The Relationship Between Hispanic Ethnicity and Outcomes for Infants Born Extremely Preterm.

Objective: To characterize the association between maternal ethnicity and infant survival to discharge without major morbidity.

Study Design: This is secondary analysis of a prospective cohort of infants born <27 weeks of gestation at NICHD Neonatal Research Network centers from 2006 through 2020. The primary outcome was survival to discharge without major morbidity (sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia grade 3, intracranial hemorrhage grade ≥3, periventricular leukomalacia, and advanced retinopathy of prematurity).

Maternal exposure to legacy PFAS compounds PFOA and PFOS is associated with disrupted cytokine homeostasis in neonates: The Upstate KIDS study (2008-2010).

There is growing concern that exposure to per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), persistent chemicals used widely to make consumer products water- or grease-proof, may alter immune function, leading to reduced vaccine response or greater susceptibility to infections. We investigated associations between two legacy PFAS (PFOA and PFOS) and infant cytokine levels measured in newborn dried bloodspots (NDBS) from a large population-based birth cohort in Upstate New York, to determine whether exposure to legacy PFAS is associated with variability in cytokine profiles in newborns. We performed adjusted mixed effects regressions for each cytokine against PFOS and PFOA followed by exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on specific cytokine subsets selected via the prior regressions.

Ecological concrete by partially substitution of cement with Cameroonian corn stover ash.

This study focuses on the influence of the partial substitution of cement by Cameroonian corn stover ash (CCSA) on the physical and mechanical behavior of concrete. For this, as materials used, one has first the corn stovers coming from the Bandjoun town in the Koung-khi division, in the West region of Cameroon, which are used to obtain the ashes, while the sand used, came from the Sanaga River in the coastal region of Cameroon. In order to obtain the CCSA, the corn stover is calcined in an oven at 600 °C for 6 h and then characterized; the characterization included infrared spectrometry, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, fineness of grinding, and absolute density.

Outcomes of Extremely Preterm Infants Exposed to Prolonged Prelabor Rupture of Membranes before 24 Weeks of Gestation.

Background: Preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) before or around the limit of fetal viability is associated with serious maternal and neonatal complications including chorioamnionitis, extremely preterm birth, and pulmonary hypoplasia.

Objectives: To describe contemporary outcomes of extremely preterm infants born after prolonged periviable PPROM, and to identify perinatal factors associated with survival and survival without severe neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI).

Study Design: Among actively treated infants born alive at <27 weeks' gestational age (GA) in centers of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network from 2012 to 2018, the outcomes of survival and survival without severe NDI at 22-26 months' corrected age were compared between infants exposed to prolonged (≥120 hours) periviable (<24 weeks' GA) PPROM and unexposed infants born after rupture of membranes ≤18 hours before delivery or at delivery, adjusting for birth GA, sex, multiple gestation, antenatal steroids, small for gestational age (SGA), insurance, and center.

A mini review of leveraging biobanking in the identification of novel biomarkers in neurological disorders: insights from a rapid single-cell sequencing pipeline.

Recent successes in the identification of biomarkers and therapeutic targets for diagnosing and managing neurological diseases underscore the critical need for cutting-edge biobanks in the conduct of high-caliber translational neuroscience research. Biobanks dedicated to neurological disorders are particularly timely, given the increasing prevalence of neurological disability among the rising aging population. Translational research focusing on disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) poses distinct challenges due to the limited accessibility of CNS tissue pre-mortem.

Changes in Patent Ductus Arteriosus Management and Outcomes in Infants Born at 26-28 Weeks' Gestation.

Objective: To investigate the association between the secular decrease in treatment of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and trends in neonatal mortality and morbidity in infants born at 26 0/7-28 6/7 weeks' gestation.

Study Design: A retrospective cohort study including infants born between 2012 and 2021 in continually participating hospitals in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network. The primary composite outcome was defined as surgical necrotizing enterocolitis, grade 2-3 bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), severe intraventricular hemorrhage, or death.

Assessing the Use and Acceptability of Virtual Reality to Assist Coping in Children Undergoing Clinical Procedures.

Purpose: Virtual reality is used as a distraction tool during medical procedures that can cause anxiety and pain. We assessed the usefulness, engagement, value and feasibility of virtual reality to help children cope with routine clinical procedures.

Design And Methods: Quality improvement study.

Information overload and parental perspectives on information provided to parents/carers of paediatric patients undergoing elective surgical procedures.

When parents are expected to play a significant role in the management of their children's health perioperatively, information overload for parents could have particularly detrimental consequences. Our study investigated information communication and overload in 380 parents of children undergoing any elective surgical procedure at our institution. Participants completed an online questionnaire and were asked to respond to a newly designed Information Overload scale based on a modified 5 item Cancer Information Overload Scale and an 8-item atrial fibrillation information overload scale.

The role of indigenous healers in treating surgical conditions in the rural Eastern Cape of South Africa.

Background: Indigenous knowledge healers (IKHs) provide alternative healthcare to formal health services in rural South Africa, but there is a gap in knowledge regarding their treatment of surgical conditions. This study evaluated IKH surgical care and described their perspective of the dual health system.

Methods: A cross sectional survey of IKHs in the Madwaleni Hospital catchment of the Eastern Cape, South Africa was conducted.

Fidaxomicin versus oral vancomycin for infection among patients at high risk for recurrence based on real-world experience.

Introduction: infection (CDI) is a common nosocomial infection and is associated with a high healthcare burden due to high rates of recurrence. In 2021 the IDSA/SHEA guideline update recommended fidaxomicin (FDX) as first-line therapy. Our medical center updated our institutional guidelines to follow these recommendations, prioritizing FDX use among patients at high risk for recurrent CDI (rCDI).

Trends in sex differences in neurodevelopmental outcomes among extremely preterm infants.

Objective: To examine whether changes in survival without moderate or severe neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) at 18-26 months' corrected age from 1999 to 2018 differed between male and female infants.

Design: This retrospective cohort study used data from the NICHD Neonatal Research Network hospitals. Robust Poisson regression models were used to estimate adjusted relative risks (aRRs) and 95% CIs for survival without moderate or severe NDI between males and females.

Denitrification genotypes of endospore-forming .

Denitrification is a key metabolic process in the global nitrogen cycle and is performed by taxonomically diverse microorganisms. Despite the widespread importance of this metabolism, challenges remain in identifying denitrifying populations and predicting their metabolic end-products based on their genotype. Here, genome-resolved metagenomics was used to explore the denitrification genotype of enriched in nitrate-amended high temperature incubations with confirmed NO and N production.

A Structured Narrative Literature Review of the Broader Value of Adult Immunisation Programmes.

Vaccine-preventable diseases continue to generate a substantial burden on health, healthcare systems, and societies, which is projected to increase with population ageing. There is a need to better understand the full value of adult immunisation programmes corresponding to the broader value of vaccine frameworks that are recommended for evidence-based decision-making. This review aims to summarise and map evidence for the value of selected adult immunisation programmes (seasonal influenza, pneumococcal disease, RSV, and HZ) in ten diverse countries.

Interventions to Mitigate the Impact of COVID-19 Among People Experiencing Sheltered Homelessness: Chicago, Illinois, March 1, 2020-May 11, 2023.

To compare the incidence, case-hospitalization rates, and vaccination rates of COVID-19 between people experiencing sheltered homelessness (PESH) and the broader community in Chicago, Illinois, and describe the impact of a whole community approach to disease mitigation during the public health emergency. Incidence of COVID-19 among PESH was compared with community-wide incidence using case-based surveillance data from March 1, 2020, to May 11, 2023. Seven-day rolling means of COVID-19 incidence were assessed for the overall study period and for each of 6 distinct waves of COVID-19 transmission.

3-Dimensional Virtual Reality Versus 2-Dimensional Video for Distraction During the Induction of Anesthesia in Children to Reduce Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Preoperative anxiety is common in children. It can contribute to negative experiences with anesthetic induction and may cause adverse physiological and psychological effects. Virtual reality (VR) and electronic tablet devices are 2 audiovisual distraction tools that may help to reduce anxiety and enhance the preoperative experience.

Learnings from the vaccines taskforce: an apotheosis in mission, purpose and handling risk.

The Vaccines Task Force was established by the UK government in March 2020, with the objective of securing early access to effective COVID-19 vaccines for the UK population and internationally. The VTF was successful in securing the earliest access to the Oxford/Astra Zeneca and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines, allowing the UK to be the first country in the world to deploy an approved COVID-19 vaccine. The VTF also played a critical role in supporting efforts to distribute vaccines globally, as one of COVAX's earliest and largest donors.

Risk Assessment of Cognitive Impairment at 2 Years of Age in Infants Born Extremely Preterm Using the INTERGROWTH-21st Growth Standards.

Objective: To assess the risk of cognitive impairment among infants born extremely preterm using the INTERGROWTH-21st standards.

Study Design: We analyzed anthropometric data at birth and 36 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA) from infants born extremely preterm (24-26 weeks of gestation) admitted to US neonatal units between 2008 and 2018. To determine INTERGROWTH-21st z-score values that indicate an increased risk of cognitive impairment at 2 years of age (Bayley cognitive score <85), we employed classification and regression trees and redefined growth failure (weight, length, and head circumference z-scores at 36 weeks PMA) and growth faltering (weight, length, and head circumference z-score declines from birth to 36 weeks PMA).