Non-invasive brain microcurrent stimulation therapy of long-COVID-19 reduces vascular dysregulation and improves visual and cognitive impairment.

Background: An effective treatment is needed for long-COVID patients which suffer from symptoms of vision and/or cognition impairment such as impaired attention, memory, language comprehension, or fatigue.

Objective: Because COVID-19infection causes reduced blood flow which may cause neuronal inactivation, we explored if neuromodulation with non-invasive brain stimulation using microcurrent (NIBS), known to enhance blood flow and neuronal synchronization, can reduce these symptoms.

Methods: Two female long-COVID patients were treated for 10-13 days with alternating current stimulation of the eyes and brain.

Long-chain saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids associate with development of premature infants up to 18 months of age.

Myelination is important perinatally and highly dependent on long-chain saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, nowadays often supplemented, inhibit oleic acid synthesis. Using data from a premature cohort, we studied if nervonic, lignoceric and oleic acids correlated to growth and early development up to 18 months corrected age.

Polyamine levels in breast milk are associated with mothers' dietary intake and are higher in preterm than full-term human milk and formulas.

Background: Polyamine intake from milk is considered essential for post-natal maturation of the immune system and small intestine. The present study aimed to determine polyamine content in human milk after preterm delivery and the association with mothers' dietary intake. In comparison, the polyamine levels were compared with those in term breast milk and some corresponding formulas.

Nervonic acid is much lower in donor milk than in milk from mothers delivering premature infants--of neglected importance?

Nervonic acid is important for white matter development and its incorporation increases rapidly in the last trimester, but few studies focus on this fatty acid. Other mother's milk, usually after term delivery, is often used for premature infants, whose mothers cannot breastfeed. The fatty acid (FA) concentrations were analyzed by gas chromatography in 12 samples of donor human milk (DHM) from five mothers, and compared to milk from 42 mothers delivering preterm infants.

Motor, mental and behavioral developments in infancy are associated with fatty acid pattern in breast milk and plasma of premature infants.

The objective of this study was to investigate any association between infants' early development and PUFA concentrations in early breast milk and infants' plasma phospholipids at 44 weeks gestational age. Fifty-one premature infants were included. The quality of general movement was assessed at 3 months, and motor, mental and behavioral development at 3, 6, 10 and 18 months corrected age using Bayley's Scales of Infant Development (BSID-II).

Preterm infants' early developmental status is associated with later developmental outcome.

Aim: To assess the development of preterm infants from 40 weeks gestational age to 18 months corrected age to identify early predictors of later development.

Methods: Fifty-one infants were involved. Infant development was assessed at 40 and 44 weeks gestational age with the Brazelton neonatal behavioral assessment scale and a self-regulation scale and at 3, 6, 10, 18 months corrected age with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development.

Early behaviour and development in breast-fed premature infants are influenced by omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acid status.

Background: The requirement of essential fatty acids (EFA) for the development of the brain is well documented.

Objective: To investigate the early neurological development at term and 44 weeks gestational age in preterm infants in relation to EFA concentrations in breast milk and in infants' and mothers' plasma phospholipids.

Method: Fifty-one premature infants and their mothers were consecutively included in the study.

Fatty acid patterns early after premature birth, simultaneously analysed in mothers' food, breast milk and serum phospholipids of mothers and infants.

Background: The supply of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids via the placenta is interrupted in premature infants, making them exclusively dependent on breast milk, which varies in fatty acid (FA) concentrations depending on the mother's diet.

Objective: To in a longitudinal study explore the relation between FA status in mothers and infants from an unselected cohort of prematures, not requiring intensive care.

Design: Breast milk and mothers' and infants' plasma phospholipid FA concentrations from birth to 44 weeks of gestational age were analysed and compared with mothers' food intake, assessed using a 3-day diary.

Continuous non-invasive arterial pressure technique improves patient monitoring during interventional endoscopy.

Introduction: Close monitoring of arterial blood pressure (BP) is a central part of cardiovascular surveillance of patients at risk for hypotension. Therefore, patients undergoing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures with the use of sedating agents are monitored by discontinuous non-invasive BP measurement (NIBP). Continuous non-invasive BP monitoring based on vascular unloading technique (CNAP, CN Systems, Graz) may improve patient safety in those settings.

Gene transfer of Hodgkin cell lines via multivalent anti-CD30 scFv displaying bacteriophage.

Background: The display of binding ligands, such as recombinant antibody fragments, on the surface of filamentous phage makes it possible to specifically attach these phage particles to target cells. After uptake of the phage, their internal single-stranded DNA is processed by the host cell, which allows transient expression of an encoded eukaryotic gene cassette. This opens the possibility to use bacteriophage as vectors for targeted gene therapy, although the transduction efficiency is very low.

[Comparison of incomplete (135 degrees ) and complete prone position (180 degrees ) in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Results of a prospective, randomised trial].

Background: Ventilation in the prone position is carried out for improvement of pulmonary gas exchange in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We compared the effects of an incomplete prone position (IPP, 135( degrees )) with a complete prone position (CPP, 180( degrees )) in patients with ARDS.

Patients And Methods: For this trial 59 patients with ARDS were randomly assigned and were positioned in a "cross-over" design: patients of group A were placed in IPP for 6 h and then immediately positioned in CPP for another 6 h.

Mechanisms regulating the positioning of mouse p47 resistance GTPases LRG-47 and IIGP1 on cellular membranes: retargeting to plasma membrane induced by phagocytosis.

The recently identified p47 GTPases are one of the most effective cell-autonomous resistance systems known against intracellular pathogens in the mouse. One member of the family, LRG-47, has been shown to be essential for immune control in vivo of Listeria monocytogenes, Toxoplasma gondii, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Mycobacterium avium, possibly by promoting acidification of the phagosome. However, the intracellular localization of LRG-47, and the nature of its association with the phagosomal or any other membrane system is unknown.

Brief report: the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale detects differences among newborn infants of optimal health.

Objective: To determine whether the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) can detect behavioral differences in newborn infants of optimal health and, if such differences appear, also detect gender differences among those neonates.

Methods: Participants were a group of healthy Swedish neonates, 20 boys and 18 girls. The infants were assessed by the NBAS under standardized conditions at 48-72 hours of age, at the midpoint between two meals.

Plasma metabolites after a lipid load in infants with congenital heart disease.

Growth retardation is common in infants with congenital heart defects. The aim of this study was to investigate whether growth retardation or type of heart defect in infants with congenital heart defects is related to disturbances in lipid metabolism. Sixteen infants with ventricular septal defects and six infants with transposition of the great arteries were given an intravenous load of lipid emulsion (Intralipid 20 mg/ml) corresponding to 0.

Glucose metabolism and insulin secretion in children with cyanotic congenital heart disease.

The aim of the study was to reveal differences in carbohydrate metabolism in children with cyanotic congenital heart diseases (CHD). Thirteen children with diseases of these kinds were investigated with regard to glucose tolerance and insulin secretion and comparisons were made with healthy controls of the same age. Investigations included an intravenous glucose tolerance test, insulin response to the glucose load in plasma and insulin secretion rate.

Skeletal muscle energy substrates, metabolic products and enzyme activity in infants with symptomatic ventricular septal defect.

Muscle biopsy studies were performed on 26 infants with symptomatic ventricular septal defect (VSD) (mean age 4.7 months) and 10 healthy infants (mean age 7.8 months).

Trauma metabolism and the heart. Uptake of substrates and effects of insulin early after cardiac operations.

In a controlled, randomized study the myocardial uptake/release of individual free fatty acids, glucose, lactate, pyruvate, alanine, and glycerol was studied 1 hour after completion of coronary operations. The effects of insulin were evaluated by means of a hyperinsulinemic "clamp" technique. No significant uptake of free fatty acids was found despite markedly elevated arterial concentrations (mean +/- standard error of the mean, 2.

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia in brother and sister: is it related to myocarditis?

Two cases of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) in siblings are reported. In the boy, 14 years old, the clinical history, ECG, echocardiography, and histopathological findings were consistent with ARVD. Premature ventricular contractions of left bundle branch block (LBBB) pattern were recorded but no ventricular tachycardia (VT).

Glucose metabolism and insulin secretion in infants with symptomatic ventricular septal defect.

Nineteen infants with symptomatic ventricular septal defect (VSD) were examined on, altogether, 26 occasions, when each was given an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT); concentrations of insulin- and C-peptide in plasma were determined. Comparisons were made with 14 healthy infants of the same age. The VSD infants were growth retarded with lower weight/age and length/age ratios.

The effect of insulin on the leg and splanchnic balance of glucose and gluconeogenic substrates after cardiac surgery.

The effect of insulin and glucose infusion on the leg and splanchnic balance of glucose and the gluconeogenic substrates lactate, pyruvate, alanine and glycerol was studied in 13 patients directly after cardiac surgery. Insulin was infused continuously at a rate of 1.0 Unit/kg/hr during 1 hour.

Echocardiographic findings in children treated for malignancy with chemotherapy including adriamycin.

Thirty-seven children receiving chemotherapy including adriamycin were studied with echocardiography. Abnormal left ventricular function assessed by systolic time intervals (STI) and/or left ventricular shortening fraction (delta LVID) was present in 30%, and dilated left ventricle was in 45% of the case, often accompanied by thinning the left ventricular wall. Three patients developed congestive heart failure, one with fatal outcome.

A long term follow up of 15 patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia.

The clinical course in 15 patients with features consistent with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia is described. At referral seven patients had abnormal physical findings, nine had abnormal electrocardiograms with non-specific right-sided abnormalities, and seven patients had increased heart size or prominent right ventricles on chest x ray. During long term follow up (mean 8.

Prediction of symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants using Doppler and M-mode echocardiography.

To investigate whether the development of symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus could be predicted, 26 preterm infants dependent on mechanical ventilation were examined daily with Doppler and M-mode echocardiography until 3 days after birth. The presence or absence of a hemodynamically significant ductus shunt, as judged from echocardiographic criteria, was tested for predictive power in terms of sensitivity, specificity and total error rate. Out of the 26 infants 13 developed symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus at a median age of 5 days (range 2-8).

Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection in siblings. Report on three families.

Three pairs of siblings with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) are reported. The types of the anomalous venous return (supra- or infracardial connections) varied within the families indicating that genetic regulation deals with the left atrial connection to the intrapulmonary veins. Having failed to establish this connection the intrapulmonary veins can attach themselves to any adjacent venous structure; hence the variety of connections at birth.