High-frequency nasal ventilation

Null and colleagues hypothesized that high-frequency nasal ventilation (HFNV) in preterm lambs for up to 21 days leads to adequate gas exchange at lower inspired oxygen levels and airway pressures than those associated with intubation and intermittent mandatory ventilation. Beyond supporting this proposition, their results show that noninvasive HFNV leads to prolonged improvement in functional and structural development of the lungs of preterm lambs.

See High-frequency nasal ventilation for 21 d maintains gas exchange with lower respiratory pressures and promotes alveolarization in preterm lambs

Gene expression in newborns’ brains

Supplemental oxygen used during resuscitation can be detrimental to the newborn brain. Wollen et al. investigated how different oxygen therapies affect gene transcription in a hypoxia–reoxygenation mouse model. It appears that hyperoxia alone induces a gene expression pattern different from that observed when hyperoxia is preceded by hypoxia.

See Transcriptome profiling of the newborn mouse brain after hypoxia–reoxygenation: hyperoxic reoxygenation induces inflammatory and energy failure responsive genes

Sirolimus treatment of severe PHTS

Schmid and coinvestigators describe a therapeutic attempt with the mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor sirolimus in a patient with phosphatase and tensin homolog hamartoma tumor syndrome (PHTS) who suffers from thymus hyperplasia and lipomatosis.

See Sirolimus treatment of severe PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome: case report and in vitro studies

Metabonomic monitoring of infant growth

The combination of maternal obesity in early pregnancy and high-protein intake via infant formula might predispose babies to a risk of obesity in later life. Martin et al. assessed the impact of breast- or formula feeding on the metabolism of term infants of overweight and obese mothers. Their results suggest that the breast milk from overweight or obese mothers affects infant growth differently from normal-weight mothers’ breast milk.

See Impact of breast-feeding and high- and low-protein formula on the metabolism and growth of infants from overweight and obese mothers

Camel milk and autism

Bashir and Al-Ayadhi investigated the effect of consumption of camel milk on Childhood Autism Rating Scale score in subjects with autism. Camel milk administered for two weeks seemed to lower clinical measurements of autism severity and serum level of TARC (thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine) in autistic children.

See Effect of camel milk on thymus and activation-regulated chemokine in autistic children: double-blind study

Seizures in very preterm infants

Vesoulis and colleagues hypothesized that seizures in the first three days after very preterm birth are associated with increased brain injury and later adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. They performed electroencephalography (EEG) on 95 very preterm infants and found that seizures during the first three postnatal days are associated with poor early language development.

See Early electrographic seizures, brain injury, and neurodevelopmental risk in the very preterm infant