Moscow

Researchers are exploring how maternal inflammation and early feeding impact the immune development and health of healthy full-term infants. The study focuses on understanding the relationship between maternal health, breastmilk inflammatory markers, and infant immune function. It aims to reveal how early diet exposure and maternal inflammation may influence the risk of obesity and other inflammatory conditions in infants. The study is observational and will recruit 30 mother-infant pairs, including 15 breastfeeding and 15 formula-fed infants matched by infant sex and maternal BMI. Blood samples will be collected from infants at 2 and 4 months to analyze immune cell populations and inflammatory markers. Breastmilk samples and maternal blood will be collected at multiple points between 6 and 18 weeks postpartum. Mothers may also provide fecal and saliva samples and complete surveys on diet, stress, and infant behavior. Data on maternal and infant health will be gathered from medical records. Participants will be involved for about 12 weeks, during which various samples and surveys will be collected and analyzed. Researchers will measure inflammatory cytokines in infant and maternal blood, feces, and breastmilk, and assess immune cell profiles using flow cytometry. The study will also examine fecal markers of inflammation and cortisol levels in saliva when available. These measures aim to characterize the infant's systemic inflammatory profile and deepen understanding of early immune development and health outcomes.

Mothers of preterm infants face higher emotional stress and are more likely to experience postpartum depression compared to mothers of full-term infants. This increased stress can negatively affect both maternal and infant health, including infant growth and development, as well as maternal risks like metabolic diseases and sleep problems. Vitamin D deficiency, especially in areas with limited sunlight like Idaho, may contribute to postpartum depression, but its effects during lactation on maternal mental health have not been fully studied, particularly in rural populations. The study evaluates the impact of daily supplementation with 2,000 IU of vitamin D compared to a placebo on vitamin D status, stress levels, and depression symptoms in mothers living in Idaho who have recently given birth to preterm infants. Participants will take either vitamin D or placebo supplements during the study period. The research also explores how vitamin D supplementation may affect the composition of human milk. Participants will be assessed for maternal stress, depression, and vitamin D levels at the beginning of the study, and again at 4 and 8 weeks after starting supplementation. Researchers will monitor these outcomes to understand how vitamin D may influence maternal mental health and nutritional status. The study focuses on mothers aged 18 to 64 years who have newborn infants within the first four months postpartum and live in Idaho.

This research aims to explore how eating trout, especially strains developed in Idaho with higher omega-3 fatty acids, may support brain health and mental wellbeing in children and adults. The study seeks to understand consumer preferences for these trout varieties and how nutrition education might increase fish consumption to improve cognitive and emotional health. It addresses a key knowledge gap by testing strategies to encourage fish eating among families, with a focus on sustainability and human health benefits. Participants will be involved in several activities including sensory evaluations of three trout strains by adult and child consumer panels. Children in childcare settings will be divided into control and two treatment groups to test the effects of repeated exposure and child-centered nutrition phrases on eating behaviors and brain health. In the home setting, four treatment groups will explore the impact of nutrition education, fish preparation techniques, repeated exposure, and family meal strategies on fish consumption and cognitive and emotional wellbeing for both children and adults. Throughout the study, researchers will measure changes from baseline to 12 weeks in liking of trout, intake amounts, cognition composite scores, and emotional wellbeing. Sensory preferences will be recorded once upon enrollment. Participants will complete evaluations, receive nutrition education, and engage with puzzles weekly. The study includes children aged 3 to 9 and adults 18 and older, with assessments conducted in childcare and home environments to monitor brain and emotional health outcomes over the 12-week period.