Hydrogen Sulfide Improves Outcomes in a Murine Model of Necrotizing Enterocolitis via the Cys440 Residue on Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase.

Background: Hydrogen sulfide (HS) has been shown to improve outcomes in a murine model of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). There is evidence in humans that HS relies on endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) to exert its protective effects, potentially through the persulfidation of eNOS at the Cysteine 443 residue. We obtained a novel mouse strain with a mutation at this residue (eNOS) and hypothesized that this locus would be critical for GYY4137 (an HS donor) to exert its protective effects.

Characterization of fatal blunt injuries using postmortem computed tomography.

Background: Rapid triage of blunt agonal trauma patients is necessary to maximize survival, but autopsy is uncommon, slow, and rarely informs resuscitation guidelines. Postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) can serve as an adjunct to autopsy in guiding blunt agonal trauma resuscitation.

Methods: Retrospective cohort review of trauma decedents who died at or within 1 hour of arrival following blunt trauma and underwent noncontrasted PMCT.

Age disparities in intestinal stem cell quantities: a possible explanation for preterm infant susceptibility to necrotizing enterocolitis.

Purpose: Preterm infants are more susceptible to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) than term Queryinfants. This may be due to a relative paucity of Lgr5 or Bmi1-expressing intestinal stem cells (ISCs) which are responsible for promoting intestinal recovery after injury. We hypothesized that the cellular markers of Lgr5 and Bmi1, which represent the two distinct ISC populations, would be lower in younger mice compared to older mice.

A hydrogen-sulfide derivative of mesalamine reduces the severity of intestinal and lung injury in necrotizing enterocolitis through endothelial nitric oxide synthase.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) remains a devastating disease that affects preterm infants. Hydrogen sulfide (HS) donors have been shown to reduce the severity of NEC, but the optimal compound has yet to be identified. We hypothesized that oral HS-Mesalamine (ATB-429) would improve outcomes in experimental NEC, and its benefits would be dependent on endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) pathways.

Sildenafil attenuates intestinal injury in necrotizing enterocolitis independently of endothelial nitric oxide synthase.

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating disease that impacts the intestine of premature infants. Sildenafil has shown benefit in colitis and ischemia/reperfusion models but has not been adequately studied in NEC. Sildenafil's best studied mechanism involves augmenting nitric oxide induced vasodilation.

Neurolysis for analgesia following pectus repair in a national cohort.

Introduction: Pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum are the most common chest wall deformities of childhood. Surgical repair can be complicated by post-operative analgesic challenges. Thoracic epidural analgesia, patient-controlled analgesia, and multimodal pain control are among the most common strategies.

Factors Affecting Higher Readmission Rates and Costs in Pediatric Patients With Hirschsprung Disease.

Background: Hirschsprung disease is a relatively uncommon disorder of the developing gastrointestinal tract that requires surgical intervention to restore long-term function. While readmission for Hirschsprung-related complications is a known concern in these patients, we sought to identify patient-level factors associated with a prolonged hospital stay, increased costs at the time of a pull-through operation, as well as the risk for all-cause inpatient readmission after surgery. We hypothesized that higher level of care requirement during the operative stay, age at operation, and length of stay (LOS) would portend increased readmissions and disease-related complications such as Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis.

The assessment of microbiome changes and fecal volatile organic compounds during experimental necrotizing enterocolitis.

Introduction: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) remains a devastating disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract of the preterm infant. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have emerged as a non-invasive biomarker in many diseases. We hypothesized that fecal VOC profiles would be significantly different between control and NEC pups in a NEC mouse model.

It's all in the milk: chondroitin sulfate as potential preventative therapy for necrotizing enterocolitis.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating condition affecting up to 5% of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions. Risk factors include preterm delivery, low birth weight, and antibiotic use. The pathogenesis is characterized by a combination of intestinal ischemia, necrosis of the bowel, reperfusion injury, and sepsis typically resulting in surgical resection of afflicted bowel.

Angiogenesis: A Cellular Response to Traumatic Injury.

The development of new vasculature plays a significant role in a number of chronic disease states, including neoplasm growth, peripheral arterial disease, and coronary artery disease, among many others. Traumatic injury and hemorrhage, however, is an immediate, often dramatic pathophysiologic insult that can also necessitate neovascularization to promote healing. Traditional understanding of angiogenesis involved resident endothelial cells branching outward from localized niches in the periphery.

The Assessment of Fecal Volatile Organic Compounds in Healthy Infants: Electronic Nose Device Predicts Patient Demographics and Microbial Enterotype.

Background: The assessment of fecal volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has emerged as a noninvasive biomarker in many different pathologies. Before assessing whether VOCs can be used to diagnose intestinal diseases, including necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), it is necessary to measure the impact of variable infant demographic factors on VOC signals.

Materials And Methods: Stool samples were collected from term infants at four hospitals in a large metropolitan area.

Epilepsy in neurofibromatosis type 1.

Objectives: To describe the characteristics of epilepsy in patients with Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).

Methods: Analysis of a cohort of consecutive NF1 patients seen in our NF1 clinic during a three-year period.

Results: Of the 184 NF1 patients seen during that period, 26 had epilepsy and three had febrile seizures.