Nurse-led self-management support to improve symptom management and self-reported outcomes in people with irritable bowel syndrome.

Objectives: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder of gut-brain interaction with an unknown precise etiology. Intricate mechanisms underlying the disruption of bidirectional communication between the brain and the gut may influence the severity of symptoms as well as the response to self-management interventions. Management of IBS can be particularly challenging due to recurrent and resistant symptoms to therapeutic approaches.

The Impact of Early Life Experiences and Gut Microbiota on Neurobehavioral Development in Preterm Infants: A Longitudinal Cohort Study.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of early life experiences and gut microbiota on neurobehavioral development in preterm infants during neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization.

Methods: Preterm infants were followed from NICU admission until their 28th postnatal day or until discharge. Daily stool samples, painful/stressful experiences, feeding patterns, and other clinical and demographic data were collected.

Conducting Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Research During a Pandemic: Challenges and Lessons Learned.

Background: The coronavirus pandemic disrupted normal clinical operations and research. Nurse scientists conducting research studies in the neonatal intensive care unit experienced significant challenges to continuing their research studies amid national lockdowns and hospital visitation restrictions.

Objectives: The purpose of this article is to describe the challenges encountered by nurse scientists conducting research studies in the neonatal intensive care unit during the pandemic, the creative solutions devised to overcome these barriers, and the lessons learned during this unprecedented time.

Associations of neurotransmitters and the gut microbiome with emotional distress in mixed type of irritable bowel syndrome.

Evidence highlights the comorbidity between emotional distress and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) through the gut-brain axis. However, the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the associations among neurotransmitter levels and the gut microbiome profiles in persons with IBS and emotional distress.

Multi-Omics Analysis on Neurodevelopment in Preterm Neonates: A Protocol Paper.

Background: The gut microbiome is an important determinant of health and disease in preterm infants.

Objectives: The objective of this article was to share our current protocol for other neonatal intensive care units to potentially expand their existing protocols, aiming to characterize the relationship between the intestinal microbiome and health outcomes in preterm infants.

Methods: This prospective, longitudinal study planned to recruit 160 preterm infants born <32 weeks gestational age or weighing <1,500 g and admitted to one of two Level III/IV neonatal intensive care units.

Pilot Study of Absolute Telomere Lengths in Preterm Infants.

Background: Annually, approximately 15 million babies are born preterm (<37 weeks gestational age) globally. In the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) environment, infants are exposed to repeated stressful or painful procedures as part of routine lifesaving care. These procedures have been associated with epigenetic alterations that may lead to an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders.

Altered Gut Microbiota in Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Its Association with Food Components.

The interplay between diet and gut microbiota has gained interest as a potential contributor in pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The purpose of this study was to compare food components and gut microbiota patterns between IBS patients and healthy controls (HC) as well as to explore the associations of food components and microbiota profiles. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 80 young adults with IBS and 21 HC recruited.

Altered Composition of Gut Microbiota in Depression: A Systematic Review.

Cumulative evidence shows a linkage between gut microbiota pattern and depression through the brain-gut microbiome axis. The aim of this systematic review was to identify the alterations of the gut microbiota patterns in people with depression compared to healthy controls. A comprehensive literature search of human studies, published between January 2000 and June 2019, was reviewed.

Neonatal Pain: Perceptions and Current Practice.

Neonates may experience more than 300 painful procedures throughout their hospitalizations. Prior to 1980, there was a longstanding misconception that neonates do not experience pain. Current studies demonstrate that not only do neonates experience pain but also, due to their immature nervous systems, they are hypersensitive to painful stimuli.

Development of Accumulated Pain/Stressor Scale (APSS) in NICUs: A National Survey.

High-risk neonates experience numerous painful/stressful procedures daily in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Accumulated pain and stress have a detrimental impact on infants' neurodevelopment. Few valid tools are available to measure accumulated pain/stressors among NICU infants.