Using data from several well-preserved pyres, which are rarely found well preserved in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, we examine cremation customs and their associated ...pyrotechnologies at the site of Cerro de Trincheras in northern Sonora, Mexico, from AD 1300 to 1450/1500. We explore variations in pyre construction and use, thermal alterations of the deceased, the deceased individuals’ biological profiles, the performance of mortuary rituals, and the sensorial experiences of both the mourners and the wider Cerro de Trincheras community. The residents of the site were masters of the pyrotechnologies associated with cremations, making efficient pyres for the deceased and maximizing their resources. The group also created transformative funeral rituals that may have facilitated and mediated a wide range of emotional responses toward their deceased.
The entero–mammary pathway is a specialized route that selectively translocates bacteria to the newborn’s gut, playing a crucial role in neonatal development. Previous studies report shared bacterial ...and archaeal taxa between human milk and neonatal intestine. However, the functional implications for neonatal development are not fully understood due to limited evidence. This study aimed to identify and characterize the microbiota and metabolome of human milk, mother, and infant stool samples using high-throughput DNA sequencing and FT-ICR MS methodology at delivery and 4 months post-partum. Twenty-one mothers and twenty-five infants were included in this study. Our results on bacterial composition suggest vertical transmission of bacteria through breastfeeding, with major changes occurring during the first 4 months of life. Metabolite chemical characterization sheds light on the growing complexity of the metabolites. Further data integration and network analysis disclosed the interactions between different bacteria and metabolites in the biological system as well as possible unknown pathways. Our findings suggest a shared bacteriome in breastfed mother–neonate pairs, influenced by maternal lifestyle and delivery conditions, serving as probiotic agents in infants for their healthy development. Also, the presence of food biomarkers in infants suggests their origin from breast milk, implying selective vertical transmission of these features.
Introduction
The mother's colostrum carries immunological components, such as cytokines and immunoglobulins (Igs), derived from the maternal circulation with bacteriostatic properties.
Objective
The ...objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of oropharyngeal administration of colostrum (OPAC) vs. placebo in the first 4 days of life in premature newborns ≤32 weeks of gestation on serum Ig concentration, neonatal morbidity, and total days of hospitalization.
Hypothesis
The OPAC increases serum Igs and decreases morbidity and total days of hospitalization.
Materials and Methods
A double-blind randomized controlled trial was carried out. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two groups, namely, group 1: placebo (P) (
n
= 50) and group 2: colostrum (C) (
n
= 46). A blood sample was obtained at baseline and 7 and 28 days of life to quantify immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin A (IgA), and IgM. Results: The C group showed an increase in serum IgA on day 28 expressed as median and interquartile range; C: 25 12–35 vs. P: 11 8–18,
p
< 0.001. There were no significant differences in neonatal morbidity. Newborns in the colostrum group showed the completed enteral feeding earlier (days), C: 13.9 ± 7 vs. P: 17.4 ± 8.4,
p
< 0.04; they reached the birth weight earlier, C: 10.9 ± 2.8 vs. P: 12.9 ± 4,
p
< 0.01, and had less days of hospitalization, C: 60.2 ± 33.8 vs. P: 77.2 ± 47.3,
p
< 0.04. Neonatal mortality was lower in the colostrum grou
p
than the placebo group 0% vs. 12%, respectively, without a statistical difference (
p
= 0.06).
Conclusion
In premature newborns ≤32 weeks of gestation, the OPAC within 4 days after birth increases serum IgA concentration at day 28 compared to placebo. Similarly, OPAC decreased the days to complete enteral feeding and reach the birth weight and total days of hospitalization.
Clinical Trial Registration
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03578341
, identifier: NCT03578341.
Congenital heart disease (CHD) are the most common malformations from birth. The severity of the different forms of CHD varies extensively from superficial mild lesions with follow-up for decades ...without any treatment to complex cyanotic malformations requiring urgent surgical intervention. microRNAs have been found to be crucial in cardiac development, giving rise to possible phenotypes in CHD.
We aimed to evaluate the expression of miRNAs in 86 children with CHD and divided into cyanotic and non-cyanotic heart defects and 110 controls.
The miRNAs expression of miR-21-5p, miR-155-5p, miR-221-3p, miR-26a-5p, and miR-144-3p were analyzed by RT-qPCR. In addition, the expressions of the miRNAs studied were correlated with the clinical characteristics of both the children and the mothers.
The expression levels of miR-21-5-5p, miR-15-5p5, miR-221-3p, and miR-26-5p significantly differed between CHD and control subjects. Moreover, miR-21-5p levels were higher in patients with cyanotic versus non-cyanotic CHD patients.
The expression levels of miRNAs of pediatric patients with CHD could participating in the development of cardiac malformations. Additionally, the high expression of miR-21-5p in cyanotic CHD children may be related to greater severity of illness relative to non-cyanotic CHD.
This study adds to knowledge of the association between microRNAs and congenital heart disease in children. The expression levels of miR-21-5-5p, miR-15-5p5, miR-221-3p, and miR-26-5p of pediatric patients with CHD could be involved in the development and phenotype present in pediatric patients. miR-21-5p may help to discriminate between cyanotic and non-cyanotic CHD. In the future, the miRNAs studied could have applications as clinical biomarkers.
Abstract Background: Vitamin E has antioxidant properties, which help in scavenging free radicals, thereby reducing oxidation of lipids and proteins. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of oral ...vitamin E supplementation in preventing retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and decreasing oxidative stress 15 and 28 days post-intervention. Methods: Ninety VLBW infants were randomly assigned to two groups: Each group received 25 IU of vitamin E (T) or placebo (C). Results: The incidence of ROP in groups T and C was 12.5% (n=6) and 31% (n = 13), respectively (RR: 0.40; 95% CI: 0.10–0.96). There were no differences in mortality between groups. As expected, the vitamin E concentration was significantly increased 28 days post-intervention in group T. Conclusion: Oral supplementation with vitamin E may effectively prevent ROP development in VLBW infants with RDS. Oxidative damage markers were significantly lower, whereas total antioxidant capacity was increased in group T. However, levels of other antioxidants as vitamin A and C were not measured in two groups.
Introducción: La corioamnionitis es común durante el embarazo y se asocia con diversas complicaciones perinatales; entre los problemas neonatales más frecuentes están: parto pretérmino, sepsis ...neonatal, enfermedad pulmonar crónica, lesión cerebral secundaria a infección y trastornos del desarrollo neurológico. Es necesario conocer el riesgo de sepsis neonatal temprana en recién nacidos hijos de madres con corioamnionitis, con la intención de plantear estrategias para su prevención y tratamiento. Objetivos: Determinar el grado de asociación entre la corioamnionitis materna y la aparición de sepsis neonatal temprana. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio de casos y controles donde se incluyeron 148 pacientes divididos en dos grupos: grupo I, los casos, hijos de madres con corioamnionitis (n = 74), y grupo II, control, neonatos sin antecedente de corioamnionitis materna (n = 74). Resultados: El grupo de madres con corioamnionitis tuvo menor control prenatal y sus recién nacidos, a pesar de haber recibido antibiótico profiláctico, tuvieron una mayor frecuencia de sepsis y problemas respiratorios. Conclusiones: Los hijos de madres con corioamnionitis tienen un incremento en el riesgo de presentar sepsis neonatal temprana.
Introducción: En los últimos años ha habido un incremento de recién nacidos cercanos a término; esta prematurez tardía se asocia con un aumento en la morbilidad y mortalidad neonatal, por lo que es ...interesante conocer las diferencias en la morbilidad de este grupo de pacientes, en comparación con los recién nacidos a término. Objetivo: Evaluar la morbimortalidad temprana y durante el primer mes de vida del prematuro tardío en comparación con el recién nacido a término. Material y métodos: Se realizó un estudio comparativo de dos cohortes de recién nacidos. Grupo 1: recién nacidos prematuros tardíos de 34 a 36.6 semanas de gestación, y Grupo 2: recién nacidos a término. Se compararon 15 variables relacionadas a morbimortalidad. Se utilizó estadística descriptiva, para la comparación entre grupos t de Student y para comparar la morbilidad se determinó el riesgo relativo con el 95% de intervalo de confianza. Resultados: Se incluyeron 59 prematuros tardíos y 69 nacidos a término. De los factores maternos estudiados no hubo diferencias significativas. Respecto a los neonatos, existió un mayor riesgo del prematuro tardío para hiperbilirrubinemia (OR: 1.7 con IC 95% 1.1-2.65, reflujo gastroesofágico 1.8 con IC 95% 1.1-2.9 y dificultad en la alimentación (OR 1.66 con IC 95% 1.14-2.4). Conclusiones: Los riesgos de morbilidad encontrados en el prematuro tardío son aquellos que se presentan por su propia prematurez. No se encontró morbilidad en el prematuro tardío, secundaria a patología materna asociada.