Increasing evidence supports the nutritional epigenetics model for autism and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders that explains how unhealthy diet contributes to the epigenetic inheritance of these disorders. An unhealthy diet characterized by excessive intake of ultra-processed foods results in heavy metal exposures and deficits in zinc that may impact metallothionein gene function. Metallothionein gene malfunction may result in the bioaccumulation of mercury and/or lead in the blood depending on diet. Nutritional epigenetics education may be used as an intervention to reduce the intake of ultra-processed foods and heavy metals in expectant mothers and prevent the development of autism and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders in children.

A dataset unveiled today more than doubles the documented stream miles in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, elevating the total from approximately 150,000 to nearly 350,000 miles. The novel, AI-supported mapping method dramatically reduces costs, time, and labor required for stream mapping, making it easy to update as additional data become available or apply in other watersheds to amplify its impact. The project is a collaboration between University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), the EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program and the nonprofit Chesapeake Conservancy.