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.