Seroprevalence and silent infection rate during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic among children and adolescents in Western Pomerania: a multicenter, cross-sectional study-the COVIDKID study.

Background: Limited data on SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in rural areas of northern Germany necessitate comprehensive cohort studies. We aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence, silent infection (SI) rates and risk factors for infections among children and adolescents in Western Pomerania from December 2020 to August 2022.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, serum or plasma samples from children and adolescents (6 months to 17 years) were collected during routine blood draw.

Early postnatal high-dose fat-soluble enteral vitamin A supplementation for moderate or severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia or death in extremely low birthweight infants (NeoVitaA): a multicentre, randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled, investigator-initiated phase 3 trial.

Background: Vitamin A plays a key role in lung development, but there is no consensus regarding the optimal vitamin A dose and administration route in extremely low birthweight (ELBW) infants. We aimed to assess whether early postnatal additional high-dose fat-soluble enteral vitamin A supplementation versus placebo would lower the rate of moderate or severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia or death in ELBW infants receiving recommended basic enteral vitamin A supplementation.

Methods: This prospective, multicentre, randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled, investigator-initiated phase 3 trial conducted at 29 neonatal intensive care units in Austria and Germany assessed early high-dose enteral vitamin A supplementation (5000 international units [IU]/kg per day) or placebo (peanut oil) for 28 days in ELBW infants.

Implementation of a pediatric bed prioritization process in a rural Minnesota community-based hospital.

Inpatient capacity constraints have been a pervasive challenge for hospitals throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mayo Clinic Health System - Southwest Minnesota region primarily serves patients in rural southwestern Minnesota and part of Iowa and consists of 1 postacute care hospital, 1 tertiary care medical center, and 3 critical access hospitals. The main hub, Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato, Minnesota, has a pediatric unit with dedicated pediatric hospitalists.

Umbilical venous catheter- and peripherally inserted central catheter-associated complications in preterm infants with birth weight < 1250 g : Results from a survey in Austria and Germany.

Background And Objective: Umbilical venous catheters (UVC) and peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) are commonly used in preterm infants but have been associated with a number of serious complications. We performed a survey in Austria and Germany to assess the use of UVCs and PICCs in preterm infants with a birth weight < 1250 g and associated rates of catheter-related adverse events.

Methods: Electronic survey of participating centers of the NeoVitaA trial.

PLIP 2021: expanding the scope of the protein-ligand interaction profiler to DNA and RNA.

With the growth of protein structure data, the analysis of molecular interactions between ligands and their target molecules is gaining importance. PLIP, the protein-ligand interaction profiler, detects and visualises these interactions and provides data in formats suitable for further processing. PLIP has proven very successful in applications ranging from the characterisation of docking experiments to the assessment of novel ligand-protein complexes.

Active perinatal care of preterm infants in the German Neonatal Network.

Objective: To determine if survival rates of preterm infants receiving active perinatal care improve over time.

Design: The German Neonatal Network is a cohort study of preterm infants with birth weight <1500 g. All eligible infants receiving active perinatal care are registered.

Recognition memory is associated with altered resting-state functional connectivity in people at genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease.

The apolipoprotein E ε4 (ApoE ε4) allele not only represents the strongest single genetic risk factor for sporadic Alzheimer's disease, but also imposes independent effects on brain function in healthy individuals where it has been shown to promote subtle memory deficits and altered intrinsic functional brain network connectivity. Based on previous work showing a potential relevance of the default mode network (DMN) functional connectivity for episodic memory function, we hypothesized that the ApoE ε4 genotype would affect memory performance via modulation of the DMN. We assessed 63 healthy individuals (50-80 years old), of which 20 carried the ε4 allele.

Development of inflammatory bowel disease in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis treated with etanercept.

Objective: With the increasing use of etanercept for juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) new possible adverse events are reported including new autoimmune diseases. Our purpose was to examine if the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in patients with JIA using etanercept is higher than in the healthy age-matched population. We give the clinical characteristics of the IBD in patients with JIA using etanercept.

Fortification of breast milk in VLBW infants: metabolic acidosis is linked to the composition of fortifiers and alters weight gain and bone mineralization.

Background & Aims: Study objectives were to test (a) whether increased incidence of metabolic acidosis (MA) was caused by introduction of a new commercially available fortifier for breast milk, (b) if so, whether its modification would decrease the incidence of MA and (c) to analyze the impact of MA on growth.

Methods: Double-blind randomized design. Healthy breast-fed infants (≤34 gestational weeks).

Role of the multidrug transporter proteins ABCB1 and ABCC2 in the diaplacental transport of talinolol in the term human placenta.

Placental syncytiotrophoblasts are known to express the efflux transporter proteins P-glycoprotein (ABCB1) and multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (ABCC2), which are supposed to be a functional part of the human placental barrier. With advancing gestational age, expression of ABCB1 decreases progressively, whereas ABCC2 is more expressed. To evaluate to which extent they contribute to placental barrier function at term, permeability of talinolol, a substrate of both carriers, was measured using a validated human placenta perfusion model.

Ultrastructure of human placental tissue after 6 h of normoxic and hypoxic dual in vitro placental perfusion.

The dual in vitro perfusion model of human placental tissue allows the study of different aspects of placental function, such as metabolism, transport and secretion of proteohormones, cytokines and prostaglandins. The integrity of the perfused placental tissue is an important parameter to validate the perfusion system. Using light and electron microscopy, the morphology of villous tissue was examined before and after six hours of normoxic (n=10) vs.

Epidermal growth factor-mediated activation of the map kinase cascade results in altered expression and function of ABCG2 (BCRP).

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a multifunctional growth factor known to play a major role in proliferation and differentiation processes. EGF-induced differentiation is a prerequisite for function of various cell types, among them cytotrophoblasts, a functionally important cellular fraction in human placenta. Stimulation of cytotrophoblasts with EGF results in formation of a multinuclear syncytium representing the feto-maternal interface, which protects the fetus against exogenous substances.

Variable expression of MRP2 (ABCC2) in human placenta: influence of gestational age and cellular differentiation.

MRP2 (ABCC2) is an ATP-binding cassette (ABC)-type membrane protein involved in transport of conjugates of various drugs and endogenous compounds. MRP2 has been localized to the apical membrane of syncytiotrophoblasts and is assumed to be involved in diaplacental transfer of the above substances. It has been shown that both genetic and environmental factors can influence MRP2 expression.

Expression, localization, and function of MRP5 (ABCC5), a transporter for cyclic nucleotides, in human placenta and cultured human trophoblasts: effects of gestational age and cellular differentiation.

The placenta functions both as site for nutrition and protection of the fetus. Transport proteins, including members of the multidrug resistance protein (MRP)/ABCC subfamily, have been recognized to contribute to the latter function. MRP5 (ABCC5) was identified as transmembrane transport protein for cyclic nucleotides, especially 3',5'-cyclic GMP (cGMP), indicating an additional role in signal transduction and a potential role in placenta development.

Expression, localization, and function of the carnitine transporter octn2 (slc22a5) in human placenta.

L-carnitine is assumed to play an important role in fetal development, and there is evidence that carnitine is transported across the placenta. The protein involved in this transfer, however, has not been identified on a molecular level. We therefore characterized localization and function of the carnitine transporter OCTN2 in human placenta.

Transcriptional effects of hypoxia on fusiogenic syncytin and its receptor ASCT2 in human cytotrophoblast BeWo cells and in ex vivo perfused placental cotyledons.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that hypoxia down-regulates placental syncytin, which could play a role in altered placentogenesis; we investigated the influence of hypoxia on syncytin and its receptor ASCT2 gene expression in BeWo cells and in ex vivo perfused human cotyledons.

Study Design: BeWo cells were incubated with deferoxamine or cobalt chloride under normoxia and hypoxia. Additionally, a model of dually ex vivo perfused cotyledons was applied.

Physiological and pathological regulation of feto/placento/maternal leptin expression.

There is clear evidence of placental leptin production, as shown recently in trophoblast cultures and by dual in vitro placenta perfusion (median production of 225 pg/min per g of tissue; 98.4% released into the maternal and 1.6% into the fetal circulation).

Identification of interstitial maternal uniparental disomy (UPD) (14) and complete maternal UPD(20) in a cohort of growth retarded patients.

The association of uniparental disomy (UPD) and short stature has been reported for different chromosomes and in several conditions. Therefore, we investigated a cohort of 21 patients referred because of intrauterine and postnatal growth retardation for UPD of chromosomes 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, and 20. Typing of short tandem repeats showed maternal UPD(14) and maternal UPD(20) in two cases.

Leptin production and release in the dually in vitro perfused human placenta.

There is clear evidence that the placenta produces leptin. However, it is still unclear to what extent leptin is released into the maternal and the fetal circulation. The aim of our study was to determine placental leptin release rates into these 2 compartments.

Functional characterization of the molecular defects causing nephrogenic diabetes insipidus in eight families.

X-Linked nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) is a rare inherited disorder characterized by the excretion of abnormal large volumes of diluted urine mainly caused by mutations in the V2 vasopressin receptor (AVPR2) gene. By screening NDI patients for mutations within the AVPR2 gene we have identified three novel (I46K, F105V, I130F) and four recurrent (D85N, R106C, R113W, Q225X) mutations. In addition, a recurrent missense mutation (A147T) within the aquaporin-2 gene was identified in a female patient with autosomal recessive NDI associated with sensorineural deafness.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and circadian rhythms of hormones and cytokines.

Several cytokines exhibit a high degree of temporal regulation as well as somnogenic potency (e.g., interleukin-1 [IL-1], tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-alpha]).

[Circadian rhythm in cytokines].

The well-known human circadian rhythm (CR) in body temperature may be due to CR in endogenous pyrogens such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF). We, therefore, investigated the daily variation in spontaneous and LPS-induced monokine release by peripheral blood cells (whole blood assay) in 10 healthy volunteers. Spontaneous release of monokines (IL-1, IL-6, TNF) showed a simultaneous significant peak at noon, whereas LPS-induced release of IL-1 and IL-6 was strictly correlated with the CR in body temperature with its significant maximum at 8.