Time Of Birth Research Articles

Sensitivity and activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress response and apoptosis in the perinatal sheep heart.

Although the unfolded protein response (UPR) contributes to survival by removing misfolded proteins, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress also activates proapoptotic pathways. Changed sensitivity to normal developmental stimuli may underlie observed cardiomyocyte apoptosis in the healthy perinatal heart. We determined in vitro sensitivity to thapsigargin in sheep cardiomyocytes from four perinatal ages. In utero cardiac activation of ER stress and apoptotic pathways was determined at these same ages. Thapsigargin-induced phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (EIF2A) was decreased by 72% between 135 and 143 dGA (P = 0.0096) and remained low at 1 dPN (P = 0.0080). Conversely, thapsigargin-induced caspase cleavage was highest around the time of birth: cleaved caspase 3 was highest at 1 dPN (3.8-fold vs. 135 dGA, P = 0.0380; 7.8-fold vs. 5 dPN, P = 0.0118), cleaved caspase 7 and cleaved caspase 12 both increased between 135 and 143 dGA (25-fold and 6.9-fold respectively, both P < 0.0001) and remained elevated at 1 dPN. Induced apoptosis, measured by TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay, was highest around the time of birth (P < 0.0001). There were changes in myocardial ER stress pathway components in utero. Glucose (78 kDa)-regulated protein (GRP78) protein levels were high in the fetus and declined after birth (P < 0.0001). EIF2A phosphorylation was profoundly depressed at 1 dPN (vs. 143 dGA, P = 0.0113). In conclusion, there is dynamic regulation of ER proteostasis, ER stress, and apoptosis cascade in the perinatal heart. Apoptotic signaling is more readily activated in fetal cardiomyocytes near birth, leading to widespread caspase cleavage in the newborn heart. These pathways are important for the regulation of normal maturation in the healthy perinatal heart.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Cardiomyocyte apoptosis occurs even in the healthy, normally developing perinatal myocardium. As cardiomyocyte number is a critical contributor to heart health, the sensitivity of cardiomyocytes to endoplasmic reticulum stress leading to apoptosis is an important consideration. This study suggests that the heart has less robust protective mechanisms in response to endoplasmic reticulum stress immediately before and after birth, and that more cardiomyocyte death can be induced by stress in this period.

Human Milk Oligosaccharides in Antenatal Colostrum: A Case Study.

Introduction/Background: Some women produce antenatal colostrum during pregnancy and feed it to their baby after birth. However, the composition of antenatal colostrum and how it compares to postnatal colostrum and mature milk are not well described. In fact, there are currently no data on the composition of antenatal colostrum when it comes to human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), the third most abundant solid human milk component after lactose and lipids. Case Presentation: We report a case of a single healthy donor who collected antenatal colostrum and urine from 19 weeks of gestation all the way to mature milk at 3 months postpartum. We analyzed all samples for HMO composition using high-performance liquid chromatography and for lactose concentrations using an enzymatic assay. Results: The entire spectrum of HMOs typical of a nonsecretor was already present in antenatal colostrum at 19 weeks gestation with a total concentration of 7.5 mg/mL. The HMO concentration further increased to over 12.5 mg/mL at 30 weeks gestation and then declined throughout the remainder of pregnancy and continued to decline in the postpartum period with concentrations of less than 5 mg/mL at 12 weeks postpartum. Concentrations of some of the individual HMOs as well as lactose changed significantly at the time of birth. HMO composition in antenatal colostrum was different in time-matched urine samples. Conclusion: Measuring HMOs in maternal urine does not fully capture the composition of HMOs in antenatal colostrum. Feeding antenatal colostrum to the newborn baby provides the entire set of different HMOs at high concentrations.

Naming in Banten Community: An Anthroponymy Study

The name is a symbol of a culture. It represents a specific identity or affiliation that is deeply rooted in the cultural context. Names can be derived from various sources such as geographical features, mythological characters, or personal traits, which are often reflective of the cultural values and traditions of a society. The name of Banten community is a symbol of the Banten culture. Banten community generally uses two regional languages: Banten Javanese and Banten Sundanese. This study describes the influence of foreign languages on the names of Banten community. This study used a qualitative approach. The data was taken from the names of prospective students of SMAN 1 Pontang and SMAN 4 Pandeglang. The results showed that foreign languages influenced the name of the Banten community. The foreign languages are Arabic and English. The naming consists mostly of two words. The meaning of the name is based on Islam, famous figures, time of birth, hope, and month name.

Estimation of the growth curve in Colombian sheep using the Richards model

Objective. To describe growth in Colombian hair sheep (OPC) using the Richards model. Materials and methods. A total of 2086 records were obtained from weighing every 30 days in OPC sheep from birth to slaughter and weaning at 90 days. In addition, the sex (S), type of lambing (TP) and time of birth (Eponac) of the animals were considered. The data were analyzed with the Richards model using the NLIN procedure of SAS. Results. The asymptotic weight estimation indicated by parameter A for males was 7.8 kg higher than that of females; in the TP, this same parameter indicated a 22% superiority between single and multiple births; finally, in the Eponac variable, the best weight values corresponded to the rainy season with 5 kg more than the animals born in the dry season. For the K parameter, the reference values oscillate between 0.001 and 0.004 in the variables S, TP and Eponac; as well as the correlation between the A and K parameters, the values are between -0.98 and -0.99 in all the variables studied. Conclusions. The Richards model explained the development of the animals and allowed observing the effect of the variables S, TP and Eponac, evidencing in each of these a slow growth, but with high weights at maturity.

Preparation and validation of a predictive model of breastfeeding initiation in the first hour of life

ObjectiveThe objective was to develop and validate a predictive model of initiation of breastfeeding in the first hour after delivery. MethodsRetrospective cohort study on women who gave birth between 2013 and 2018 in Spain. For data collection, an ad hoc questionnaire was designed to be filled in by the mothers, which was distributed to the different Spanish breastfeeding associations which, in turn, shared it with their associate partners. The development of the predictive model was made on a cohort of 3218 women (2/3) and was validated on a cohort of 1609 women (1/3). Mothers whose children were admitted to hospital at the time of birth were excluded. A multivariate analysis was performed by means of logistic regression, and predictive ability was determined by areas under the ROC curve (AUC). Results81.0 % (2608) women started breastfeeding in the first hour in the derivation cohort, and 80.1 % (1289) in the validation cohort. The predictive factors in the final model were: the highest number of children and skin-to-skin contact at birth as flattering factors, while dystocic delivery reduced the likelihood of the onset of breastfeeding. The predictive ability (ROC AUC) in the derivation cohort was 0.89 (CI 95 %: 0.87–0.90), while in the validation cohort it was 0.89 (CI 95 %: 0.87–0.92). ConclusionsThis three-variable predictive model has excellent predictive ability in both the derivation cohort and the validation cohort. This model can identify women who are at high risk of non-initiating breastfeeding within the first hour after delivery.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress response favors cardiomyocyte apoptosis near birth

INTRODUCTION: One-third of cardiomyocyte are lost just before birth in the normally developing heart. The underlying reasons for this cell loss are unknown. We studied the role of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response in regulation of cardiomyocyte apoptosis in perinatal sheep hearts. We hypothesized that the signaling balance from survival to apoptosis changes just before the cardiomyocyte numbers decline, and that the ER stress response contributes. METHODS: Snap-frozen left ventricular (LV) samples and cultured cardiomyocytes from normally-growing lambs at 135 d of gestational age (dGA; term=147 dGA), 143 dGA and 1 d postnatal age (dPN) were used for this study (n=6 each age).Gene and protein regulation was studied by RT-PCR and western blot analysis. Parameters were compared by age by 1-way ANOVA followed, if justified, by Šídák's multiple comparisons test. RESULTS: In the LV, the ER stress master regulatory protein GRP78 was similar within fetal ages, but declined 32% between 143 dGA and 1 dPN (P= 0.0005), indicating less capacity for responding to misfolded proteins. eIF2α, downstream of GRP78, is critical for deciding the survival/apoptosis outcome following ER stress. Phosphorylation of eIF2α doubled between 135 dGA and 143 dGA (P=0.0015), implying increased ER stress in this period, and declined again at 1 dPN (p&lt;0.0001 vs. 143 dGA). Cleaved apoptosis effector caspase 3 protein peaked after birth; levels at 1 dPN were 1- to 2-fold higher than at other ages (p&lt;0.0001 vs. 135 dGA, P=0.002 vs. 143 dGA). Together, these data suggest that survival signaling in the ER stress pathway may be blunted between 135 and 143 dGA, as evidenced by diminished GRP78 expression and elevated eIF2α phosphorylation, resulting in activation of the apoptosis pathway. To better understand the mechanisms regulating dynamic perinatal changes in the ER stress response pathway, we studied sensitivity to ER stress (thapsigargin: 5 μM, 12 h) in cultured LV cardiomyocytes. In response to thapsigargin, GRP78 protein levels rose ~3-fold higher in cells from 135 dGA compared to 143 dGA or 1 dPN hearts (p&lt;0.0001), supporting diminishing survival signaling closer to the time of birth. Phosphorylation of eIF2α followed a similar pattern and was highest in 135 dGA cells (p&lt;0.0001 vs. 143 dGA and 1 dPN). This contrasts to the greater levels of phospho-eIF2α at 143 dGA in the tissue analysis. Thapsigargin stimulated 2-fold more cleavage of caspase 3 at 1 dPN than 135 dGA (P=0.0243), a similar timing as found in LV tissue. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that at two weeks before birth, heart and cardiomyocytes are resilient to ER stress and stimulation of apoptosis, whereas nearer the time of birth there is a blunted ER stress response and increased activation of apoptotic pathways. R01HL142483 (Jonker), Collins Foundation (Bose). This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

A Retrospective Study on the Mortality Rate of Camel Calves, Leading Causes, and Associated Risk Factors in Borana Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Background: Camelus dromedarius (one-humped camel) is an important livestock species uniquely adapted to arid and hot environments. Purpose: This study aims to determine the mortality rate of camel calves and to investigate the potential risk factors associated with it. Methods: Retrospective data were collected through interviews with livestock owners using a semi-structured questionnaire from February 2020 to January 2021. During the study period, a total of 1,249 calves were born. This allowed for assessment of annual mortality rate and its main contributing factors. Results: The average annual mortality rate was 26% (1.29 ±1.77), while the overall mortality rate was 55% (1.30 ± 1.85). Malnutrition (5%), unexplained causes (6%), and diseases (24%) were the three leading causes of calf mortality. Diarrhea (57%), nonspecific diseases (45.4%), respiratory diseases (23%) were significant among the diseases. Mistakes in the management of young livestock included limiting access to colostrum and milk for human consumption, as well as poor care and health management. Conclusion: The results of this study suggested that the pastoral livestock production system used in Borena has a serious problem with calf mortality. The first month of life had the highest mortality rate of 26%. Diseases, starvation, and unexplained causes were the leading causes of calf mortality. In addition, calf mortality was associated with the timing of birth and colostrum feeding.

Racial, ethnic, and socio-economic disparities in neonatal ICU admissions among neonates born with cyanotic CHD in the United States, 2009-2018.

Disparities in CHD outcomes exist across the lifespan. However, less is known about disparities for patients with CHD admitted to neonatal ICU. We sought to identify sociodemographic disparities in neonatal ICU admissions among neonates born with cyanotic CHD. Annual natality files from the US National Center for Health Statistics for years 2009-2018 were obtained. For each neonate, we identified sex, birthweight, pre-term birth, presence of cyanotic CHD, and neonatal ICU admission at time of birth, as well as maternal age, race, ethnicity, comorbidities/risk factors, trimester at start of prenatal care, educational attainment, and two measures of socio-economic status (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children [WIC] status and insurance type). Multivariable logistic regression models were fit to determine the association of maternal socio-economic status with neonatal ICU admission. A covariate for race/ethnicity was then added to each model to determine if race/ethnicity attenuate the relationship between socio-economic status and neonatal ICU admission. Of 22,373 neonates born with cyanotic CHD, 77.2% had a neonatal ICU admission. Receipt of WIC benefits was associated with higher odds of neonatal ICU admission (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.20, 95% CI 1.1-1.29, p < 0.01). Neonates born to non-Hispanic Black mothers had increased odds of neonatal ICU admission (aOR 1.20, 95% CI 1.07-1.35, p < 0.01), whereas neonates born to Hispanic mothers were at lower odds of neonatal ICU admission (aOR 0.84, 95% CI 0.76-0.93, p < 0.01). Maternal Black race and low socio-economic status are associated with increased risk of neonatal ICU admission for neonates born with cyanotic CHD. Further work is needed to identify the underlying causes of these disparities.

Birth timing: supporting female graduate students

ABSTRACT Women seeking higher education frequently do so during peak childbearing years and women with higher levels of education are more likely to postpone motherhood until a later age. Fertility rate, defined as the average number of children born to a woman over her lifetime, has decreased globally. The decrease in birthrate has been partially attributed to women seeking educational opportunities. Understanding the experience of students in this realm would allow higher education institutions to better support students who are (or wish to be) mothers. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of research examining graduate women and the factors involved in their consideration of having a child while in school. We seek to fill this gap by examining the impact of fertility concerns (FC) and importance of on-time degree completion (DC) on the probability of having a biological child in graduate school (PC) among 469 female graduate psychology students in the USA. We found higher FC was associated with higher PC. In contrast, higher DC was associated with lower PC. Furthermore, FC had a significant unique relation to PC after accounting for the contribution of DC. We discuss how institutions and programs may help support and empower female graduate students by implementing educational policies and procedures that are supportive of graduate student mothers. This is particularly important because a large proportion of women pursue advanced degrees, and this number is projected to increase.

Serum Prolactin Levels as a Novel, Practical Marker for Predicting Malignant Diseases of the Breast.

Background and objective Prolactin (PRL) has a high specificity toward breast cancer (BC), making it a valuable marker in both diagnosis and prognosis. In this study, we aimed to compare serum PRL levels between pre- and post-menopausal women with BC, as well as normal reference values. We also investigated the association of various risk factors with PRL levels in women with BC. Methods The study involved adult women diagnosed with BC based on clinical features and tissue histopathology receiving treatmentat a tertiary care center in Pune, India. General and demographic information, anthropometric measurements (height, weight, and BMI), menstrual status (age at menarche and menopausal state), clinical presentation (signs and symptoms), duration of symptoms, and parity were recorded by using a pre-tested proforma based on hospital records or in-person interviews. Serum PRL was measured by the RIA method (sandwich assay). Results A total of 67 women (average age: 47.5 ± 11.8 years; 33 of them post-menopausal) with BC were included in the study. The participants had an average BMI of 24.9 ± 3.5 kg/m2,and 26 (39%) of them wereoverweight. The majority of women had BC stage IIA disease, involvement of the right side or upper outer quadrant, and had attained menarche after 14 years of age; 47 women had aBCduration of >3 months. Seven women were nulliparous, and the remaining had given birth to their first child before the age of 26 years. The average serum PRL level among the participants was 9.27 ± 7.62 ng/mL, with higher levels found in post-menopausal women compared to pre-menopausal women (11.08 vs. 7.51 ng/mL, respectively; p=0.08). Women with a higher stageand greater duration of disease had significantly higher serum PRL levels (p<0.001 for both). When compared with reference values, pre-menopausal women showed significantly lower (6.25 vs. 10.9, respectively; p=0.001) and post-menopausal women showed significantly higher (8.55 vs. 5.95; p=0.004) serum PRL levels. A positive correlation was found between serum PRL and age at the time of birth of the first child (p=0.068). Conclusions Based on our findings, PRL is an important hormone in the development of BC in women. Therapeutic modulation of PRL may be a realistic and novel approach to curing human BC, either administered alone or in combination with conventional treatments.

Lineage Analysis and Birthdating of Drosophila Central Complex Lineages.

From insects to humans, the nervous system generates complex behaviors mediated by distinct neural circuits that are composed of diverse cell types. During development, the spatiotemporal gene expression of the neural progenitors expands the diversity of neuronal and glial subtypes. Various neural stem cell-intrinsic and -extrinsic gene programs have been identified that are thought to play a major role in generating diverse neuronal and glial cell types. Drosophila has served as an excellent model system for discovering the fundamental principles of nervous system development and function. The sophisticated genetic tools allow us to link the origin and birth timing (the time when a particular neuron is born during development) of neuron types to unique neural stem cells (NSCs) and to a developmental time. In Drosophila, a special class of NSCs called Type II NSCs has adopted a more advanced division mode to generate lineages for the higher-order brain center, the central complex, which is an evolutionarily conserved brain region found in all insects. Type II NSCs, similar to the human outer radial glia, generate intermediate neural progenitors (INPs), which divide many times to produce about eight to 10 progeny. Both Type II NSCs and INPs express distinct transcription factors and RNA-binding proteins that have been proposed to regulate the specification of cell types populating the adult central complex. Here, we describe the recently invented lineage filtering system, called cell class-lineage intersection (CLIn), which enables the tracking and birthdating of the Type II NSC lineages. Using CLIn, one can easily generate clones of different Type II NSCs and identify not only the origins of neurons of interest but also their birth time.

Clomiphene Citrate Administered in Periconception Phase Causes Fetal Loss and Developmental Impairment in Mice.

Clomiphene citrate is a common treatment for ovulation induction in subfertile women, but its use is associated with elevated risk of adverse perinatal outcomes and birth defects. To investigate the biological plausibility of a causal relationship, this study investigated the consequences in mice for fetal development and pregnancy outcome of periconception clomiphene citrate administration at doses approximating human exposures. A dose-dependent adverse effect of clomiphene citrate given twice in the 36 hours after mating was seen, with a moderate dose of 0.75 mg/kg sufficient to cause altered reproductive outcomes in 3 independent cohorts. Viable pregnancy was reduced by 30%, late gestation fetal weight was reduced by 16%, and ∼30% of fetuses exhibited delayed development and/or congenital abnormalities not seen in control dams, including defects of the lung, kidney, liver, eye, skin, limbs, and umbilicus. Clomiphene citrate also caused a 30-hour average delay in time of birth, and elevated rate of pup death in the early postnatal phase. In surviving offspring, growth trajectory tracking and body morphometry analysis at 20 weeks of age showed postweaning growth and development similar to controls. A dysregulated inflammatory response in the endometrium was observed and may contribute to the underlying pathophysiological mechanism. These results demonstrate that in utero exposure to clomiphene citrate during early pregnancy can compromise implantation and impact fetal growth and development, causing adverse perinatal outcomes. The findings raise the prospect of similar iatrogenic effects in women where clomiphene citrate may be present in the periconception phase unless its use is well-supervised.

Giant Cerebriform Nevus Sebaceous of Jadassohn in an Infant

Nevi are hamartomatous growth of skin or mucosa that usually present at the time of birth or soon after. Nevus sebaceous (NS) is an epidermal nevus comprised predominantly of sebaceous glands. It presents at the time of birth, as yellow-tan-colored plaque, which usually remains constant till puberty and thereafter it increases in size due to the hormonal influence on sebaceous glands. Here, we are reporting a case of giant cerebriform NS of Jadassohn in a 2-month-old male child. Such giant and cerebriform appearance of NS is rarely seen.

Type 1 Narcolepsy in Pregnancy: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Abstract: Background: Type 1 Narcolepsy (with cataplexy) is a rare disorder affecting the central nervous system, and is characterized by the inability to control sleep-wake cycles. There is a paucity of data regarding management during pregnancy. Case: This is a 23-year-old with narcolepsy and cataplexy, treated with methylphenidate in the third trimester, resulting in an improvement of episodes of cataplexy. A review of the literature reveals information regarding options for medical management and the mode of delivery for these women. Conclusion: Type 1 Narcolepsy can be treated with medications after consideration of risks and benefits. For patients who are symptomatic at the time of birth, cesarean section may be the preferred mode of delivery in women with type 1 narcolepsy.

Use of Postpartum Hemorrhage Checklist during Vaginal Deliveries: A Quality Improvement Study.

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) protocols improve patient safety and reduce utilization of blood products; however, few data exist on sustainability of PPH checklist use, how use affects care delivery, and variation of use among patient subgroups. This study aimed to (1) examine compliance with PPH checklist use during vaginal deliveries, (2) evaluate whether checklist use varied by patient and/or care team characteristics, and (3) evaluate whether checklist use was associated with increased use of recommended medications/interventions. This was a quality improvement study performed from April 2021 through June 2023. A multidisciplinary team developed a revised PPH checklist and used quality improvement methodology to increase checklist use following vaginal birth. Data were collected from medical records and clinician survey. Control charts were generated to track checklist use and evaluate special cause variation. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used to evaluate variation in medications/interventions and across subgroups. During the study period, there were 342 cases of PPH at the time of vaginal birth. The checklist was used in 67% of PPH cases during the 20-month period after implementation in a setting where no checklist was previously being used. We found no statistically significant differences in checklist use by patient or health care team characteristics. Use of tranexamic acid, carboprost, and misoprostol were significantly associated with checklist use. This study demonstrated successful implementation of a checklist protocol where no checklist was previously being used, with sustained use in an average of 67% of PPH cases over 20 months. Checklist use was consistent across subgroups and was associated with higher use of interventions shown to lower blood loss. · Our study showed sustainability of PPH checklist use over a 20-month period.. · PPH checklist use was associated with increased use of interventions known to reduce blood loss.. · Checklist was used consistently across patient subgroups; may help address inequities in obstetric outcomes..

Does preterm birth increase the initiation of antidepressant use during the postpartum? A population-based investigation.

Preterm birth may affect maternal mental health. We explored the relationship between preterm birth and the risk of initiating antidepressant use during the year after birth. We conducted a population-based investigation using regional healthcare utilization databases. The exposure considered was preterm birth. The outcome was having at least one prescription for antidepressant medications during the year after birth. We used a log-binomial regression model including terms for maternal age at birth, nationality, educational level, parity, modality of conception, modality of delivery, use of other psychotropic drugs, and diabetes to estimate relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between preterm birth and the initiation of antidepressant use. In addition, the absolute risk differences (ARD) were also computed according to the timing of birth. The cohort included 727,701 deliveries between 2010 and 2020 in Lombardy, Northern Italy. Out of these, 6,522 (0.9%) women had at least one prescription for antidepressant drugs during the year after birth. Preterm births were related to a 38% increased risk of initiation of antidepressant use during the year after birth (adjusted RR = 1.38; 95% CI: 1.25-1.52) for moderate to late preterm and to 83% (adjusted RR = 1.83; 95% CI: 1.46-2.28) for extremely and very preterm. Excluding women with only one antidepressant prescription, the association was consistent (adjusted RR = 1.41, 95%CI: 1.23-1.61 for moderate to late preterm and adjusted RR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.31-2.49 for extremely and very preterm). Also, excluding women who used other psychotropics, the association remained consistent (adjusted RR = 1.39, 95%CI: 1.26-1.54 and adjusted RR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.53-2.38, respectively for moderate to late and extremely and very preterm). Women who delivered preterm may have an excess risk of initiation of antidepressant consumption during the first year after birth.

Opinions and approaches of pediatric surgery specialists and residents about neonatal resuscitation program-nrp: survey study

Aims: The Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) is a course for healthcare professionals who can be called "those who touch the baby at the time of birth". The knowledge and skills obtained through this training program can be used in infant resuscitation at the time of birth and neonatal period resuscitation, which includes the first 30 days of life. It is aimed to evaluate the approaches of pediatric surgeons and research assistants in terms of their opinions and practices regarding NRP, as there are publications in the literature about the NRP experiences of other healthcare professionals. Methods: After receiving the approval of the Ethics Committee,the survey was published as a descriptive and cross-sectional study via the Google Docs system, and the participation of pediatric surgeons and research assistants was requested. Our research was conducted between October 2023 and March 2024 by asking the participants survey form questions via communication tools such as e-mail, telephone, social media, Internet. Data were sent to participants in the form of electronically prepared survey forms via e-mail addresses and social media platforms. It was collected electronically within the date ranges determined for the research. Results: Thirty-seven participants were male, and 40 participants were female. The average age of 77 pediatric surgeons who participated in the survey was determined to be 43.8 years old. Seventeen of the participants are research assistants; 24 of them are specialist physicians; 10 of them are Dr. Lecturers; 12 of them are associate professors; 14 of them were professors. It was determined that 48 of 77 physicians took the NRP course. It has been determined that those who took the NRP course can contribute more to resuscitation practices. Conclusion: It has been stated that pediatric surgeons are familiar with NRP applications and that as clinical experience increases, even among those who have not taken the course, interventions by NRP can be performed. It is seen that pediatric surgeons can effectively participate in NRP courses.

Clinical Characteristics Analysis of 1051 Cases of Cleft Lip With/Without Cleft Palate in the Ethnic Tibetan Population

To examine the characteristics of the prevalence of congenital cleft lip with/without cleft palate in the ethnic Tibetan population and to provide support for the precise prevention and treatment of cleft lip with/without cleft palate in the Tibetan population. The clinical data of Tibetan patients with cleft lip with/without cleft palate were collected and the clinical characteristics of the patients were analyzed. The patients' age ranged from 2 months to 51 years old. All the subjects were admitted to West China Stomatology Hospital, Sichuan University for the treatment of cleft lip with/without cleft palate between January 2016 and August 2023. Most of the subjects came from Sichuan Province and the Tibet Autonomous Region. A total of 1051 patients were enrolled and children aged under 12 months (460 cases) accounted for the largest proportion. Among the subjects, 383 had cleft lip only (36.44%), 140 had cleft palate only (13.32%), and 528 had cleft lip with cleft palate (50.24%). The male-to-female ratios of patients with cleft lip only (0.99∶1), cleft palate only (0.54∶1), and cleft lip with cleft palate (1.67∶1) exhibited significant differences (P<0.001). However, there was no significant difference in the male-to-female ratio in patients with cleft lip only or those with cleft lip with cleft palate when the subjects were divided into two groups according to whether they had unilateral or bilateral cleft lip with/without cleft palate. Most of the patients with bilateral cleft lip were female, while most of the patients with unilateral cleft lip and unilateral or bilateral cleft lip with cleft palate were male. The unilateral cleft lip with/without cleft palate was located predominantly on the left side. Syndromic cleft lip with/without cleft palate accounted for 3.43% of all the cases and the most common concomitant deformity was congenital heart disease. 3.81% (40 cases) of the patients had a family history. In the patients with cleft lip only and those with cleft palate only, the proportion of patients having parents with corresponding phenotypes was higher than those of other phenotypes of cleft lip with/without cleft palate. Regarding the birth time distribution of the children with cleft lip with/without cleft palate, Spring saw the highest number of births of these children (311 cases, 29.59%), while Winter saw the lowest number of births (231 cases, 21.98%). The cases of cleft lip with/without cleft palate in the ethnic Tibetan population are predominantly cleft lip and palate. Unilateral cleft lip only or cleft lip with palate is predominantly located on the left side. Lip disease phenotypes may be more heritable.

Identification of Short-Chain Fatty Acids for Predicting Preterm Birth in Cervicovaginal Fluid Using Mass Spectrometry.

Preterm birth (PTB) refers to delivery before 37 weeks of gestation. Premature neonates exhibit higher neonatal morbidity and mortality rates than term neonates; therefore, predicting and preventing PTB are important. In this study, we investigated the potential of using short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels, specific vaginal microbiota-derived metabolites, as a biomarker in predicting PTB using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Cervicovaginal fluid (CVF) was collected from 89 pregnant women (29 cases of PTB vs. 60 controls) without evidence of other clinical infections, and SCFA levels were measured. Furthermore, the PTB group was divided into two subgroups based on birth timing after CVF sampling: delivery ≤ 2 days after sampling (n = 10) and ≥2 days after sampling (n = 19). The concentrations of propionic acid, isobutyric acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, hexanoic acid, and heptanoic acid were significantly higher in the PTB group than in the term birth (TB) group (p < 0.05). In particular, the concentrations of propionic acid, isobutyric acid, hexanoic acid, and heptanoic acid were continuously higher in the PTB group than in the TB group (p < 0.05). In the delivery ≤ 2 days after sampling group, the propionic acid, isobutyric acid, hexanoic acid, and heptanoic acid levels were significantly higher than those in the other groups (p < 0.05). This study demonstrated a significant association between specific SCFAs and PTB. We propose these SCFAs as potential biomarkers for the prediction of PTB.

The Gut Microbiome–Human Body Symbiosis: Relevance of the Ubiquitous Microbial Community on Health and Development, Part 2

The human gut microbiome, comprising a range of microbial species (~100 to 1,000), is an extremely malleable ecosystem. It originates around the time of human birth and evolves as the infant grows until it matures into the relatively stable adult gut composition. Through this dynamic evolution, the composition of the gut microbiome is influenced or altered by factors such as diet, environment, mode of birth, genetics, infections, and medications. Strong associations between such alterations (dysbiosis) and diseases have led scientists to develop therapies that target a malfunctioning gut. Research is now focused on the microbiota or their associated metabolites as potential therapies. Treatment options explored include prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics, synbiotics, fecal microbiota transplants, and live biotherapeutic products. The gut microbiome is not a panacea for all health issues; rather, it is part of a large network of interconnected operating systems within the human body. As communicators of scientific data, medical writers play a vital role in educating the public on the merits and limitations of gut microbiome therapeutics. Popular discourse, however, can be influenced by misinformation. With the ever-growing influence of social media, the lay reader must learn how to critically appraise the health information propagated by these sources. This second part of the gut microbiome series explores the association of the gut microbiome with human disease and the role that social media plays in influencing the popular perception and understanding of the importance of the gut microbiome. Approved and experimental therapies using the gut microbiome will be discussed.