Noise and Critical Sound Levels During Non-Invasive Ventilation of a Preterm Infant in the Incubator.

Background: Preterm birth and the subsequent necessary treatment in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) subjects the preterm infant to non-physiological noise exposure with potentially adverse consequences for short- and long-term development. Adjusters to improve the acoustic environment for the preterm infant need to be defined.

Methods: Sound pressure level measurements during routine procedures in a NICU were performed by ¼" microphones placed inside and outside the incubator.

Patterns of volatile organic compounds in excrements of preterm neonates.

Background: As neonates are susceptible for many diseases, establishing noninvasive diagnostic methods is desirable. We hypothesized that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could be successfully measured in diaper samples.

Methods: We performed a feasibility study to investigate whether ambient air-independent headspace measurements of the VOC profiles of diapers from premature infants can be conducted using ion mobility spectrometer coupled with multi-capillary columns (B & S Analytik GmbH).

Contactless radar-based breathing monitoring of premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Vital sign monitoring systems are essential in the care of hospitalized neonates. Due to the immaturity of their organs and immune system, premature infants require continuous monitoring of their vital parameters and sensors need to be directly attached to their fragile skin. Besides mobility restrictions and stress, these sensors often cause skin irritation and may lead to pressure necrosis.

Longitudinal Assessment of Physical Activity, Fitness, Body Composition, Immunological Biomarkers, and Psychological Parameters During the First Year After Diagnosis in Women With Non-Metastatic Breast Cancer: The BEGYN Study Protocol.

Background: Moderate physical activity is associated with an improved prognosis and psychosocial outcome in breast cancer patients. Although exercise and physical activity are associated with multiple physiological and psychological effects, many of the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. The BEGYN study (Influence of physical activity in breast cancer patients on physiological and psychological parameters and on biomarkers) aims at identifying potential associations between the extent of physical activity, fitness, body composition, immunological biomarkers, psycho-emotional parameters, and the course of treatment during the first year after diagnosis of breast cancer.

Pooled RT-qPCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in schools - a cluster randomised trial.

Background: The extent to which children and adolescents contribute to SARS-CoV-2 transmission remains not fully understood. Novel high-capacity testing methods may provide real-time epidemiological data in educational settings helping to establish a rational approach to prevent and minimize SARS-CoV-2 transmission. We investigated whether pooling of samples for SARS-CoV-2 detection by RT-qPCR is a sensitive and feasible high-capacity diagnostic strategy for surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 infections in schools.

Detection of Volatile Organic Compounds as Potential Novel Biomarkers for Chorioamnionitis - Proof of Experimental Models.

Histologic chorioamnionitis is only diagnosed postnatally which prevents interventions. We hypothesized that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the amniotic fluid might be useful biomarkers for chorioamnionitis and that VOC profiles differ between amnionitis of different origins. Time-mated ewes received intra-amniotic injections of media or saline (controls), or live serovar 3 (Up) 14, 7 or 3d prior to c-section at day 124 gestational age (GA).

Attenuated asthma phenotype in mice with a fetal-like antigen receptor repertoire.

We hypothesized that the scarcity of N-nucleotides might contribute to the inability of the neonate to mount a robust allergic immune response. To test this, we used terminal deoxyribunucleotidyl Transferase deficient (TdT) mice, which express "fetal-like" T cell receptor and immunoglobulin repertoires with largely germline-encoded CDR3 regions. Intraperitoneal sensitization was followed by aerosol provocation with either PBS or the allergen OVA in both TdT mice and wild-type mice to develop allergic respiratory inflammation.

Bedside Measurement of Volatile Organic Compounds in the Atmosphere of Neonatal Incubators Using Ion Mobility Spectrometry.

Early and non-invasive diagnosis of common diseases is of great importance in the care of preterm infants. We hypothesized that volatile organic compounds (VOC) can be successfully measured in the neonatal incubator atmosphere. This is a feasibility study to investigate whether the discrimination of occupied and unoccupied neonatal incubators is possible by bedside measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on the neonatal intensive care unit.

Proteomics reveals signal peptide features determining the client specificity in human TRAP-dependent ER protein import.

In mammalian cells, one-third of all polypeptides are transported into or across the ER membrane via the Sec61 channel. While the Sec61 complex facilitates translocation of all polypeptides with amino-terminal signal peptides (SP) or transmembrane helices, the Sec61-auxiliary translocon-associated protein (TRAP) complex supports translocation of only a subset of precursors. To characterize determinants of TRAP substrate specificity, we here systematically identify TRAP-dependent precursors by analyzing cellular protein abundance changes upon TRAP depletion using quantitative label-free proteomics.