Intermittent vs Continuous Administration of Nerve Growth Factor to Injured Medial Septal Cholinergic Neurons in Rat Basal Forebrain.

Many medial septal neurons of the basal forebrain are dependent on nerve growth factor (NGF) from the hippocampus for survival and maintenance of a cholinergic phenotype. When deprived of their source of NGF by axotomy, medial septal neuronal cell bodies atrophy and lose their cholinergic markers. This is similar to what is observed in the basal forebrain during Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Neurodevelopmental outcome of extremely low birth weight infants with Candida infection.

Objective: Candida remains an important cause of late-onset infection in preterm infants. Mortality and neurodevelopmental outcome of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants enrolled in the Candida study were evaluated based on infection status.

Study Design: ELBW infants born at Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network (NRN) centers between March 2004 and July 2007 who were screened for suspected sepsis were eligible for inclusion in the Candida study.

Extracorporeal photopheresis for the treatment of severe, refractory steroid dependent pediatric Crohn's Disease.

Crohn's disease is a chronic, inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract, affecting both children and adults. Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) has been used in steroid dependent adults with moderate to severely active Crohn's disease, with response rates up to 50%, with up to 25% complete responses. A 12-year-old male patient had severe unremitting Crohn's disease for one year, despite treatment with anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, and biologic agents.

Are outcomes of extremely preterm infants improving? Impact of Bayley assessment on outcomes.

Objectives: To compare 18- to 22-month cognitive scores and neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) in 2 time periods using the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development's Neonatal Research Network assessment of extremely low birth weight infants with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Second Edition (Bayley II) in 2006-2007 (period 1) and using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley III), with separate cognitive and language scores, in 2008-2011 (period 2).

Study Design: Scores were compared with bivariate analysis, and regression analyses were run to identify differences in NDI rates.

Results: Mean Bayley III cognitive scores were 11 points higher than mean Bayley II cognitive scores.

Maternal and infant characteristics associated with human milk feeding in very low birth weight infants.

This study identified maternal and infant characteristics predicting human milk (HM) feeding in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants whose mothers (n = 184) participated in a study of lactation counseling and initiated milk expression. Data were collected prospectively, by maternal interview and medical record review. During hospitalization, 159 (86%) infants received at least 50% HM proportion of feedings in the first 2 weeks of life, and 114 (62%) received some HM until the day of hospital discharge.

Human milk consumption and full enteral feeding among infants who weigh

Objective: Establishing enteral feeding is an important goal in the care of very low birth weight infants. In such infants, receipt of >/=50 mL/kg per day human milk during hospitalization has been associated with shorter time to full enteral feeding. The objective of this study was to determine whether high proportions (>/=50%) of human milk during feeding advancement are associated with shorter time to full enteral feeding and improved feeding tolerance.

Appropriate calibration curve fitting in ligand binding assays.

Calibration curves for ligand binding assays are generally characterized by a nonlinear relationship between the mean response and the analyte concentration. Typically, the response exhibits a sigmoidal relationship with concentration. The currently accepted reference model for these calibration curves is the 4-parameter logistic (4-PL) model, which optimizes accuracy and precision over the maximum usable calibration range.

Neurodevelopmental outcomes of premature infants with severe respiratory failure enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of inhaled nitric oxide.

Objectives: We hypothesized that inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) would not decrease death or neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) in infants enrolled in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Preemie iNO Trial (PiNO) trial, nor improve neurodevelopmental outcomes in the follow-up group.

Study Design: Infants <34 weeks of age, weighing <1500 g, with severe respiratory failure were enrolled in the multicenter, randomized, controlled trial. NDI at 18 to 22 months corrected age was defined as: moderate to severe cerebral palsy (CP; Mental Developmental Index or Psychomotor score Developmental Index <70), blindness, or deafness.

Survival and major neurodevelopmental impairment in extremely low gestational age newborns born 1990-2000: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: It is important to determine if rates of survival and major neurodevelopmental impairment in extremely low gestational age newborns (ELGANs; infants born at 23-27 weeks gestation) are changing over time.

Methods: Study infants were born at 23 to 27 weeks of gestation without congenital anomalies at a tertiary medical center between July 1, 1990 and June 30, 2000, to mothers residing in a thirteen-county region in North Carolina. Outcomes at one year adjusted age were compared for two epochs of birth: epoch 1, July 1, 1990 to June 30, 1995; epoch 2, July 1, 1995 to June 30, 2000.

Follow-up care for infants with chronic lung disease: a randomized comparison of community- and center-based models.

Objectives: Premature infants with chronic lung disease benefit from comprehensive care, which typically is based in tertiary medical centers. When such centers are not easily accessible, alternative models of care are needed. The purpose of this work was to compare community-based follow-up, provided via telephone contacts, to traditional center-based follow-up of premature infants with chronic lung disease.

Video and CD-ROM as a training tool for performing neurologic examinations of 1-year-old children in a multicenter epidemiologic study.

In lieu of traditional training of examiners to identify cerebral palsy on a neurologic examination at age 1 year, we proposed an alternative approach using a multimedia training video and CD-ROM we developed after a two-step validation process. We hypothesized that use of CD-ROM interactive training will lead to reliable and valid performance of the neurologic examination by both pediatric neurologists and nonpediatric neurologists. All examiners were asked to take one of six interobserver variability tests found on the CD-ROM on two occasions.

Lactation counseling for mothers of very low birth weight infants: effect on maternal anxiety and infant intake of human milk.

Objective: Although it is well documented that breastfeeding promotes health and development of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, lactation initiation among mothers of VLBW infants is low. Mothers are anxious about the health of their children, and medical staff may be reluctant to promote breastfeeding out of concern for increasing that anxiety. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine whether mothers of VLBW infants who initially planned to formula feed were different in terms of their level of anxiety and maternal stress compared with mothers who had planned to breastfeed their infants.

Bioanalytical method validation for macromolecules in support of pharmacokinetic studies.

The development and validation of ligand binding assays used in the support of pharmacokinetic studies has been the focus of various workshops and publications in recent years, all in an effort to establish a guidance document for standardization of these bioanalytical methods. This summary report of the workshop from 2003 focuses on the issues discussed in presentations and notes points of discussion and areas of consensus among the participants.