The Clinical Significance of Extreme Leukocytosis among Newborns: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: The aim of the study is to examine the clinical significance of extreme leukocytosis (>40,000 cells/µL) at birth among neonates.

Study Design: Data were retrospectively collected on 208 infants with leukocytosis >40,000 cells/µL and on matched normal controls as determined in complete blood counts obtained on the first day of life.

Results: There were no significant group differences in birth weight, Apgar's score, timing of respiratory support, hospitalization in special care units or rehospitalization during the first month of life.

Fetal and neonatal brain lesions following laser ablation for twin-to-twin-transfusion-syndrome as detected by pre- and post-natal brain imaging.

Objective: To determine the rate of and risk factors for fetal and neonatal brain lesions following laser ablation for twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS).

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 83 women with monochorionic twin pregnancies who underwent ablation for TTTS at a single tertiary hospital. Post-laser survivors were followed-up with fetal neurosonogram every 2 weeks and fetal brain MRI at 28-32 weeks of gestation; post-natal brain imaging included neurosonogram.

In-utero treatment of prenatal thoracic abnormalities by thoraco-amniotic shunts, short and long term neuro developmental outcome: A single center experience.

Background: Severe primary fetal hydrothorax (PFH) and fetal lung lesions (FLL) such as congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM) and Bronchopulmonary sequestration (BPS) are often treated by thoraco-amniotic shunt (TAS).

Objectives: To compare short and long-term outcome of fetuses treated by TAS due to FLL to those treated due to PFH.

Method: A retrospective analysis was performed for all fetuses treated by TAS, between the years 2004-2015, evaluating the short and long term neurodevelopmental outcome.

ASL expression in ALDH1A1 neurons in the substantia nigra metabolically contributes to neurodegenerative phenotype.

Argininosuccinate lyase (ASL) is essential for the NO-dependent regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and thus for catecholamine production. Using a conditional mouse model with loss of ASL in catecholamine neurons, we demonstrate that ASL is expressed in dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, including the ALDH1A1 subpopulation that is pivotal for the pathogenesis of Parkinson disease (PD). Neuronal loss of ASL results in catecholamine deficiency, in accumulation and formation of tyrosine aggregates, in elevation of α-synuclein, and phenotypically in motor and cognitive deficits.

Which Patient in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit should Receive Antifungal Prophylaxis Therapy?

Extremely preterm infants are at high risk for mortality and morbidity including neurodevelopmental impairment from invasive Candida infections. Prophylactic antifungal therapy has been shown to reduce both colonization and invasive candidemia in high-risk preterm infants. Prophylactic treatment should be started in the first 48 to 72 hours after birth to extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants (weighing ≤ 1000 grams at birth) or below 27 weeks gestation age with risk factors, or in any NICU with moderate (5-10%) or high (≥ 10%) rates of invasive candidiasis.