Drug reduces risk of pneumonia in newborn mice

The underdeveloped lungs and immune systems of premature babies put them at high risk of potentially deadly pneumonia. Now, a study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has found, in mice, that an inhaled drug promotes the development of lung immunity and reduces the risk of pneumonia. The findings, published Aug. 14 in Science Advances, suggest that […]

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Reading and singing to preemies helps parents feel comfortable with their fragile babies

One out of 10 babies is born prematurely in the United States. These babies typically are cared for in neonatal intensive care units, often called NICUs. Traditional NICUs have an open-bay design where multiple babies are cared for in a large room. More recently, single-family room NICUs have emerged and have led to a variety of positive medical, developmental and […]

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EPO protects preemies’ brains by modifying genes essential for generating new brain cells

Erythropoietin (EPO) helps to protect and repair vulnerable brains though it remains a mystery how the anemia drug does so. Genetic analyses conducted by a multi-institutional research team finds that EPO may work its neuroprotective magic by modifying genes essential for regulating growth and development of nervous tissue as well as genes that respond to inflammation and hypoxia. Findings from […]

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Telemedicine provides accurate diagnosis of rare cause of blindness in preemies

Accurately detecting a rare, but devastating cause of blindness in premature babies can be done as effectively with telemedicine as with traditional, in-person eye exams, a study published in JAMA Ophthalmology suggests. This is believed to be the first study to directly compare the two approaches. The finding could enable more blindness-preventing treatment for infants born in rural and other […]

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