ONLINE YOUTH LITERARY MAGAZINE

Youth literary magazine

The Elysian Muse

Youth literary magazine

The Elysian Muse

Youth literary magazine

The Elysian Muse

Photography by Silja Pietilä, 18, Finland

Photography by Safia Henniche, 16, Boston

Photography by Safia Henniche, 16, Boston

Dear Readers and Contributors,

 

I would like to take the opportunity to personally thank you all for the continuous love and support, especially through the pandemic. In just under 6 months, we’ve come so far; the magazine has been featured on Publish YOUth Writing and Poets & Writers, and the editorial team reached a whooping milestone of 100+ Advice Articles written! As we continue grow our global outreach, we’ve published over 280 creators from 25 U.S. States, 25 countries, and 6 continents across the world! 

 

It’s been a pleasure growing this community over the past three years, so I know I speak for the entire editorial board when I say we hold this magazine and our contributors close to our hearts. It takes a tremendous amount of research and effort to manage the magazine, which is why we're so thankful for all of your support. We encourage you to share our publications and Advice Articles to help our other young creators who may be interested in pursuing their craft.

 

Cheers,

Lori Khadse

Founder, Nonfiction Editor in Chief

The Elysian Muse Youth Literary Magazine

Dear Readers and Contributors,

 

I would like to take the opportunity to personally thank you all for the continuous love and support, especially through the pandemic. In just under 6 months, we’ve come so far; the magazine has been featured on Publish YOUth Writing and Poets & Writers, and the editorial team reached a whooping milestone of 100+ Advice Articles written! As we continue grow our global outreach, we’ve published over 280 creators from 25 U.S. States, 25 countries, and 6 continents across the world! 

 

It’s been a pleasure growing this community over the past three years, so I know I speak for the entire editorial board when I say we hold this magazine and our contributors close to our hearts. It takes a tremendous amount of research and effort to manage the magazine, which is why we're so thankful for all of your support. We encourage you to share our publications and Advice Articles to help our other young creators who may be interested in pursuing their craft.

 

Cheers,

Lori Khadse

Founder, Nonfiction Editor in Chief

The Elysian Muse Youth Literary Magazine

Photography by Safia Henniche, 16, Boston

Editors' Choice Works

 

Effects of Maternal Nutrition

Written by Anon

 

Maternal nutrition, especially in the early stages of the embryo’s development, can suppress the expression of active genes that may be harmful to the organism. Certain compounds in maternal vitamins do not alter the embryo's DNA, but can change the phenotype of a gene. According to the thrifty phenotype hypothesis, fetuses that experience a lack of nutrition develop a slower metabolism as an adaptive response to the nutrient deficient environment. The results of recent studies further emphasize the importance of maternal nutrition. In a Duke study, a pregnant group of mice with an active agouti gene were given prenatal vitamin supplements. Unlike the control group, the treated group gave birth to thin brown mice. Some of the compounds in the vitamin turned off the agouti gene in the mice’s embryos. Though their DNA was not altered, and they still had this gene, but the expression of this gene was altered. 

 

Nutrition isn’t the only factor that can affect the gene expression of an embryo. What the mother senses and experiences in her environment sends signals to the developing genome, turning some genes on and off. This maternal effect, or predictive adaptive response, usually works well within the first week of conception when it comes to human epigenetics. Many animals have offspring suited to its environment through maternal signals; for example, if the mother freshwater flea Daphnia senses that there are many predators in the environment, she will have offspring with bigger spines and helmets. 

 

Parental care, the “nurture” side of the “nature v nature” debate, also plays a role in epigenetic changes. The placement of methyl markers, markers that determine whether a gene shows completely, partially, or not at all, can also be placed and removed after birth. Michael Meaney conducted a study in which he placed genetically aloof pups with adoptive genetically caring parent mice. The loving mice’s affection removed methyl markers in the pups’ brains, further developing “the part of the brain that dampened the stress response” (Moalem 169). In other words, despite the pups’ genetics, they grew to be stable-minded mice because of the effect of parental care on their methyl markers.