Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Neonatology 2018 Dec 6;115(2):182-188. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New

Background: Pre-clinical research, which encompasses studies in animals and in the laboratory, has made significant contributions to the improvement of neonatal outcomes.

Methods: Here, we describe examples of how pre-clinical research can be the starting point on the journey to the development of new interventions to improve neonatal care and outcomes and discuss recent progress in ensuring methodological and ethical rigour in pre-clinical research involving animal models.

Results: Studies in pregnant sheep led to the serendipitous discovery that preterm lambs born after exogenous corticosteroid exposure were able to aerate their lungs. Read More

Early Hum Dev 2018 Dec 3;128:48-54. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship of parent-reported child behaviors on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) to cognition, language, and motor skills on the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development - III (Bayley-III) in toddlers born extremely preterm.

Study Design: Toddlers born extremely preterm (gestational ages 22 0/7 to 26 6/7 weeks) were tested at 22-26 months corrected age with Bayley-III while parents completed the CBCL. Socio-demographic variables and medical history were recorded. Read More

J Pediatr (Rio J) 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Departamento de Pediatria, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Serviço de Neonatologia, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.

Objectives: There are several factors that influence the postnatal growth of preterm infants. It is crucial to define how to evaluate the growth rate of each preterm child and its individual trajectory, the type of growth curve, either with parameters of prescriptive curves for healthy preterm infants with no morbidities or, in the case of preterm infants and their "bundle of vulnerabilities", growth curves that may represent how they are actually growing, with the aim of directing appropriate nutritional care to each gestational age range.

Data Sources: The main studies with growth curves for growth monitoring and the appropriate nutritional adjustments that prioritized the individual trajectory of postnatal growth rate were reviewed. Read More

Acta Med Port 2018 Nov 30;31(11):648-655. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Serviço de Neonatologia. Departamento de Pediatria. Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria. Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte. Lisboa. Clínica Universitária de Pediatria. Faculdade de Medicina. Universidade de Lisboa. Lisboa. Portugal.

Introduction: Prematurity and low birth weight have been associated with increased neonatal morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to evaluate possible risk factors for prematurity associated with fetal growth restriction and being small for gestational age and to determine the incidence of morbidity in these two groups of infants.

Material And Methods: Retrospective case-control study of newborns with gestational age of less than 32 weeks, with obstetric diagnosis of fetal growth restriction and with the clinical diagnosis of small for gestational age, admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a tertiary hospital for a period of six years. Read More

Int Braz J Urol 2018 Oct 30;44. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

Departamento de Urologia de Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Porto, Portugal.

Introduction: During the last years there has been an effort in miniaturizing the endoscopic devices. The video presents an alternative for the management of distal ureteral stone, using a ureteral access of 4.85 Fr and 27 cm of length, previously described as micro-ureteroscopy. Read More

J Biomed Opt 2018 Dec;23(12):1-6

California Institute of Technology, Caltech Optical Imaging Laboratory, Andrew and Peggy Cherng Depa, United States.

Premature cervical remodeling is a critical precursor of spontaneous preterm birth, and the remodeling process is characterized by an increase in tissue hydration. Nevertheless, current clinical measurements of cervical remodeling are subjective and detect only late events, such as cervical effacement and dilation. Here, we present a photoacoustic endoscope that can quantify tissue hydration by measuring near-infrared cervical spectra. Read More

Front Pediatr 2018 16;6:323. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

Neonatal and Intensive Care Department, University Hospital, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.

High-pressure processing (HPP) is a non-thermal technology that is being increasingly applied in food industries worldwide. It was proposed that this method could be used as an alternative to holder pasteurization (HoP; 62.5°C, 30 min) in milk banks but its impact on the immunologic, enzymatic and hormonal components of human milk has not yet been evaluated in detail. Read More

J Hum Hypertens 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

School of Medical Sciences & Bosch Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

Hypertension is an important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Its high prevalence, combined with the significant morbidity and mortality associated with secondary complications, make it a major public health concern. Despite decades of research, over 95% of all cases of hypertension remain of unknown etiology, necessitating that treatments target the established symptoms and not the cause. Read More

J Perinatol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.

Objective: To characterize the association of histological chorioamnionitis (HCA) with neurodevelopmental outcomes in children born at <30 weeks gestation.

Study Design: This retrospective cohort study included infants born 2006-2012 in whom placental histopathology, neonatal outcomes, and Bayley-III assessment at age 2 years were available. We assessed the association of HCA exposure with cognitive, language, and motor delay with logistic regression models adjusted for gestational age, sex, small for gestational age and brain injury. Read More

J Perinatol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.

Objective: Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a commonly observed condition in preterm infants. Prior studies have suggested a role for genetics in determining spontaneous ductal closure. Using samples from a large neonatal cohort we tested the hypothesis that common genetic variations are associated with PDA in extremely preterm infants. Read More

J Perinatol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.

Objective: Inflammatory and metabolic pathways are implicated in preterm birth and preeclampsia. However, studies rarely compare second trimester inflammatory and metabolic markers between women who deliver preterm with and without preeclampsia.

Study Design: A sample of 129 women (43 with preeclampsia) with preterm delivery was obtained from an existing population-based birth cohort. Read More

J Perinatol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal & Developmental Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.

Objective: Examine the adoption and presence of preterm, neuro-centric care practices across neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

Study Design: Statewide, cross-sectional survey of California NICUs. Data were collected surrounding the timing of adoption and presence of delivery room practices, nursing protocols, provider management practices and quality improvement initiatives. Read More

J Perinatol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Woman's and Child's Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.

Objective: To compare surfactant administration via supraglottic airway device (SAD) vs. nasal CPAP alone or INSURE.

Study Design: A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Clinicaltrials. Read More

Pediatrics 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Maternal-Infant Care Research Center, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Background: Although caffeine use for apnea of prematurity is well studied, the long-term safety and benefit of routine early caffeine administration has not been explored. Our objective was to determine the association between early (within 2 days of birth) versus late caffeine exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants.

Methods: Infants of <29 weeks' gestation born between April 2009 and September 2011 and admitted to Canadian Neonatal Network units and then assessed at Canadian Neonatal Follow-up Network centers were studied. Read More

BMJ Open 2018 Dec 4;8(12):e022946. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.

Objectives: This study aims to estimate the association between pregnancy-associated maternal cancers, diagnosed both prenatally and postnatally, and birth outcomes.

Design: Population-based register study.

Setting: National registers of Denmark and Sweden. Read More

Arch Bronconeumol 2018 Dec 4;54(12):607-613. Epub 2018 Jul 4.

Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Pôle de Pneumologie, ORL & Dermatologie, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium; Service de Médecine Physique et Réadaptation, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium; Service de Pneumologie, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium.

Introduction: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most common complication of extreme preterm delivery, and is associated with reduced exercise tolerance and exercise capacity. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a physical activity programme on exercise tolerance, exercise capacity, flexibility, and lung function in prematurely born children with BPD.

Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial. Read More

J Neuroinflammation 2018 Dec 5;15(1):336. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Paediatrics, Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Université de Montréal, Montreal, H3T 1C5, QC, Canada.

Background: The extension of sepsis encompassing the preterm newborn's brain is often overlooked due to technical challenges in this highly vulnerable population, yet it leads to substantial long-term neurodevelopmental disabilities. In this study, we demonstrate how neonatal neuroinflammation following postnatal E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure in rat pups results in persistent reduction in sialylation of cerebral glycoproteins. Read More

Am J Perinatol 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.

Objective:  To evaluate the offer, acceptance, uptake, and patient experience with 17-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17OHP-C) over the course of 10 years.

Study Design:  This is a retrospective cohort study with a qualitative component. We identified all women with spontaneous preterm deliveries with subsequent births in our hospital between 2005 and 2015. Read More

Ann Nutr Metab 2018 3;73 Suppl 5:15-20. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Glutamate (Glu), either as one of the amino acids of protein or in free form, constitutes up to 8-10% of amino acid content in the human diet, with an intake of about 10-20 g/day in adults. In the intestine, postprandial luminal Glu concentrations can be of the order of mM and result in a high intra-mucosal Glu concentration. Glu absorbed from the intestinal lumen is for a large part metabolized by enterocytes in various pathways, including the production of energy to support intestinal motility and functions. Read More

Comput Med Imaging Graph 2018 Aug 25;71:67-78. Epub 2018 Aug 25.

Medical Image Analysis Lab, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.

We present a new method to identify anatomical subnetworks of the human connectome that are optimally predictive of targeted clinical variables, developmental outcomes or disease states. Given a training set of structural or functional brain networks, derived from diffusion MRI (dMRI) or functional MRI (fMRI) scans respectively, our sparse linear regression model extracts a weighted subnetwork. By enforcing novel backbone network and connectivity based priors along with a non-negativity constraint, the discovered subnetworks are simultaneously anatomically plausible, well connected, positively weighted and reasonably sparse. Read More

Clin Biochem 2018 Nov 30. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Department of Transfusion Medicine, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, PR China. Electronic address:

Background: Thyroid autoantibody has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, thyroid-receptor antibody (TRAb) has not been considered as a potential risk assessment indicator for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Therefore, we assessed the role of TRAb in evaluation of the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Read More

Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, 12270, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota, United States.

Supplemental O2 (hyperoxia; 30-90% O2) is a necessary intervention for premature infants, but contributes to development of neonatal and pediatric asthma, necessitating better understanding of contributory mechanisms in hyperoxia-induced changes to airway structure and function. In adults, environmental stressors promote formation of senescent cells that secrete factors (senescence-associated secretory phenotype; SASP), which can be inflammatory and have paracrine effects that enhance chronic lung diseases. Hyperoxia-induced changes in airway structure and function are mediated in part by effects on airway smooth muscle (ASM). Read More

Dev Med Child Neurol 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Obstetrical, Perinatal and Pediatric Epidemiology Research Team, Center for Epidemiology and Statistics, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.

Aim: Children born very preterm require additional specialist care because of the health and developmental risks associated with preterm birth, but information on their health service use is sparse. We sought to describe the use of specialist services by children born very preterm in Europe.

Method: We analysed data from the multi-regional, population-based Effective Perinatal Intensive Care in Europe (EPICE) cohort of births before 32 weeks' gestation in 11 European countries. Read More

Int J Evid Based Healthc 2018 Dec 4. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.

Pediatr Dermatol 2018 Dec 2. Epub 2018 Dec 2.

Skin Health Alliance, London, UK.

Background: Understanding the importance of the barrier function of the skin of preterm and term neonates is crucial in effective neonatal skin and diaper care. This literature search aimed to review the development of different practices in neonatal care to maintain skin barrier function, in turn preventing diaper dermatitis.

Methods: We performed two quantitative literature searches of English language studies: an initial literature search of studies published in the last 5 years was conducted using Cinahl, Medline, Embase, British Nursing Index, and DelphiS, followed by a second search of publications from 1990 to 2017 using the National Institute of Clinical Excellence Health Databases Advanced Search using key words, synonyms, and Boolean phrasing. Read More

J Pathol 2018 Dec 2. Epub 2018 Dec 2.

Priority Research Centre's GrowUpWell and Healthy Lungs, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia.

Lung development is a complex process mediated through the interaction of multiple cell types, factors and mediators. In mice, it starts as early as embryonic day 9 and continues into early adulthood. The process can be separated into five different developmental stages: embryonic, pseudoglandular, canalicular, saccular and alveolar. Read More

Acta Paediatr 2018 Dec 1. Epub 2018 Dec 1.

CRUJeF Laval University, Quebec City, PQ, Canada.

Aim: Evaluation of early growth in preterm infants receiving kinesthetic stimulation with massage in Kangaroo position or in incubator.

Methods: A cohort of 66 infants between 30 and 33 weeks of gestational age (GA), born at a university hospital in 2013 in Bogota, were randomised when eligible to intervention. We measured weight gain (g/kg/day) at 5 and 15 days post-randomisation and weight at 40 weeks, according to chronological age at randomisation. Read More

J Med Ultrason (2001) 2018 Dec 1. Epub 2018 Dec 1.

Maternal and Child Health Center Aiiku Hospital, 1-16-10 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-0023, Japan.

Purpose: A prospective assessment of the risk of spontaneous preterm delivery (sPTD) by evaluating temporal changes in cervical measurements.

Methods: We analyzed clinical variables, focusing on cervical length (CL) and lower uterine segment (LUS) length (LUSL) as measured by transvaginal ultrasonography in 727 pregnant Japanese women.

Results: In women undergoing term deliveries, CL increased from gestational week (GW) 8-25. Read More

Ophthalmol Retina 2018 Sep 21;2(9):963-971. Epub 2018 Mar 21.

Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.

Purpose: Bedside examination of premature infants at risk for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is predominantly performed with ophthalmoscopic viewing of the retina. While postmortem retinal microstructures have been studied at the vascular-avascular junction, a critical location for pathogenesis of ROP, to date this has not been possible . Here we present bedside, non-sedated cross-sectional imaging and analysis of retinal microstructures at the vascular-avascular junction in infants with ROP using handheld spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT). Read More

J Nat Sci 2018 Sep;4(9)

Department of Biostatistics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to describe swallow:breath interaction (SwBr) and phase of respiration incident to swallow (POR) during non-nutritive suck in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia and determine if speech-language intervention can modify the characteristics of non-nutritive suck in these infants.

Methods: Logistic regression models were used to describe SwBr and POR in 16 low-risk preterm (LRP) infants and 43 infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia were randomized to receive individualized intervention from a speech-language pathologist (BPDwithTX) or standard care (BPDnoTX). Read More

Front Pediatr 2018 16;6:347. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

Paediatric Research Group, Department of Clinical Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.

In 2014 probiotic supplementation ( and subspecies Infloran) was introduced as standard of care to prevent necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in extremely preterm infants in Norway. We aimed to evaluate the influence of probiotics and antibiotic therapy on the developing gut microbiota and antibiotic resistome in extremely preterm infants, and to compare with very preterm infants and term infants not given probiotics. A prospective, observational multicenter study in six tertiary-care neonatal units. Read More

J Res Med Sci 2018 26;23:90. Epub 2018 Oct 26.

Department of Neonates, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210008, China.

Background: The objective of this study is to evaluate the value of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) for becoming a good endogenous marker of renal function in asphyxial preterm babies.

Materials And Methods: This is a two-center retrospective study. Between October 2016 and October 2017, 71 asphyxial preterm infants were included in asphyxia group. Read More

Front Physiol 2018 16;9:1583. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.

Children born very preterm (PT) after fetal growth restriction (FGR) exhibit cognitive impairment at early school age. The relationship between neurodevelopmental impairment and attained regional brain volumes is unknown. We studied 23 preterm children with FGR (PT-FGR), 24 matched preterm children AGA (PT-AGA), and 27 matched term AGA children (T-AGA) by measuring brain volumes with magnetic resonance imaging at early school age. Read More

Neoreviews 2018 Jul;19(7):e394-e402

Mildred T. Stahlman Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.

Preterm infants are at increased risk for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Prolonged exposure to PDA may be deleterious and has been associated with neonatal morbidity and mortality. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying regulation of postnatal ductus arteriosus closure are not fully understood, clinical experience and research trials have informed recent changes in PDA management strategies and refocused treatment strategies on smaller subsets of infants who require intervention. Read More

Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2018 Nov 23;232:97-100. Epub 2018 Nov 23.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of rupture of membranes and labour on the risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vertical transmission.

Study Design: A prospective multicentre observational study was carried out in Hong Kong between 2014-2016. Pregnant HBV carriers were recruited. Read More

Nutrition 2018 Aug 20;59:180-181. Epub 2018 Aug 20.

Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Universitario Rio Hortega, Valladolid, Spain.

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive inborn error of phenylalanine (phe) metabolism caused by a deficiency in the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase that converts phe into tyrosine. If left untreated, PKU results in increased phe concentrations in the blood and in the brain, which cause severe intellectual disability, epilepsy, and behavioral problems. These disorders can be prevented if a diet low in phe is introduced. Read More

Cell Host Microbe 2018 Nov 19. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Service de Pneumologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), 1066 Epalinges, Switzerland; Department of Immunology and Pathology, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia. Electronic address:

Crosstalk between immune cells and the microbiota in mucosal tissues can set an individual on a trajectory toward health or disease. Little is known about these early-life events in the human respiratory tract. We examined bacterial colonization and immune system maturation in the lower airways over the first year of life. Read More

Fertil Steril 2018 Dec;110(7):1408-1409

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, BC Women's Hospital and Health Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Objective: To introduce and demonstrate an approach to the hysteroscopic removal of retained intrauterine devices (IUDs) in pregnancy. Pregnancy risks associated with retained IUDs are also discussed, specifically spontaneous abortion and preterm labor.

Design: A step-by-step explanation of the procedure with surgical video footage. Read More

Fertil Steril 2018 Dec;110(7):1285-1289

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women's Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York; Montefiore's Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Health, Hartsdale, New York.

Objective: To assess the impact of using donor sperm in assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles on perinatal outcomes.

Design: Historical cohort study.

Setting: US national database from the Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology Clinic Outcome Reporting System (SART CORS) from 2012 to 2013. Read More

Neuroimage 2018 Nov 28. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway; Department of Pediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway.

Development of the cerebral cortex may be affected by aberrant white matter development. Preterm birth with very low birth weight (VLBW) has been associated with reduced fractional anisotropy of white matter and changes in cortical thickness and surface area. We use a new methodological approach to combine white and gray matter data and test the hypothesis that white matter injury is primary, and acts as a mediating factor for concomitant gray matter aberrations, in the developing VLBW brain. Read More

J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 2018 Nov 28. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Objective: To compare the health, physical growth, and developmental outcomes in preterm infants of women with and without hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP).

Design: Cross-sectional analysis of health outcomes; physical growth (head circumference, height, and weight) collected at birth and 2 months, corrected for prematurity; and cognitive, language, and motor skills of preterm infants of women with and without HDP.

Setting: Four NICUs in the United States. Read More

Am J Infect Control 2018 Nov 27. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Dr. Behçet Uz Child Disease and Pediatric Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.

Background: Central line-associated bloodstream infection is the most common infection associated with health care in preterm infants. The purpose of this 18-month cross-sectional study was to evaluate the effectiveness of bundle applications in the prevention of umbilical venous catheter (UVC)-associated bloodstream infections.

Methods: This study included patients in whom UVCs were inserted and who were diagnosed with central line-associated bloodstream infection between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria. Read More

EBioMedicine 2018 Nov 27. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perinatal Initiative, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA. Electronic address:

Background: Circulating estrogen (E2) levels are high throughout pregnancy and increase towards term, however its local tissue specific actions vary across gestation. For example, myometrial E2 regulated uterotonic action is disabled until term, whereas it's proliferative function is maintained in the breast. We have identified gestationally regulated splicing events, mediated by hnRNPG and modulated by E2 that generate alternatively spliced estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) variants (ERΔ7 and ERα46) in the myometrium. Read More

J Pediatr 2018 Nov 28. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Department of Radiodiagnosis All India Institute of Medical Sciences Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India.

Proc Nutr Soc 2018 Dec 3:1-10. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Department of Preventive Medicine,University of Southern California Health Sciences Campus,2250 Alcazar Street, Los Angeles, CA 90033,USA.

Consumption of sugar and alternative low- or no-energy sweeteners has increased in recent decades. However, it is still uncertain how consumption of sugar and alternative sweeteners during pregnancy affects pregnancy outcomes and long-term offspring health. This review aims to collate the available evidence surrounding the consequences of sugar and alternative sweetener consumption during pregnancy, a so-called secondhand sugar effect. Read More

J Turk Ger Gynecol Assoc 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Department of Computer Science and Engineering, B. S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India

Objective: A birth before the normal term of 38 weeks of gestation is called a preterm birth (PTB). It is one of the major reasons for neonatal death. The objective of this article is to predict the PTB well in advance so that it is converted to a term birth. Read More

Hum Reprod 2018 Dec 4. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 58, Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, China.

Study Question: Do human embryos survive long-term cryopreservation (CP) (≥12 years) and implant after frozen embryo transfer (ET)?

Summary Answer: Human embryos remain usable after long-term CP.

What Is Known Already: Several cohort studies have reported the live birth rate or neonatal outcomes of human embryos after CP for up to 5 years. Only a few case reports have described successful live births from human embryos after long-term CP up to 12 years. Read More

Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992) 2018 Oct;64(10):888-895

Dept. Of Neonatology - Municipal Hospital of Barueri/SP, Brasil.

Background: To determine the concentration of the Lipid Peroxidation Marker: Malondialdehyde (MDA), and Antioxidant Markers: Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Glutathione Peroxidase (GPX), Catalase (CAL) in umbilical cord blood and in unstimulated saliva in the first 24 and 48 hours of life in the PTNB of mothers with and without risk factors for early-onset neonatal sepsis.

Methods: Cross-sectional study with the signing of informed consent by the pregnant women and application of a standard questionnaire classifying the PTNB in Group 1 or 2.

Results: Twenty-one PTNB were studied. Read More

PLoS One 2018 5;13(12):e0207298. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United states of America.

We aimed to test the hypothesis that determinants of the perinatal clinical exposome related to the underlying etiology of premature birth (PTB) impact differently on select neonatal outcomes. We conducted a prospective longitudinal study of 377 singleton preterm neonates [gestational age (GA) at birth: 23-34 weeks] separated into three distinct contemporaneous newborn cohorts: i) spontaneous PTB in the setting of intra-amniotic infection/inflammation (yes-IAI, n = 116); ii) spontaneous PTB in the absence of IAI (no-IAI, n = 130), and iii) iatrogenic PTB for preeclampsia (iPTB-PE, n = 131). Newborns (n = 372) were followed until death or discharge. Read More

PLoS One 2018 5;13(12):e0201328. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Wellcome Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Sciences, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.

Background: Innate immune responses of airway epithelium are important defences against respiratory pathogens and allergens. Newborn infants are at greater risk of severe respiratory infections compared to older infants, while premature infants are at greater risk than full term infants. However, very little is known regarding human neonatal airway epithelium immune responses and whether age-related morphological and/or innate immune changes contribute to the development of airway disease. Read More