Apnea in Preterm and Term Infants After Deep Sedation and General Anesthesia.

Objectives: Determine the incidence of apnea in preterm and term infants after deep sedation (DS) compared with general anesthesia (GA).

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on infants who underwent elective DS or GA from January 2008 to December 2013, were <60 weeks postmenstrual age if preterm or <50 weeks postmenstrual age if term, and were monitored for apnea as inpatients after DS or GA. Gestational age, postmenstrual age, chronologic age, anesthetic and sedative medications, procedure indication, and postsedation events were collected.

Implementation of an inhaled nitric oxide protocol decreases direct cost associated with its use.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine whether the implementation of an inhaled nitric oxide protocol (INO) in a pediatric ICU (PICU) would reduce cost associated with its use without negatively affecting patient outcomes.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of 76 subjects who required INO therapy in the PICU during the study period. A nitric oxide setup and weaning protocol was implemented in the PICU.

CpG oligodeoxynucleotides stimulate cord blood mononuclear cells to produce immunoglobulins.

CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) stimulate adult B cells leading to cellular proliferation and immunoglobulin production. It is unknown if CpG-ODNs similarly stimulate neonatal human B cells. Neonates have immature immune responses and are poorly responsive to thymus independent antigens such as polysaccharides.

The role of B cells and accessory cells in the neonatal response to TI-2 antigens.

The neonate has an increased susceptibility to infection, in part owing to an inability to produce antibody to thymus-independent antigens such as bacterial polysaccharides (PS). This poor response to PS antigens is likely owing to multiple factors. Neonatal B cells are of an immature phenotype, as evidenced by cell-surface marker characteristics and increased susceptibility to tolerance induction.

Cell surface phenotyping and cytokine production of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs).

Epstein-Barr Virus-transformed B lymphoblastoid cell lines (EBV-LCLs) are routinely used for the in vitro expansion of T cells. However, these cell lines are reported to produce the cytokine IL-10, which is inhibitory for T cells. We, therefore, characterized a panel of 37 EBV-LCLs for a variety of cell surface markers, for secretion of various cytokines including IL-10 and for immunoglobulin production.