Molecular, Genetic, and Biochemical Nutrition Commons^™

Effect Of Umbilical Cord Essential And Toxic Elements, Thyroid Levels, And Vitamin D On Childhood Development, Jesse Cottrell, Chelsea Nelson, Catherine Waldron, Mackenzie Bergeron, Abigail Samson, Monica Valentovic

Biomedical Sciences

Introduction: The in-utero environment has dramatic effects on childhood development. We hypothesized prenatal levels of inorganic agents, thyroid levels, and Vitamin D effect childhood development.

Methods: Umbilical cord blood was collected from April 3, 2013 to January 30, 2014 and analyzed for 20 different elements, thyroid and Vitamin D. A retrospective review (n = 60) was performed of well-child examinations from birth to 5 years old (y.o.).

Results: There were associations with calcium and 4 month BMI (p = <0.01), 12 month language (p = 0.03); Magnesium and 6 month language (p = 0.04) and gross motor skills at 5 years old (y.o.) (p = 0.03); Copper and 12 month fine motor (p = 0.02); Zinc with fine motor (p = <0.01) and language (p = 0.03) at 2 y.o.; Manganese was associated with language development at 2 y.o. (p = 0.02); Molybdenum and fine motor at 12 months of age (p = 0.02); Selenium with gross motor (p = 0.04) and BMI (p = 0.02) at 5 y.o.; Lead with cognitive function at 4 months (p = 0.04) and 2 y.o. (p = 0.01); Mercury with gross motor at 4 months (p = 0.04) and language at 2 y.o. (p = 0.02). Platinum at 12 months of age (p = <.01) as well as multiple associations at 5 y.o. (p = <.01). Thyroid function tests for free T3 were associated with multiple cognitive and physical milestones. T3 Uptake was associated with 5 y.o. gross motor skills (p = 0.02). Total and Free T4 was associated with cognitive development (p = <.01) and fine motor development, respectively. Vitamin D was associated with a delay of fine motor development (p<0.01).

Conclusion: There were multiple associations between umbilical cord essential and toxic elements, thyroid levels, and Vitamin D on childhood development.

Ong-Term Effects Of Developmental Exposure To Oxycodone On Gut Microbiota And Relationship To Adult Behaviors And Metabolism, Zhen Lyu, Robert R. Schmidt, Rachel E. Martin, Madison T. Green, Jessica A. Kinkade, Jiude Mao, Nathan J. Bivens, Trupti Joshi, Cheryl S. Rosenfeld

Biomedical Sciences

Opioid drugs are commonly prescribed analgesic to pregnant women. Direct exposure to such drugs may slow gut motility, alter gut permeability, and affect the gut microbiome. While such drugs affect gut microbiome in infants, no study to date has determined whether developmental exposure to such drugs results in longstanding effects on gut microbiota and correspondingly on host responses. We hypothesized developmental exposure to oxycodone (OXY) leads to enduring effects on gut microbiota and such changes are associated with adult neurobehavioral and metabolic changes. Female mice were treated daily with 5 mg OXY/kg or saline solution (control [CTL]) for 2 weeks …