Decreased Cerebral Oxygenation in Premature Infants with Progressive Posthemorrhagic Ventricular Dilatation May Help with Timing of Intervention.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the degree of progressive posthemorrhagic ventricular dilatation (PHVD) that is associated with a significant decrease in regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO) in premature infants at risk for periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (PIVH).

Study Design: Cranial ultrasound (US) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) measurements of rScO were performed on inborn infants with birth weights less than 1,250 g on admission and at 1, 4, and 8 weeks of age. Infants with severe PIVH were studied weekly.

Therapeutic Hypothermia Inhibits the Classical Complement Pathway in a Rat Model of Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy.

Objective: Complement activation is instrumental in the pathogenesis of Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), a significant cause of neonatal mortality and disability worldwide. Therapeutic hypothermia (HT), the only available treatment for HIE, only modestly improves outcomes. Complement modulation as a therapeutic adjunct to HT has been considered, but is challenging due to the wide-ranging role of the complement system in neuroinflammation, homeostasis and neurogenesis in the developing brain.

Isoflavone levels, nodulation and gene expression profiles of a CRISPR/Cas9 deletion mutant in the isoflavone synthase gene of red clover.

Isoflavones are not involved in rhizobial signaling in red clover, but likely play a role in defense in the rhizosphere. Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is a high-quality forage legume, well suited for grazing and hay production in the temperate regions of the world. Like many legumes, red clover produces a number of phenylpropanoid compounds including anthocyanidins, flavan-3-ols, flavanols, flavanones, flavones, and isoflavones.

ANCA autoantigen gene expression highlights neutrophil heterogeneity where expression in normal-density neutrophils correlates with ANCA-induced activation.

ANCA vasculitis is an autoimmune disease with increased expression of the autoantigen genes, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and proteinase 3 (PRTN3), but the origin and significance of expression is less distinct. To clarify this, we measured MPO and PRTN3 messenger RNA in monocytes, normal-density neutrophils, and in enriched leukocytes from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Increased autoantigen gene expression was detected in normal-density neutrophils and enriched leukocytes from patients during active disease compared to healthy individuals, with the largest difference in enriched leukocytes.

Elevated midline head positioning of extremely low birth weight infants: effects on cardiopulmonary function and the incidence of periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage.

Objective: Changes in cerebrovascular hemodynamics associated with head position may be important in the pathogenesis of periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (PIVH) in premature infants. This study evaluated the effect of elevated midline head positioning on cardiopulmonary function and the incidence of PIVH.

Study Design: ELBW infants were randomized to FLAT (flat, supine) or ELEV (supine, bed elevated 30 degrees) for 96 h.

Changes in Cerebral Oxygenation in Preterm Infants With Progressive Posthemorrhagic Ventricular Dilatation.

Background: Optimal timing of intervention in neonatal progressive posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus is often a difficult decision. Unchecked hydrocephalus can lead to irreversible brain injury through impaired perfusion, while placement of a shunt is not without long-term morbidity. The purpose of this study was to assess the use of near-infrared spectroscopy to measure changes in regional cerebral oxygen saturation as an indicator of cerebral perfusion in infants with progressive posthemorrhagic ventricular dilatation.

Therapeutic hypothermia modulates complement factor C3a and C5a levels in a rat model of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy.

Background: Therapeutic hypothermia (HT) is the only intervention that improves outcomes in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). However, the multifactorial mechanisms by which HT impacts HIE are incompletely understood. The complement system plays a major role in the pathogenesis of ischemia-reperfusion injuries such as HIE.

Non-invasive measurement of brain temperature using radiometric thermometry: experimental validation and clinical observations in asphyxiated newborns.

Background: Therapeutic hypothermia (HT) has been shown to decrease death and severe disability in infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Rectal temperature (RT) is used to determine the temperature set-points for treatment with HT, however experimental studies have shown significant differences between RT and brain temperature during HT. Knowledge of actual brain temperature during HT might allow better determination of optimal degree of cooling and improve outcomes.

Severe cystic periventricular leukomalacia in a premature infant with capnocytophaga sepsis.

Capnocytophaga is an opportunistic gram-negative anaerobic bacillus found in the oropharyngeal cavity of mammals and is associated with periodontal disease in humans. Sepsis, osteomyelitis, lung abscess, endocarditis, and meningitis have been reported in humans following animal bites. Perinatal infection with Capnocytophaga is infrequent and is generally considered to have a low risk of morbidity to the mother and fetus.

Proactive control of proactive interference using the method of loci.

Proactive interferencebuilds up with exposure to multiple lists of similar items with a resulting reduction in recall. This study examined the effectiveness of using a proactive strategy of the method of loci to reduce proactive interference in a list recall paradigm of categorically similar words. While all participants reported using some form of strategy to recall list words, this study demonstrated that young adults were able to proactively use the method of loci after 25 min of instruction to reduce proactive interference as compared with other personal spontaneous strategies.

A comparative effectiveness study of continuous positive airway pressure-related skin breakdown when using different nasal interfaces in the extremely low birth weight neonate.

A three group prospective randomized experimental design was conducted to identify differences in frequency and severity of nasal injuries when comparing various interfaces used during continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and identified risk factors associated with injury. Seventy-eight neonates <1500 g were randomized into three groups: continuous nasal prongs; continuous nasal mask; or alternating mask/prongs. Repeated measures ANOVA with Bonferroni correction demonstrated that significantly less skin injury was detected in the rotation interface group when compared to both mask and prong groups.

Clinical hypothermia temperatures increase complement activation and cell destruction via the classical pathway.

Background: Therapeutic hypothermia is a treatment modality that is increasingly used to improve clinical neurological outcomes for ischemia-reperfusion injury-mediated diseases. Antibody-initiated classical complement pathway activation has been shown to contribute to ischemia-reperfusion injury in multiple disease processes. However, how therapeutic hypothermia affects complement activation is unknown.

An integrative review of skin breakdown in the preterm infant associated with nasal continuous positive airway pressure.

Objective: To identify factors associated with skin injury during nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) and describe differences in frequency, severity, and type of skin injuries when comparing nasal interfaces used during NCPAP in the preterm infant.

Data Sources: Scientific databases were searched using provided key terms and yielded 113 articles.

Study Selection: Forty-six articles were included in this integrative review: six case studies, 22 with identified aim of examining skin and nasal injury during NCPAP; 18 included skin care considerations during NCPAP.

Altered circulating leukocytes and their chemokines in a clinical trial of therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy*.

Objectives: To determine systemic hypothermia's effect on circulating immune cells and their corresponding chemokines after hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy in neonates.

Design: In our randomized, controlled, multicenter trial of systemic hypothermia in neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, we measured total and leukocyte subset and serum chemokine levels over time in both hypothermia and normothermia groups, as primary outcomes for safety.

Setting: Neonatal ICUs participating in a Neurological Disorders and Stroke sponsored clinical trial of therapeutic hypothermia.

Human milk versus formula after gastroschisis repair: effects on time to full feeds and time to discharge.

Objective: To determine if the choice of enteral feeds after gastroschisis repair relates to the time to achieve full feeds and time to discharge.

Study Design: A retrospective study of infants with gastroschisis from 2000 to 2010 examined demographics, days at closure, days at initiation of feeds, days to full feeds, time to discharge and length of stay.

Result: Ninety infants were identified, 22 received (human milk) HM exclusively, 15 were fed >50% HM, 16 were fed <50% HM and 26 were fed only cow milk-based formulas.

Serum cytokines in a clinical trial of hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

Inflammatory cytokines may mediate hypoxic-ischemic (HI) injury and offer insights into the severity of injury and the timing of recovery. In our randomized, multicenter trial of hypothermia, we analyzed the temporal relationship of serum cytokine levels in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) with neurodevelopmental outcome at 12 months. Serum cytokines were measured every 12 hours for 4 days in 28 hypothermic (H) and 22 normothermic (N) neonates with HIE.

Congenital herpes simplex virus infection: two unique cutaneous presentations associated with probable intrauterine transmission.

Cutaneous manifestations of congenital herpes simplex virus (HSV) have been classically described as grouped vesicles on an erythematous base. We report two cases of HSV infection wherein both infants presented at birth with widespread erosions and an absence of vesicles or vesicopustules. The presence of skin lesions at birth, neurologic changes seen on radiographic imaging, and a cesarean section delivery in one case suggests intrauterine transmission in both neonates.

Proinflammatory cytokine-receptor interaction model improves the predictability of cerebral white matter injury in preterm infants.

Proinflammatory cytokines have been variably linked to development of cerebral white matter injury (WMI) in preterm infants. Because soluble receptors tightly control cytokine bioactivity, we modeled cytokine-receptor interaction as a predictor of WMI. Plasma from 100 preterm infants was assayed for cytokines (tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin (IL-1beta, IL-6) and their soluble receptors (sTNF-RI), sTNF-RII, sIL-1RA, and sIL-6R).

Radiation safety protocol for high dose 131I therapy of thyroid carcinoma in patients on hemodialysis for chronic renal failure.

Iodine ablation therapy for thyroid cancer on patients receiving dialysis poses unique radiation safety challenges. Exposure to gamma and beta negative particles by the hemodialysis (HD) staff is a concern that has not been well studied. A 53-y-old male patient on HD for chronic renal failure was scheduled for 131I high dose therapy as treatment for thyroid papillary carcinoma.

Disease resistance in plants that carry a feedback-regulated yeast poly(A) binding protein gene.

It has been reported that the expression of the yeast poly(A) binding protein gene (PAB1) in plants leads to an induction of disease resistance responses, accompanied by alterations in the growth habit of the plant (Li et al. Plant Mol. Biol.

Novel motor and somatosensory activity is associated with increased cerebral cortical blood volume measured by near-infrared optical topography.

Recent reports suggest that learning is enhanced by emotion, spontaneity, and play. The mechanisms of this enhancement are unclear and might involve increased cortical stimulation by the limbic system. Since neuronal activity is tightly coupled to changes in cerebral blood flow and volume, the demonstration of increased cortical blood volume during playful versus routine motor and somatosensory activity would imply enhanced neuronal activity and provide insight into the complex interaction between play and learning.

Phylloplanins of tobacco are defensive proteins deployed on aerial surfaces by short glandular trichomes.

In plants, defensive proteins secreted to leaf aerial surfaces have not previously been considered to be a strategy of pathogen resistance, and the general occurrence of leaf surface proteins is not generally recognized. We found that leaf water washes (LWW) of the experimental plant Nicotiana tabacum tobacco introduction (TI) 1068 contained highly hydrophobic, basic proteins that inhibited spore germination and leaf infection by the oomycete pathogen Peronospora tabacina. We termed these surface-localized proteins tobacco phylloplanins, and we isolated the novel gene T-Phylloplanin (for Tobacco Phylloplanin) and its promoter from N.