Evaluation of Gastroesophageal Reflux in Symptomatic Young Infants Using Multichannel Intraluminal pH-Impedance Testing: A large Cohort Study from a Single Center.

Objectives:  This study aimed to assess the use of combined multichannel intraluminal impedance and pH studies (MII-pH) in a large group of symptomatic young infants, to characterize the occurrence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and to establish temporal association of the reflux behaviors with gastroesophageal reflux using symptom indices.

Study Design:  This is a retrospective cohort study on 181 infants who underwent MII-pH studies for clinical behaviors that were suggestive of GERD. Symptom index (SI) and symptom association probability (SAP) were used to establish symptom association with reflux.

Sex-Related Differences in the Severity of Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome: A Single-Center, Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective:  Factors associated with the development and expression of Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS) are poorly understood. There are conflicting data on the role of infant sex in NOWS. Some studies have suggested that infant sex predicts NOWS severity and adverse outcomes, with male infants being more vulnerable.

DNA methylation patterns in umbilical cord blood from infants of methadone maintained opioid dependent mothers.

Methadone maintenance treatment for opioid dependent mothers is standard of care. Infants of methadone maintained opioid dependent (MMOD) mothers have better outcomes compared to infants of opioid dependent mothers without treatment. However, when compared to non-exposed infants, infants of MMOD mothers are associated with worse outcomes.

Buprenorphine vs. morphine: impact on neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) outcomes in a single center retrospective study.

Objectives: To compare clinical outcomes for infants with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) treated with buprenorphine or morphine.

Study Design: Retrospective study of infants born ≥35 weeks' gestation and admitted to the NICU for NOWS treatment between 2011 and 2022. Length of treatment, length of stay in the hospital, and the need for secondary medications were compared between buprenorphine and morphine treated neonates.

Hyperoxia-Induced miR-195 Causes Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Neonatal Mice.

Exposure to hyperoxia is an important factor in the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm newborns. MicroRNAs (miRs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of BPD and provide a potential therapeutic target. This study was conducted utilizing a postnatal animal model of experimental hyperoxia-induced murine BPD to investigate the expression and function of miR-195 as well as its molecular signaling targets within developing mouse lung tissue.

RAPIDIRON Trial follow-up study - the RAPIDIRON-KIDS Study: protocol of a prospective observational follow-up study.

Background: Anemia is a worldwide problem with iron deficiency being the most common cause. When anemia occurs in pregnancy, it increases the risk of adverse maternal, fetal, and postnatal outcomes. It induces preterm births and low birth weight (LBW) deliveries, long-term neurodevelopmental sequelae, and an increased risk of earlier onset of postnatal iron deficiency.

Iron Deficiency Prior to Discharge in Very Low Birth Weight Infants: Screening with Reticulocyte Hemoglobin Content.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the iron status prior to discharge in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants utilizing reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CHr) and evaluate the impact of delayed cord clamping (DCC) on iron status.

Study Design: This is a retrospective analysis of VLBW infants from two tertiary level of care Neonatal Intensive Care Units. The primary outcome was the proportion of VLBW infants with low CHr (<29 pg) prior to discharge.

Reduced maternal immunity and vertical transfer of immunity against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern with COVID-19 exposure or initial vaccination in pregnancy.

Introduction: As the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues to evolve, we face new variants of concern with a concurrent decline in vaccine booster uptake. We aimed to evaluate the difference in immunity gained from the original SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine series in pregnancy versus SARS-CoV-2 exposure during pregnancy against recent variants of concern.

Study Design: This is a retrospective analysis of previously collected samples from 192 patients who delivered between February 2021 and August 2021.

Acute Kidney Injury and Abnormalities on Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging or Death in Infants with Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: A Case-Control Study.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the association between acute kidney injury (AKI) and abnormalities on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or death in neonates treated with therapeutic hypothermia for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

Study Design: This is a retrospective case-control analysis of 380 neonates born at ≥35 weeks' gestation treated with therapeutic hypothermia for HIE. Death or abnormal brain MRI using the basal ganglia watershed scoring system was compared between neonates with and without AKI.

SARS-CoV-2 Covid-19 Infection During Pregnancy and Differential DNA Methylation in Human Cord Blood Cells From Term Neonates.

Background: The global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). About 18.4% of total Covid-19 cases were reported in children.

Cord management in non-vigorous newborns.

Cord management in non-vigorous newborns remains up for debate, as limited studies have validated strategies in this high-risk population. While multiple national and international governing bodies now recommend the routine practice of delayed cord clamping (DCC) in vigorous neonates, these organizations have not reached a consensus on the appropriate approach in non-vigorous neonates. Benefits of placental transfusion are greatly needed amongst non-vigorous neonates who are at risk of asphyxiation-associated mortality and morbidities, but the need for immediate resuscitation complicates matters.

COVID-19 Infection During Pregnancy Induces Differential Gene Expression in Human Cord Blood Cells From Term Neonates.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic continues worldwide with fluctuating case numbers in the United States. This pandemic has affected every segment of the population with more recent hospitalizations in the pediatric population. Vertical transmission of COVID-19 is uncommon, but reports show that there are thrombotic, vascular, and inflammatory changes in the placenta to which neonates are prenatally exposed.

Delayed Cord Clamping for 45 Seconds in Very Low Birth Weight Infants: Impact on Hemoglobin at Birth and Close to Discharge.

Objectives: To assess the impact of delayed cord clamping (DCC) for 45 seconds on hemoglobin at birth and close to discharge in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants and to compare modes of delivery in infants who received DCC.

Study Design: In a retrospective study, 888 VLBW infants (≤1,500 g) who survived to discharge and received immediate cord clamping (ICC) were compared with infants who received DCC. Infants who received DCC and born via Cesarean section (C-section) were compared with those born via vaginal birth.

Comprehensive serologic profile and specificity of maternal and neonatal cord blood SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

Background: Initial studies on COVID-19 in pregnancy have demonstrated a range of neutralizing activity, but little has been published on the full profile of SARS CoV-2 related antibodies in maternal and cordblood.

Objective: This study aimed to describe the profile and specificity of maternal and neonatal cord blood antibody profiles in response to SARS-CoV-2 virus exposure.

Study Design: This was a prospective cohort study of delivering patients at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital from April 2020 to February 2021.

Comprehensive Serological Profile and Specificity of Maternal and Neonatal Cord Blood SARS CoV-2 Antibodies.

Objective: To describe the profile and specificity of maternal and neonatal cord-blood antibody profile in response SARS-CoV-2 virus exposure.

Methods: This is a Prospective cohort study of delivering patients at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital from April 2020-February 2021. Primary objective was to describe unique maternal and fetal antibody epitope titers and specificity in those patients with COVID-19 history.

Growth failure in infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Objective: To assess if infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) are smaller at birth and have decreased growth parameters between birth and discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Methods: Retrospective data analysis of term/late-preterm neonates with NAS at a single-center NICU between September 2006 and May 2018. Growth parameters (weight, length, HC) were measured at birth and discharge.

Pulmonary immune cell transcriptome changes in double-hit model of BPD induced by chorioamnionitis and postnatal hyperoxia.

Background: Preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) have lifelong increased risk of respiratory morbidities associated with environmental pathogen exposure and underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. The resident immune cells of the lung play vital roles in host defense. However, the effect of perinatal events associated with BPD on pulmonary-specific immune cells is not well understood.

Gender variations in neonatal and early infant mortality in India and Pakistan: a secondary analysis from the Global Network Maternal Newborn Health Registry.

Background: To determine the gender differences in neonatal mortality, stillbirths, and perinatal mortality in south Asia using the Global Network data from the Maternal Newborn Health Registry.

Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of prospectively collected data from the three south Asian sites of the Global Network. The maternal and neonatal demographic, clinical characteristics, rates of stillbirths, early neonatal mortality (1-7 days), late neonatal mortality (8-28 days), mortality between 29-42 days and the number of infants hospitalized after birth were compared between the male and female infants.

Is Maternal Methadone Dose Associated with the Severity of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome?

Objective: The aim of the study is to assess the correlation between maternal methadone dose and severity of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in infants that required pharmacological treatment for NAS.

Study Design: This is a retrospective analysis of 574 infants ≥35 weeks' gestation exposed to methadone in utero, born between August 2006 and May 2018, and who required pharmacological therapy for NAS. Indicators of NAS severity (duration of morphine treatment, maximum morphine dose, use of phenobarbital, and length of hospitalization) were compared between infants exposed to high (≥200 mg), intermediate (100-199 mg), and low doses (<100 mg) of methadone.

A novel noninvasive approach for evaluating work of breathing indices in a developmental rat model using respiratory inductance plethysmography.

Pulmonary function testing (PFT) is an important component for evaluating the outcome of experimental rodent models of respiratory diseases. Respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP) provides a noninvasive method of PFT requiring minimal cooperation. RIP measures work of breathing (WOB) indices including phase angle (Ф), percent rib cage (RC %), breaths per minute (BPM), and labored breathing index (LBI) on an iPad.

DNA Methylation Profile in Human Cord Blood Mononuclear Leukocytes From Term Neonates: Effects of Histological Chorioamnionitis.

Histological chorioamnionitis (HCA) is an infection/inflammation of fetal membranes and complicates 5.2-28.5% of all live births.

Prevalence and Utility of Low Mean Corpuscular Volume in Infants Admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of low mean corpuscular volume (MCV) in newborn infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit and to assess low MCV as a diagnostic test for alpha thalassemia.

Study Design: Retrospective analysis of all infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit between January 2010 and October 2018 for which a complete blood count was performed during the first 3 postnatal days. Infants with a low MCV were compared with those with a normal MCV.

A comparison of Triple I classification with neonatal early-onset sepsis calculator recommendations in neonates born to mothers with clinical chorioamnionitis.

Objective: To compare the early-onset sepsis (EOS) calculator recommendations for infants born to mothers with clinical chorioamnionitis with those made by the Triple I classification.

Study Design: Retrospective analysis of chorioamnionitis-exposed neonates ≥35 weeks. EOS risk was calculated with baseline risks of 0.