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Third Trimester Vegetable Intake May Boost Kids' Cognition

Third Trimester Vegetable Intake May Boost Kids' Cognition

Medscapea day ago

Children whose mothers consumed greater amounts of polyphenols in the last trimester of pregnancy scored significantly higher on several cognitive measures at 8 years of age than children of mothers with lower polyphenol intakes in the last trimester, according to data from a new study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition.
'Polyphenols are nonnutritive phytochemicals present in fruits and vegetables and are linked to improved cognitive health in adults,' said presenting author Chelsey Fiecke, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, in an interview.
Chelsey Fiecke, PhD
Although prenatal fruit and vegetable intake has been linked to improvements in children's cognitive development, studies are needed to target critical prenatal and postnatal polyphenol exposure windows, said Fiecke.
Notably, data on associations between prenatal polyphenol intake at different points during pregnancy and cognitive development in school-age children are lacking, the researchers noted.
To examine these associations, Fiecke and colleagues enrolled 124 mother-child pairs at a single center. Participants were enrolled during pregnancy, and follow-up visits occurred when the children were 5 and 8 years old.
Prenatal polyphenol intake was estimated on the basis of 3-day food records. Cognitive development for 62 children was based on the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence-II at 8 years of age. For 85 children, the researchers used the Wide Range Achievement Test 4 to assess reading, spelling, and math skills at ages 5 and 8 years.
The researchers used linear mixed models for data available at both follow-up visits and generalized models when data were limited. They controlled for factors including maternal IQ, gestational age, and prenatal consumption of carotenoids, docosahexaenoic acid, choline, and vitamin A.
Overall, the participants' average prenatal polyphenol intake was 815 mg/d. In the first trimester, greater maternal polyphenol intake was negatively associated with verbal IQ, perceptual reasoning IQ, and full-scale IQ ( P = .057, P = .020, and P = .011, respectively) in their children.
Polyphenol intake during the second trimester was not significantly associated with any cognitive outcomes of offspring. However, during the third trimester, maternal polyphenol intake was positively associated with children's scores for reading, spelling, and verbal IQ ( P = .035, P = .052, and P = .067, respectively).
Greater polyphenol intake was also associated with higher scores on the Similarities subtest (a verbal reasoning component of verbal IQ; P = .029).
The suggestion of critical exposure windows for prenatal polyphenol intakes for optimal cognitive development was an especially interesting finding, Fiecke told Medscape Medical News . 'It suggests that polyphenols may have similar functionality to other nutrients that play roles in brain and cognitive development, such as docosahexaenoic,' she said.
The results of the study need to be expanded to more diverse longitudinal cohorts, said Fiecke. In addition, research is needed to identify the extent of in utero transfer of polyphenols and to better understand how polyphenols might support optimal cognitive development during other critical exposure windows, such as the early postnatal period, she said.
One Piece of the Food Puzzle
'It is well known that maternal nutrition during pregnancy has effects on both the mother and unborn child, with results implicating nutrition in overall neonatal health and newborn weight,' said Catherine Haut, DNP, CPNP-AC/PC, in an interview.
The current study highlights one substance found in fruits and vegetables, polyphenol, which is also found in other substances consumed by pregnant women, notably coffee, tea, and chocolate, said Haut, director of Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice at Nemours Children's Health, Wilmington, Delaware Valley, who was not involved in the study.
The effect of healthy nutrition in the last trimester of pregnancy on infant brain development and subsequent childhood cognition is not unexpected, Haut told Medscape Medical News . 'However, it would be of interest to follow children's nutritional intake of polyphenol over the same period with and without considering maternal intake,' she said. 'Maternal nutrition will most likely reflect what is then fed to their children,' she added.
Takeaways and Research Gaps
The study findings support the current daily nutrition guidelines for all age groups to include appropriate portions of fruits and vegetables, said Haut.
The current study was limited by the focus on a single state and location, despite the longitudinal results, and the sample size was small relative to the number of children in the United States, she noted.
Looking ahead to a future study, 'it would be helpful to include more diverse populations and to inquire about daily fruit and vegetable intake in children starting at 6 months of age for infants, when solid food is typically introduced,' Haut added.

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Chesapeake Bay health grade dips after hottest year on record and extreme rainfall patterns
Chesapeake Bay health grade dips after hottest year on record and extreme rainfall patterns

Associated Press

time39 minutes ago

  • Associated Press

Chesapeake Bay health grade dips after hottest year on record and extreme rainfall patterns

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The health of the Chesapeake Bay declined in an annual report card on the nation's largest estuary released Tuesday, with scientists noting the effect of extreme rainfall patterns during the hottest year on record. The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science gave the bay a C grade in its report card. That compares to a C-plus grade the bay received last year, which was the highest grade it had received since 2002. 'There was a substantial upturn in the overall Bay Health score in 2024, and it came down a little this year,' said Heath Kelsey, director of UMCES Integration and Application Network. 'Over the long term, though, there is still an improving trend from the 1980s until now. We think extreme weather may have had some impact on the scores this year.' The report noted that last year was the hottest year on record, with extreme rainfall patterns. 'While parts of the watershed experienced drought, brief but intense downpours can cause water to flow over the ground rather than soak into it, increasing the fertilizer, dirt, and debris carried into waterways,' the report said. Bill Dennison, vice president for Science Application at UMCES, said the changing climate is definitely having an effect on the bay. 'One of the things that we saw in Maryland, in particular, was a prolonged summer drought — not so much spring, but a summer drought — punctuated by these extreme runoff events,' Dennison said. 'So what was happening was that the crops didn't have enough water, so they're not soaking up the nutrients.' As a result, when it did rain, there were excess nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus, that were flowing into the bay, Dennison said. 'Now sadly, this is kind of our future,' Dennison said at a news conference at the Annapolis Maritime Museum near the bay. 'This is the kind of weather patterns that are starting to become more common, which is drought punctuated by extreme events.' Warmer weather winters and higher temperatures mean less oxygen in the water for aquatic life, stressing fish and shellfish, Dennison added. 'So these are some of the things that we have to overcome and build more resilience into our system,' Dennison said. Despite the grade drop, the report cited long-term improvements in dissolved oxygen in the bay's waters. That's the amount of oxygen present in the water that is needed to support bay aquatic life. The report also noted long-term improvements in aquatic grasses, which provide habitat and food for various species, improve water quality and protect shorelines from erosion. Phosphorus and nitrogen levels also have improved in the long-term in another positive sign. While they are needed by the bay's organisms, excessive nitrogen and phosphorus degrade the bay's water quality. Excess nitrogen and phosphorus fuel algal blooms that can cloud the water and block sunlight from reaching underwater grasses. Water clarity and chlorophyll-a scores, however, have declining long-term trends, the report said. Chlorophyll-a in the bay is an indicator of phytoplankton abundance and water quality. Improving trends can be attributed to management and restoration efforts at the regional, state, and local levels, the report said. Regionally, wastewater treatment plants have been upgraded and programs have been put in place to reduce nutrient and sediment input. The health of the bay is a reflection of what's happening across its six-state watershed, which includes Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia along with the District of Columbia. UMCES, which is marking its 100th anniversary, also provides a grade for the overall watershed health in its report card. It gave the watershed a grade of C-plus. The watershed health grade includes ecological, societal and economic indicators. The most concerning societal indicator was heat vulnerability, the report said, noting communities may be under heat stress due to hotter air temperatures, less tree canopy cover, and more paved surfaces.

Skill Checkup: Woman With Persistent Anemia and Fatigue
Skill Checkup: Woman With Persistent Anemia and Fatigue

Medscape

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  • Medscape

Skill Checkup: Woman With Persistent Anemia and Fatigue

A 72-year-old woman presents with persistent anemia and fatigue. Her height is 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m) and weight is 131 lb (59.42 kg; body mass index of 24). She was diagnosed with low- to intermediate-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with ring sideroblasts 2 years ago when she presented with unexplained macrocytic anemia. Bone marrow biopsy at the time showed blasts were 5%-7%, and her specimen tested positive for SF3B1 mutation and negative for del(5q) . Her erythropoietin levels were < 400 and she received erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) therapy, requiring ≥ 2 red blood cell (RBC) units over 8 weeks. However, despite ESA therapy, the patient presents with symptomatic anemia; her hemoglobin is 10.1 g/dL. There are no blasts in the blood; 16% of erythroid precursors with ring sideroblasts are identified. Because this patient's anemia is not responding to treatment, the likely diagnosis is MDS with ESA-refractory anemia. ESAs are a potential therapy for the treatment of patients with MDS. However, most patients with MDS either do not respond to ESAs or eventually will develop resistance to these agents. Progression to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in myelodysplastic syndrome is defined by the presence of ≥ 20% blasts in the peripheral blood or bone marrow (World Health Organization criteria). In this case, the patient has no blasts in the blood and had 5%-7% blasts at diagnosis, which is consistent with MDS but not AML. Copper deficiency can cause a sideroblastic-like anemia, but it is typically associated with neurologic symptoms (eg, ataxia, paresthesias), leukopenia, and a history of risk factors such as zinc overuse, malabsorption, or gastric surgery. This patient has a known diagnosis of MDS with ring sideroblasts and a pathogenic SF3B1 mutation, strongly supporting a clonal myeloid neoplasm rather than a nutritional deficiency. Although symptomatic anemia is a major morbidity of MDS, the anemia described in the present case, refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts (MDS-RS), is a subtype often associated with SF3B1 mutations, which lead to defective RNA splicing and secondary mitochondrial iron accumulation. This results in the formation of ring sideroblasts. SF3B1 is the most frequently mutated splicing factor gene in MDS-RS, and it is associated with better outcomes and longer survival. In this case, the presence of this mutation confirms a diagnosis of MDS over secondary causes of ring sideroblasts. Anemia in MDS might or might not be symptomatic at presentation and varies in degree, from mild to severe. Clinical symptoms of MDS, including fatigue as described by this patient, arise because of low peripheral blood counts, usually from anemia, but also can occur from thrombocytopenia or neutropenia. Features predictive of ESA response include a lower baseline serum erythropoietin (EPO) level (< 500 IU/mL), a low transfusion burden (< 2 units a month), a fixed-dose regimen, shorter time from diagnosis to starting treatment, and diagnosis of refractory anemia or MDS-RS. Although the patient in the present case is in fact diagnosed with refractory anemia or MDS-RS, response rates to ESA therapy are variable in patients with lower-risk MDS, ranging from 30%-60%. In this patient population, close monitoring of hemoglobin level is recommended to avoid increases to > 12 g/dL (as it is associated with a risk for systemic hypertension and thrombosis). In addition, the immunomodulatory agent lenalidomide can reduce transfusion requirements in patients with lower-risk MDS and a normal karyotype. In MDS, anemia is usually anisocytic, with a normal or a hypochromic microcytic population coexisting with the macrocytes. It is also generally macrocytic (mean cell volume, > 100 fL) with RBCs that are oval-shaped (macro-ovalocytes). Punctate basophilia is observed in RBCs. Symptomatic anemia in MDS frequently presents as a hypoproductive macrocytic anemia, often associated with suboptimal elevation of serum EPO levels. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines advise that during MDS workup, cytogenetics, bone marrow aspiration with iron stain, biopsy, serum EPO, and other coexisting causes should be ruled out. For MDS to be classified as MDS-RS, as in the present case, anemia should be present but with low blasts in the blood; for bone marrow, either ≥ 15% of erythroid precursors with ring sideroblasts must be identified, or if SF3B1 mutation is present, ≥ 5% ring sideroblasts. The same guidelines also make recommendations for additional testing of symptomatic anemia with MDS. These include flow cytometry to evaluate for large granular lymphocyte and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria clone. Human leukocyte antigen typing offers clinical value if the patient is a hematopoietic cell transplant candidate. Because the patient in the present case is considered lower risk, she probably is not at this juncture. Recombinant fusion protein, such as luspatercept, is the most appropriate option for this patient, given its approval for the treatment of anemia in patients with lower-risk MDS-RS who have not responded to treatment with ESAs. In patients with lower-risk MDS and symptomatic anemia, treatment is usually guided by cytogenetic findings, serum EPO levels, and the presence of ring sideroblasts or SF3B1 mutations. For patients with del(5q) , lenalidomide remains the preferred treatment regardless of EPO level. For those with SF3B1 mutations or ring sideroblasts ≥ 15% (or ≥ 5% with a mutation), luspatercept is preferred, with imetelstat recommended if EPO is > 500 mU/mL and the patient is ineligible for ESAs. In patients without these features, ESAs plus granulocyte colony-stimulating factor or imetelstat may be considered on the basis of EPO levels, with follow-up based on response. Escalation to agents like ivosidenib or enasidenib is recommended only in the presence of IDH mutations. Neither hypomethylating agents or allogeneic transplant are included in this lower-risk anemia-focused treatment pathway. Further, intensive induction chemotherapy is not typically utilized in this setting.

Astronomy show accidentally reveals unseen structure in our solar system
Astronomy show accidentally reveals unseen structure in our solar system

CNN

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  • CNN

Astronomy show accidentally reveals unseen structure in our solar system

An accidental discovery might change how we think about one of the most mysterious structures in our solar system. The Oort Cloud, a large expanse of icy bodies revolving around the sun at a distance 1,000 times greater than the orbit of Neptune, is widely thought to be spherical — although it has never been directly observed. But during the preproduction of a show titled 'Encounters in the Milky Way,' which debuted Monday at the Hayden Planetarium in New York City, a projection on the planetarium's dome revealed something strange within the Oort Cloud: a spiral. The curators were testing out a scene in September that includes a detailed view of Earth's celestial neighborhood — from the sun to the solar system's outer edges — and were surprised when they saw the structure, which looked coincidentally similar to a spiral galaxy such as our own. 'We hit play on the scene, and immediately we saw it. It was just there,' recalled Jackie Faherty, an astrophysicist at the American Museum of Natural History and the curator of the show. 'I was confused and thought that was super weird. I didn't know if it was an artifact, I didn't know if it was real.' To investigate, Faherty got in touch with David Nesvorny, an institute scientist with the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and the Oort Cloud expert who had provided scientific data for the scene. 'We didn't create it — David did,' Faherty said. 'This is David's simulation, and it's grounded in physics. It has a totally good physical explanation for why it should be there.' At first, Nesvorny suspected artifacts — abnormalities or distortions in the data visualization — but once he looked at his data, he confirmed the presence of the spiral and eventually published a scientific paper about the discovery in April in The Astrophysical Journal. 'Weird way to discover things,' he said. 'I should know my data better, after years of working with it.' The existence of the Oort Cloud was first proposed in 1950 by Dutch astronomer Jan Oort, who imagined it as a shell of icy bodies swirling around the sun from up to 1.5 light-years away. The cloud is the most distant region in our solar system, stretching as much as halfway to the next star, according to NASA. It's composed of leftovers from the making of our solar system, which were scattered in every direction by the planets after they formed. That means many of the icy bodies in the Oort Cloud don't share the same orbital plane as the solar system itself but travel at various inclinations, which is why the Oort Cloud is pictured as a sphere. If one of those icy bodies gets flung inward toward the sun, the heat starts vaporizing some of the material in the body, creating a tail — and what we call a comet. 'Every now and again, some of these icy bodies come into the inner solar system, and we can see the orbit that they're on,' Faherty said. 'And they're on these really crazy, long orbits. It can take them millions of years to go around the sun. And when they come in, they help us understand how far away they may have come from.' The problem with trying to imagine what the Oort Cloud looks like is that scientists have never seen it, even though we are technically surrounded by it. That's because the bodies that make it up are small — fewer than 60 miles (97 kilometers) in diameter — and even though they potentially number in the trillions, they are far away, making observations with telescopes difficult. The spiral was hiding in Nesvorny's data because he had never thought of visualizing it three-dimensionally. 'I never looked at it in Cartesian coordinates — I didn't have a good reason to do so,' he said. 'But once you do that, it's obvious. It's there.' To confirm the findings, Nesvorny used one of the most powerful computers in the world, NASA's Pleiades Supercomputer, to run simulations that took weeks to complete. 'I thought, maybe just this particular simulation (I gave the planetarium) is showing it, and all the other simulations with other stellar encounters, other parameters, will not show it, in which case it wouldn't be so interesting,' he said. 'But all the simulations, all the models I have, show the spiral.' The reason it's there, he said, is that objects in the Oort Cloud are far away enough from the sun's gravity that they also start being affected by the galactic tide — the gravitational field of our galaxy, exerted by the stars and the dark matter in it. This field is acting on the small bodies and comets in the Oort Cloud by twisting their orbital planes to create a spiral. The spiral, Nesvorny added, is in the inner part of the Oort Cloud, the closest to us, and he still believes that the outer portion is spherical or shell-shaped. The problem of observing the Oort Cloud remains, even though the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, a powerful telescope that recently came online in Chile, could offer a hand by discovering and observing individual icy bodies in the cloud. However, according to Nesvorny, the telescope will likely discover dozens of these bodies — not the hundreds that would be required to produce a meaningful visualization of the spiral. The spiral theory helps to illuminate the dynamics of our solar system, according to Faherty. 'If you're going to come up with a theory of how solar systems evolve, you should take into account the kind of shapes you might have in their structure,' she said. 'Maybe comets helped deliver water to Earth. Maybe the building blocks of life could be out there in the Oort Cloud, so if you want to talk about the potential building blocks of life that surround our solar system, you need to understand its shape.' It's a 'dream,' she added, to be able to present science so recent in a show aimed at the general public. 'I truly believe that the planetarium, the dome itself, is a research tool,' Faherty said. 'I like to say that this is science that hasn't had time to reach your textbook yet.' The spiral finding is a wonderful example of just how much we can learn through visualizing the universe in new ways, said Malena Rice, an assistant professor of astronomy at Yale University who did not participate in the study. 'This result reshapes our mental image of our home solar system, while also providing a new sense for what extrasolar systems' Oort clouds may look like,' Rice added. 'It unites our models of the solar system with what we know about the broader galaxy, placing it into context as a dynamic system. We are not static, and we are not isolated — our solar system is shaped by its broader ecosystem, and the Oort spiral exemplifies that.' While the paper is interesting, it is almost entirely theoretical, as it is based on numerical simulations of the interactions between the sun's gravity and the gravitational pull of the rest of the Milky Way galaxy's motion, said Edward Gomez, an astrophysicist and honorary lecturer at Cardiff University in the UK. He also was not involved with the study. 'Long period comets enter the inner solar system at a range of angles, which the authors try to model using their spiral arm idea,' Gomez said in an email. 'What they are proposing could be true, but it could also be modelled by other shapes of the Oort cloud or physical processes. How to test this is their major issue, because only a handful of potential Oort cloud objects are known about.' Confirming the findings will be a challenge, noted Simon Portegies Zwart, a professor of numerical star dynamics at Leiden University in the Netherlands who was not part of the team behind the research. 'It is interesting that they found the spiral, (but) it seems unlikely that we are going to witness (it) in the foreseeable future,' he said. With luck, he added, the Vera Rubin observatory will detect a few hundred inner Oort Cloud objects, but the spiral would only be visible if many more are found: 'It therefore seems unlikely to be a clearly detectable structure.'

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