyte to the medium, lose the ability to define the electrochemical potential precisely in time, consequently, have to be updated or replaced.2 This causes significant problems then the biosensor cannot be easily replaced (e.g., implanted electronics). It is worth noting, that significant potential drifts for an in vivo tested metal/salt reference electrodes (Ag/AgCl or Hg/Hg2Cl2) were noticed as early as in 1986,3 yet little efforts were reported to solve the above-mentioned issues, despite significant advances in the development of sensor electrodes. The majority of the reported works focused on improvement and miniaturization of current technology – metal/salt electrodes.Here we present a real-time glucose monitoring system capable of referencing its own electrochemical potential (Figure). By using sensing electrode composed of wired glucose dehydrogenase and enzymatic reference electrode composed of wired laccase we have managed to create stable and accurate electrode system which measured fluxes in concentration of glucose in a physiological range (3–8 mM). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first fully enzymatic electrode system capable to reference its own potential and avoid usage of metal/salt reference electrodes. Our designed enzymatic reference electrode is universal and we envision that it may be applied for other biosensors, thus open possibilities for the new generation of implantable devices for healthcare monitoring in vivo. References (1) Clark, L. C.; Lyons, C. Electrode Systems for Continuous Monitoring in Cardiovascular Surgery. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1962, 102 (1), 29–45.(2) Hashemi, P.; Walsh, P. L.; Guillot, T. S.; Gras-Najjar, J.; Takmakov, P.; Crews, F. T.; Wightman, R. M. Chronically Implanted, Nafion-Coated Ag/AgCl Reference Electrodes for Neurochemical Applications. ACS Chemical Neuroscience 2011, 2 (11), 658–666.(3) Thompson, M.; Vandenberg, E. T. In Vivo Probes: Problems and Perspectives. Clinical Biochemistry 1986, 19 (5), 255–261. Figure 1

Effects of COVID-19 on the mental health of black and brown racialized populations in the U.S.

Effects of COVID-19 on the mental health of black and brown racialized populations in the U.S.

Retraction Notice: Phytochemicals from Plants to Combat Cardiovascular Disease.

The article entitled "Phytochemicals from Plants to Combat Cardiovascular Disease", by Hannah R. Vasan-thi, Nitin ShriShri Mal, Dilip Kumar Das, published in Curr. Med. Chem. 2012; 19(14): 224251. https://www.eurekaselect.com/97287/article has been retracted on a complaint of plagiarism with a previously pub-lished article entitled "Resveratrol in cardiovascular health and disease" in the journal Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences as Ann N Y Acad Sci . 2011 Jan;1215:22-33. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05843.x The authors were informed of this complaint and were requested to give justification on the matter, in their de-fence. However, no reply was received from them in this regard. Bentham Science apologizes to the readers of the journal for any inconvenience this may have caused. The Bentham Editorial Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at https://benthamscience.com/editorial-policies-main.php.

Blavatnik Awards to Brangwynne and Dichtel

A chemist and a chemical engineer are among the recipients of the 2020 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists, which recognize promising young researchers. Each winner will be presented with a $250,000 prize from the Blavatnik Family Foundation and the New York Academy of Sciences. , a professor of chemical and biological engineering at Princeton University, is the 2020 Blavatnik National Awards Laureate in Life Sciences. , Robert L. Letsinger Professor of Chemistry at Northwestern University, is the 2020 Blavatnik National Awards Laureate in Chemistry. Brangwynne’s work has transformed the field of cell biology by facilitating a better understanding of the internal organization of cells. “It’s a tremendous honor,” says Brangwynne of the award. “I am so grateful for all the support I’ve had from family, friends, colleagues, and mentors.” Dichtel has pioneered methods to create novel, porous materials from simple, carbon-based building blocks. He has also developed materials that

ЭКСПЕДИЦИИ И ИССЛЕДОВАНИЯ МОРСКОГО ГЕОФИЗИКА Ю.П. НЕПРОЧНОВА

This article is dedicated to the anniversary of geophysicist, doctor of physical and mathematical sciences, Professor Yuri Pavlovich Neprochnov, who would turn 90 years old this year. Prof. Neprochnov created a school of seismic marine geologists. He had numerous students, who prepared and successfully defended 12 Ph.D., and D.Sc. dissertations under his leadership. He is the author and co-author of more than 400 scientific articles and 18 monographs. Neprochnov was a Member of the Second World War, a Member of the Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences on the problems of the oceans, where he led the working group on seismic and integrated geophysics; Coordinator of International projects for scientific cooperation with India, China and Finland, a Member of the Editorial board of the Journal «Oceanology», was elected a full Member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences and a Member of the New York Academy of Sciences, and in 2002 for his labor successes and a great contribution to strengthening friendship and cooperation between peoples he was awarded the title of Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation. His friend and colleague in scientific geophysical research L.I. Kogan recalls years of teamwork and expresses his appreciation for professional friendships throughout his life.

Alternatives to amyloid for Alzheimer's disease therapies-a symposium report.

For decades, Alzheimer's disease research has focused on amyloid as the primary pathogenic agent. This focus has driven the development of numerous amyloid-targeting therapies; however, with one possible exception, none of these therapies have been effective in preventing or delaying cognitive decline in patients, and there are no approved disease-modifying agents. It is becoming more apparent that alternative drug targets are needed to address this complex disease. An increased understanding of Alzheimer's disease pathology has highlighted the need to target the appropriate disease pathology at the appropriate time in the disease course. Preclinical and early clinical studies have focused on targets, including inflammation, tau, vascular health, and the microbiome. This report summarizes the presentations from a New York Academy of Sciences' one-day symposium entitled "Alzheimer's Disease Therapeutics: Alternatives to Amyloid," held on November 20, 2019.

Determination of the Transport Properties of Liquid Electrolytes Using a Multi-Electrode Cell

Reliable electrochemical models are necessary for performing numerical battery-related studies. These models must be comprehended with a number of input parameters.Many literature papers deal with the determination of electrolyte transport properties [1- 4] but only a minority of them proposes an exhaustive characterization (namely the determination of the transference number, the conductivity, the diffusion coefficient and the thermodynamic factor, for the simplest case of a binary electrolyte). Furthermore, when comparison can be made[5], it is often the case that data gathered from different sources for a same electrolyte are not in good quantitative agreement with each other [1,6].The most commonly used experimental methods for a complete determination of the set of properties are: The Hittorf method [2,3] (for transference number), the restricted diffusion method [7] (for diffusion coefficient), the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (for conductivity) and the concentration cell (for the activity coefficient).Back in 2016 [6], Farkhondeh and coworkers proposed to alleviate the tedious multi-experimental protocol by introducing a novel multi-electrode cell design, in which the potential between inner Li reference electrodes is measured during and after a current pulse applied between two outer Li working electrodes. The measured potential is free of any electrode polarization and can be fitted with a mathematical model of the electrolyte so that conductivity, salt diffusion coefficient, and lithium transference number are simultaneously determined in single experiment.Our current work builds on the prior art by Farkhondeh and coworkers. It deals with the use of a “multi-electrode electrochemical cell”. Different routes are being explored and will be discussed in the presentation, namely: Using more reference electrodes for the method to gain accuracy, and possibly to evaluate the composition dependence of parameters in a limited number of experiments (fig.1).Bypassing metallic-lithium-related problems by finding alternatives to be used as active electrodes. Theoretical and practical aspects will be discussed and LiPF6 dissolved in 1:1 weight proportions EC:DEC will be investigated as a benchmark electrolyte and compared with already-published data [1].Our work aims at (i) showing how the parameters evaluation process could be simplified, and (ii) reduce drastically the number of experiments needed for fully characterizing a liquid electrolyte. This is an essential step towards the elaboration of an electrolyte-property database, supplying valuable information for modeling, as well as formulation-engineering, purposes. Fig. 1 : Representation of voltage measured between reference electrodes (blue red and orange crosses), during a current-pulse (black dashed line) of 1.9 A/m² and following relaxation. These experimental data were used to fit the electrolyte transport parameters using a mathematical model (in purple, green and cyan). Determined parameters are the following : . D = 2.85×10-10 m²/s , t+ 0 = 0.217 and κ eff = 0.602 S/m. The gradient-colored strip at the bottom highlights the parts of the signal where the different transport parameters have the largest sensivity. The multi-reference cell is represented in inset: (dark-grey: Li metal reference electrodes, dark grey: polyethylene spacers).References :[1] H. Lundgren, M. Behm, and G. Lindbergh, “Electrochemical Characterization and Temperature Dependency of Mass-Transport Properties of LiPF6 in EC:DEC,” J. Electrochem. Soc., vol. 162, no. 3, pp. A413–A420, 2014.[2] L. O. Valo̸en and J. N. Reimers, “Transport Properties of LiPF[sub 6]-Based Li-Ion Battery Electrolytes,” J. Electrochem. Soc., vol. 152, no. 5, p. A882, 2005.[3] T. Hou and C. W. Monroe, “Composition-Dependent Thermodynamic and Mass-Transport Characterisation of Lithium Hexafluorophosphate in Propylene Carbonate,” Manuscr. Submitt. Publ., p. 135085, 2019.[4] Yanping Ma, Marc Doyle, Thomas F Fuller, Marca M. Doeff, Lutgard C. De Jonghe, and John Newman. The measurement of a complete set of transport properties of a concentrated solid polymer electrolyte solution. Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 142(6):1859–1868, 1995[5] A. Ehrl, J. Landesfeind, W. A. Wall, and H. A. Gasteiger, “Determination of Transport Parameters in Liquid Binary Electrolytes: Part II. Transference Number,” J. Electrochem. Soc., vol. 164, no. 12, pp. A2716–A2731, 2017.[6] FARKHONDEH, Mohammad, PRITZKER, Mark, FOWLER, Michael, et al. Transport property measurement of binary electrolytes using a four-electrode electrochemical cell. Electrochemistry Communications, 2016, vol. 67, p. 11-15.. [7] Herbert S. Harned and Douglas M. French. A conductance method for the determination of the diffusion coefficients of electrolytes. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 46(1):267–284, 1945 Figure 1

Expert consensus on an open-access United Nations International Multiple Micronutrient Antenatal Preparation-multiple micronutrient supplement product specification.

The multiple micronutrient supplement (MMS) based on the United Nations International Multiple Micronutrient Antenatal Preparation (UNIMMAP) formula provides women and their offspring with a healthy start to life in an efficacious, safe, and cost‐effective way. To date, however, no precise and transparent specifications exist to support the manufacturing and distribution of UNIMMAP–MMS globally. To palliate for this need, the MMS Technical Advisory Group at the New York Academy of Sciences and the Micronutrient Forum convened a technical consultation to develop an open access UNIMMAP–MMS Product Specification for the manufacturing of this product. The specifications offered in this paper cover: ingredients, excipients, and processing aids used in the manufacturing of UNIMMAP–MMS; stability studies recommended under different testing conditions and climatic zones; packaging considerations; manufacturing standards, including pharmacopeia standards, manufacturing practices, certificates of analysis, change control, and quality agreement; finished product specifications, including tablet characterization and purity, potency assay; analytical test methods; and storage and transportation requirements.

Vaccine innovations for emerging infectious diseases-a symposium report.

Vaccines have been incredibly successful at stemming the morbidity and mortality of infectious diseases worldwide. However, there are still no effective vaccines for many serious and potentially preventable infectious diseases. Advances in vaccine technology, including new delivery methods and adjuvants, as well as progress in systems biology and an increased understanding of the human immune system, hold the potential to address these issues. In addition, maternal immunization has opened an avenue to address infectious diseases in neonates and very young infants. This report summarizes the presentations from a 1-day symposium at the New York Academy of Sciences entitled "Innovative Vaccines against Resistant Infectious Diseases and Emerging Threats," held on May 20, 2019.

Adult stem cells and regenerative medicine-a symposium report.

Adult stem cells are rare, undifferentiated cells found in all tissues of the body. Although normally kept in a quiescent, nondividing state, these cells can proliferate and differentiate to replace naturally dying cells within their tissue and to repair its wounds in response to injury. Due to their proliferative nature and ability to regenerate tissue, adult stem cells have the potential to treat a variety of degenerative diseases as well as aging. In addition, since stem cells are often thought to be the source of malignant tumors, understanding the mechanisms that keep their proliferative abilities in check can pave the way for new cancer therapies. While adult stem cells have had limited practical and clinical applications to date, several clinical trials of stem cell-based therapies are underway. This report details recent research presented at the New York Academy of Sciences on March 14, 2019 on understanding the factors that regulate stem cell activity and differentiation, with the hope of translating these findings into the clinic.

Progress in regulatory peptide research.

The field of regulatory peptide research has developed significant momentum owing to several recent converging trends. Dozens of peptide-based drugs have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the past decade, the majority for the treatment of metabolic disorders, including diabetes. These are the "tip of the spear" for peptide therapeutics, revealing that impediments of delivery, stability, and bioavailability inherent in peptide drugs have in many cases been overcome. While most are orally available, and directed at peripheral targets, pharmaceutical delivery of peptides to the central nervous system through nasal mucosal routes has also seen much progress. Cell-based high-throughput drug discovery methods, the X-ray crystallographic structural definition of G protein-coupled receptors, and deorphanization of peptide-liganded receptors have contributed to the emergence of new targets for pharmacological intervention and accelerated the development of peptide-based as well as nonpeptide congeners for existing ones. Finally, the recognition that peptides act at their receptors, in a cellular context, in conjunction with other peptides and other first messengers, including neurotransmitters, hormones, and autocrine and paracrine factors, has led to an increased appreciation for the combinatorial possibilities of regulatory peptide action, now penetrating to drug design and discovery efforts. The fifteen reviews, reports, and perspectives collected in this special issue of Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences provide a snapshot of the frontiers of the field of regulatory peptide research as they expand physiologically, pharmacologically, and therapeutically.

Adaptive and maladaptive emotion processing and regulation, and the case of alexithymia

ABSTRACT In this conceptual review, we discuss models of emotion and its regulation and identify a spectrum of processes that characterise adaptive adjustment to the affective environment. We describe a dynamic-phasic model of emotion processing and regulation, focusing on five stages: anticipation, response, recovery, habituation and rest as part of a cascade of responses to emotional challenges, as these become progressively expected, proximal, chronic or repeated. We argue for the need to investigate beyond simple reactivity to emotional stimuli, in order to understand mental and physical health conditions where emotional dysregulation plays a role. We propose that a hallmark of an effective and adaptive emotion regulation system is its flexibility, in the service of life goals and values. Consistent with McEwen’s model (1998, Stress, adaptation, and disease: Allostasis and allostatic load. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 840(1), 33–44), inflexible emotion regulation can lead to increased allostatic load, from frequent stress, inadequate reactivity, failed shutdown and habituation, which may result in physical and mental illness. Alexithymia exemplifies inflexible emotion regulation, with dysfunctions potentially across all stages of emotion processing, both psychologically and physiologically. These maladaptive processes and their consequence on allostatic load potentially explain the association between alexithymia and physical and mental illness.

Zinc Deficiency Is Associated with Anemia Among Children Under 24 Months-of-age in Rural Guatemala (P10-111-19)

ObjectivesAnemia is a major public health problem among young children. In addition to iron deficiency, other micronutrient deficiencies have been associated with anemia. The purpose of this study was to identify biomarkers associated with anemia in children <5 years from rural Guatemala. MethodsA total of 182 infants (6–24 m) and 207 preschoolers (36–60 m) were recruited from community surveillance to participate in a randomized controlled trial of nutrition and child development. Methods included measured weight, length/height and venous blood draws. Inclusion criteria were length/height-for-age z-score <-1.0 and Hb >7.0 g/dL. Cross-sectional analyses using generalized linear mixed models of baseline data examined associations between anemia (Hb <11.0 g/dL) and micronutrient deficiencies, adjusting for maternal, child and sociodemographic variables. Iron deficiency was defined as low ferritin based on inflammation status, and/or high soluble transferrin receptor, ≥1.97 mg/L. Deficiencies for other parameters were designated as: zinc <65 μg/dL; vitamin B12 < 200 pg/mL; and plasma folate <3 ng/mL or erythrocyte folate <100 ng/mL. ResultsPrevalence of anemia was 56% in infants and 12% in preschoolers. Among anemic infants/preschoolers, rates of iron, zinc, folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies were 83/75%; 63/18%; 3/4%; and 9/0%, respectively. For infants, the odds of anemia were higher when children were zinc deficient [OR = 3.59;95%CI (1.64–7.85)], after adjusting for community cluster, sex, age, maternal education and household size. No biomarkers were associated with anemia in preschoolers. ConclusionsIron and zinc are common micronutrient deficiencies in children from low- and middle-income countries. These findings suggest that micronutrient deficiencies coexist among children in Guatemala, and that zinc should be considered as part of the prevention strategies to reduce anemia. In preschoolers, no biomarkers were associated with anemia, suggesting that other biological and psychosocial factors could be influencing anemia in this age group. Funding SourcesThe Mathile Institute for the Advancement of Human Nutrition, Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science of the New York Academy of Sciences.

Grow Smart: An Integrated Nutrition and Early Child Development Intervention Among Infants Improves Expressive Language and Reduces Anemia and Iron Deficiency in Rural India (FS08-03-19)

ObjectivesNutritional deficiency and lack of early learning opportunities contribute to the loss of developmental potential. The objective is to evaluate the effects of an integrated nutrition and early learning intervention (ELI) on micronutrient status and the development of infants in rural India. Methods513 infants (6–12mo) were enrolled from 26 villages in rural India and randomized using a 2 × 2 design to receive multiple micronutrient powders (MNP containing iron, zinc, vitamins A, B2, B12, C and folic acid) vs. placebo (B2) and EL vs. control. The ELI was based on the UNICEF-developed Care for Child Development. Baseline (BL), post-intervention (6 mo) and follow-up (12 mo) evaluations included Mullens Scales of Early Learning, anthropometry, and 2 ml venous blood (BL & 12 mo). Data were analyzed using linear mixed effects regression models with random village/subject intercepts accounting for site of recruitment and repeated measures. For biomarker outcomes, main effects of MNP was assessed. P-values of <0.05 considered statistically significant. For child development outcomes, main effects of MNP and ELI were analyzed separately, and three-way interactions (MNP*ELI*midline or MNP*ELI*end line) were tested. ResultsAt baseline, the mean age of mothers was 22.9y (SD = 2.9) and 99.6% were married. Most mothers (84.2%) had attended some schooling. Mean infant age was 8.6 mo (SD = 2.2); 53.0% were male. Anemia prevalence was 66.4%. No significant baseline differences were found. At end line, infants in the MNP group had significantly higher hemoglobin (11 g/dl vs.10 g/dl) and ferritin (18.2ug/l vs.11.5 ug/l) values compared to infants in the placebo groups, respectively. Infants in the MNP group (mean = 39.5; SE = 0.6) versus placebo group (mean = 37.7; SE = 0.6) also scored significantly higher in expressive language and marginally higher in visual reception (mean = 42.5; SE = 0.5; P = 0.06) and social-emotional behavior (mean = 24.1; SE = 0.2; P = 0.052), compared to the placebo (mean = 41.1; E = 0.6, mean = 23.5; SE = 0.2, respectively). Significant interactions in visual reception and expressive language performance showed that children who received either or both interventions had better scores than children who received neither. ConclusionsHome MNP and EL interventions can improve infant MN status and development. Funding SourcesMathile Institute for the Advancement of Human Nutrition, Nutrition International, Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science of the New York Academy of Science.

Beyond Stunting: Mechanisms Linking Length to Early Child Development Among Infants in Rural India (P10-003-19)

ObjectivesIn low and middle-income countries, early child development (ECD) is associated with stunting, but the association with length-for-age z-scores (LAZ) is understudied. The objective is to examine whether the association with ECD among infants extends beyond stunting to LAZ and whether it is altered by nurturance or inflammation. MethodsSample: 513 infants (mean age 8.6 months, SD 2.2), 20% stunted (LAZ < -2) participated in a randomized controlled trial of micronutrient powder (MNP) in rural India. Following baseline, infants were re-evaluated at 6- and 12-months. LAZ was calculated from measured length, inflammation (C-reactive protein, CRP) from blood draw; nurturance from home observation (HOME Inventory), and ECD from Mullens Early Learning Scale (visual reception, fine/gross motor and receptive/expressive language). Linear mixed effects models were conducted, accounting for repeated measures and clustering, adjusted for child age, anemia, maternal education, household assets, and intervention. LAZ interactions with CRP and HOME scores were tested. ResultsLAZ was significantly positively associated with all ECD domains over time. HOME was positively associated with visual reception and expressive language (Table 1). HOME interactions were marginal for fine motor (P = 0.058) and significant for receptive language (P = 0.015). For HOME scores < -1 SD, LAZ was positively related to fine motor and receptive language, for HOME scores >1 SD, LAZ was not related to ECD (Figure 1). CRP was not related to ECD and CRP interaction was not significant. ConclusionsThe positive association between LAZ and ECD illustrates vulnerability prior to the threshold of stunting. Maternal nurturance is positively associated with multiple domains of infants’ ECD and attenuates relations between LAZ and receptive language and fine motor. Inflammation (measured by CRP) is not associated with ECD. Linear growth within normal and nurturant caregiving are needed to promote ECD. Funding SourcesMathile Institute for the Advancement of Human Nutrition, Nutrition International, Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science of the New York Academy of Sciences.

Maternal Choline Supplementation During Gestational Diabetes Causes Long-Term Phenotypic Changes in Offspring (P11-132-19)

ObjectivesUsing a mouse gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) model, this study investigated whether maternal choline supplementation (MCS) could alter postnatal growth and metabolic abnormalities associated with GDM. MethodsC57BL/6 mice were either fed a low fat (LF, 10kcal % fat) control diet or a high fat (HF, 60kcal % fat) diet prior to and during pregnancy to induce GDM. These mice received either 25mM choline (MCS) or plain drinking water, After weaning, offspring were fed the HF diet for 6 weeks before glucose tolerance testing and dissection. ResultsIn male offspring from MCS-GDM mothers, we observed a decrease in fasting blood glucose levels and an increase in glucose tolerance when comparing to other groups (P < 0.05). Liver choline metabolite measurements demonstrated that free choline content was lower (P = 0.01) in the MCS-GDM male offspring than control GDM male offspring; there is also an increase in liver sphingomyelin concentrations (P = 0.007) in female offspring from MCS-GDM compared to control GDM dams. ConclusionsMCS during GDM leads to improvements in blood glucose control in male mouse offspring exposed to a postnatal HF environment. Funding SourcesNIGMS and NIDDK; New York Academy of Sciences.