Consensus definition and diagnostic criteria for neonatal encephalopathy-study protocol for a real-time modified delphi study.

Background: 'Neonatal encephalopathy' (NE) describes a group of conditions in term infants presenting in the earliest days after birth with disturbed neurological function of cerebral origin. NE is aetiologically heterogenous; one cause is peripartum hypoxic ischaemia. Lack of uniformity in the terminology used to describe NE and its diagnostic criteria creates difficulty in the design and interpretation of research and complicates communication with families.

The Design, Modeling and Experimental Investigation of a Micro-G Microoptoelectromechanical Accelerometer with an Optical Tunneling Measuring Transducer.

This treatise studies a microoptoelectromechanical accelerometer (MOEMA) with an optical measuring transducer built according to the optical tunneling principle (evanescent coupling). The work discusses the design of the accelerometer's microelectromechanical sensing element (MSE) and states the requirements for the design to achieve a sensitivity threshold of 1 µg m/s at a calculated eigenvalue of the MSE. The studies cover the selection of the dimensions, mass, eigenfrequency and corresponding stiffness of the spring suspension, gravity-induced cross-displacements.

Is it feasible to avoid suction before spontaneous breathing is established?

Background: Suctioning of the posterior pharynx immediately after birth during neonatal resuscitation can produce a vagal response resulting in bradycardia or apnea. The feasibility of delaying any airway suctioning and avoiding deep suctioning has not been studied.

Objectives: To test the hypothesis that newborn resuscitation is feasible with the following two guidelines: 1) avoiding any suctioning until the infant establishes spontaneous respiration, and 2) avoiding the use of deep suction with catheters.

An Optical Measuring Transducer for a Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical Micro-g Accelerometer Based on the Optical Tunneling Effect.

Micro-opto-electro-mechanical (MOEM) accelerometers that can measure small accelerations are attracting growing attention thanks to their considerable advantages-such as high sensitivity and immunity to electromagnetic noise-over their rivals. In this treatise, we analyze 12 schemes of MOEM-accelerometers, which include a spring mass and a tunneling-effect-based optical sensing system containing an optical directional coupler consisting of a fixed and a movable waveguide separated by an air gap. The movable waveguide can perform linear and angular movement.

The impact of a multifaceted quality improvement program on the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis in very low birth weight infants.

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a multifactorial gastrointestinal disease which mostly occurs in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. In addition to decreasing gestational age (GA) or birth weight (BW), artificial formula, delayed initiation or rapidly advanced feeding, severe anemia and systemic infections were associated with NEC. Several studies demonstrated that breast milk, standardized feeding advancement regimens and treatment of anemia are associated with less incidence of NEC.

[Investigation of exciting light and plant leaves age effects on chlorophyll fluorescense of radish plants].

The effect of exciting light intensity and leaves age on characteristics of slow stage of chlorophyll fluorescence induction (CFI) of radish leaves has been investigated. Light dependence of the relationship of maximum fluorescence intensity in the peak P and the stationary fluorescence level (F(P)/F(S)) and also light dependence of temporal characteristics of CFI (T0.5 - half decrease of chlorophyll fluorescence intensity during slow stage of fluorescence induction and tmin - summarized CFI characteristics derived by calculating via integral proportional to variable part of illuminated in the result of chlorophyll fluorescence energy during slow stage of CFI) have been studied.

Is it a safe practice to administer oxygen during uncomplicated delivery: a randomized controlled trial?

Background: Newborns exposed to oxygen suffer from an oxidative stress with significant alterations in the concentrations of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSSG).

Objective: To investigate the biological and clinical effects of oxygen administration to delivering mothers.

Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial on a cohort of delivering women (n=56) with an uncomplicated term pregnancy.

Fetal and neonatal programming: evidence and clinical implications.

Fetal and neonatal programming is the phenomenon describing deviations from normal developmental patterns. These deviations can increase risks for diseases later in life and are an example of phenotypic plasticity seen throughout nature. For instance, infants born with low birth weight, as a marker of an unfavorable intrauterine environment, are programmed differently and may have an increased risk for multiple diseases in adulthood.

[Collagen plate Tachokomb in plastic surgery on paranasal sinus anterior walls].

ENT clinic of the Altai State Medical University has the experience with extranasal-endonasal use of a collagen plate Tachocomb in 150 patients with chronic sinusitis; 35 patients, of them 2 patients with osteoma of the frontal sinus, have undergone plastic reconstruction of the anterior walls of the frontal and maxillary sinus with the plate Tachocapital KA, Cyrillicomb. Follow-up of the patients demonstrated efficacy of this method, absence of complications and postoperative recurrences.

Exposure to oxygen and head growth in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are known to have developmental delays, but a direct link between oxygen (O (2)) exposure and brain growth has not been explored. Our objective was to test the hypothesis that the use of O (2) is associated with delays in head growth (DHG) in premature infants with BPD. We conducted a retrospective study on a cohort of infants with BPD (birthweight [BW] < 1500 g, gestational age < 34 weeks).

[Chlorophyll fluorescence induction and estimation of plant resistance to stress factors].

The usage of chlorophyll fluorescence induction (CFI) for estimating various types of plant resistance (primary, general, initial, adaptive) to stress factors is reviewed. The necessity of ontogenetic approach (considering the age-specific properties of the photosynthetic apparatus) in determining general and adaptive resistance of plants to prolonged action of stress factors by the CFI method is argued. In the plant Cucumbis sativus L.

[The ontogenetic approach to chlorophyll fluorescence studies of plant photosynthetic apparatus under stressful conditions].

Based on the analysis of reasons limiting the application of the method of chlorophyll fluorescence induction for estimating the state of the leaf photosynthetic apparatus under prolonged stress, the necessity of the ontogenetic approach consisting in a more exact determination of leaf age was substantiated. A comparison of the calendar and ontogenetic ways of determination of age of cucumber leaves under controlled conditions revealed essential distinctions in the estimation of plant leaf photosynthetic apparatus by the method of chlorophyll fluorescence induction for two variants distinguishing by the cultivation light regime ("white", 400-700 nm, and "red", 600-700 nm). It was shown that, in the case of prolonged effect of the stress factor on the plant, the unambiguity of the interpretation of chlorophyll fluorescence induction parameters in the estimation of the state of their photosynthetic apparatus depends essentially on the choice of the ontogenetic period of leaves of plants being compared and the accuracy of determination of leaf age.