@article {10801, title = {Infant Analgesia With a Combination of Breast Milk, Glucose, or Maternal Holding.}, journal = {Pediatrics}, volume = {142}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 Sep}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: We studied neonatal cortical brain response to 4 types of nonpharmacological analgesia (oral glucose, expressed breast milk, maternal holding plus oral glucose, breastfeeding). We aimed to assess the differential effect of oral solutions (glucose, breast milk) given alone or combined with the maternal-infant relationship (holding, breastfeeding).

METHODS: Eighty healthy term newborns undergoing a heel stick were randomly assigned to 4 parallel groups of 20 infants each: group 1, infants received a glucose solution on a changing table; group 2, infants received expressed breast milk on a changing table; group 3, infants received a glucose solution in their mothers{\textquoteright} arms; and group 4, infants were breastfed by their mothers. Cortical activation in parietal, temporal, and frontal cortices was assessed by multichannel near-infrared spectroscopy. Pain expression was also evaluated.

RESULTS: Oral glucose alone or combined with maternal holding was associated with no cortical activation during heel stick. Expressed breast milk was associated with localized bilateral activation of somatosensory and motor cortices ( < .01). Breastfeeding was associated with extensive bilateral activation of somatomotor, somatosensory, and right parietal cortices ( < .01). Pain expression was lower with the maternal-infant relationship ( = .007).

CONCLUSIONS: Oral glucose, either alone or combined with maternal holding, appears to block or weaken cortical pain processing. Breast milk alone is associated with localized cortical activation. Breastfeeding is associated with extensive activation and may act by extending cortical processing. Maternal relationship, both combined with oral glucose and in breastfeeding, shows the greatest analgesic effect, although the neural patterns involved are distributed differently.

}, issn = {1098-4275}, doi = {10.1542/peds.2017-3416}, author = {Bembich, Stefano and Cont, Gabriele and Causin, Enrica and Paviotti, Giulia and Marzari, Patrizia and Demarini, Sergio} } @article {10804, title = {Intranasal dexmedetomidine, as midazolam-sparing drug, for MRI in preterm neonates.}, journal = {Paediatr Anaesth}, volume = {28}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 08}, pages = {747-748}, issn = {1460-9592}, doi = {10.1111/pan.13454}, author = {Bua, Jenny and Massaro, Marta and Cossovel, Francesca and Monasta, Lorenzo and Brovedani, Pierpaolo and Cozzi, Giorgio and Barbi, Egidio and Demarini, Sergio and Travan, Laura} } @article {8289, title = {Isolated hypoplasia of abdominal wall muscles associated with fetal ascites.}, journal = {Congenit Anom (Kyoto)}, volume = {56}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Jul}, pages = {184-186}, abstract = {

We report the case of an infant born after parvovirus B19-induced fetal hydrops, who presented at birth with bilateral abdominal wall laxity, which was more evident on the flanks. Imaging exams revealed congenital hypoplasia of oblique abdominal muscles not associated with other anatomical abnormalities except for small liver calcifications. We review the medical literature and identify similar cases associated with fetal ascites. We propose that isolated hypoplasia of abdominal wall muscles can be associated with fetal ascites from various causes, and represents a separate condition from prune belly syndrome.

}, issn = {1741-4520}, doi = {10.1111/cga.12156}, author = {Travan, Laura and Naviglio, Samuele and Cont, Gabriele and Brovedani, Pierpaolo and Davanzo, Riccardo and Demarini, Sergio} } @article {7710, title = {Impact of Surgery for Neonatal Gastrointestinal Diseases on Weight and Fat Mass.}, journal = {J Pediatr}, volume = {167}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Sep}, pages = {568-71}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: To compare growth, fat mass (FM), and fat-free mass in surgical infants vs matched controls at similar postconceptional age (PCA).

STUDY DESIGN: Anthropometric and body composition measurements by air-displacement plethysmography (PeaPod-Infant Body Composition System; LMI, Concord, California) were performed at the same PCA in 21 infants who received gastrointestinal surgery and in 21 controls matched for gestational age, birth weight, and sex.

RESULTS: Despite similar anthropometry at birth, postsurgical infants were shorter (50.4 [4.7] cm vs 53.2 [4.1] cm, P = .001), lighter (3516 [743] g vs 3946 [874] g, P < .001), and had lower FM content (\%FM 14.8 [4.7]\% vs 20.2 [5.8]\%, P < .0001) than their peers at similar PCA (43 [4] weeks). All surgical infants but 1 (20/21) received parenteral nutrition (PN). Mean PN duration was 40 (30) days. Five infants in the control group received PN because of prematurity for 15 (9-30) days. Nine infants in the surgical group and 1 in the control group had PN-associated cholestasis.

CONCLUSIONS: Neonates having surgery for gastrointestinal diseases were shorter, had lower weight, and lower FM content than their peers, despite receiving more PN. Body composition evaluation and monitoring may help optimize growth in these newborns.

}, issn = {1097-6833}, doi = {10.1016/j.jpeds.2015.06.013}, author = {De Cunto, Angela and Paviotti, Giulia and Travan, Laura and Bua, Jenny and Cont, Gabriele and Demarini, Sergio} } @article {1622, title = {Individual differences in prefrontal cortex activity during perception of bitter taste using fNIRS methodology.}, journal = {Chem Senses}, volume = {35}, year = {2010}, month = {2010 Nov}, pages = {801-12}, abstract = {

Although bitter taste has a crucial role in nutrition by preventing the ingestion of toxic foods, there are few studies on bitter taste neuroimaging. To identify cortical areas involved in bitter taste perception and to determine if individual differences in taste sensitivity to 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) are represented in the brain by different cortical activation patterns, we examined 48 healthy volunteers using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Participants rated the perceived intensity of filter paper disks impregnated with PROP and NaCl during the imaging procedure and were then classified as PROP tasters and nontasters. We monitored cortical activity in both the anterior and posterior regions of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC). No activity was detected in the anterior DLPFC in any of the participants. However, during the administration of PROP, significant cortical activation was detected in the more posterior regions of the left DLPFC and in the left and right VLPFC but only in PROP tasters. PROP nontasters showed no cortical activity in these areas. These data suggest that the prefrontal cortex is involved in the conscious perception of the bitter taste of PROP and that the pattern of activity is consistent with individual differences in the ability to taste this compound. Thus, the PROP phenotype is associated with fundamental differences in cortical taste processing.

}, keywords = {Adult, Eating, Female, Food Preferences, Humans, Individuality, Male, Perception, Phenotype, Prefrontal Cortex, Propylthiouracil, Sodium Chloride, Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared, Taste, Taste Threshold, Young Adult}, issn = {1464-3553}, doi = {10.1093/chemse/bjq080}, author = {Bembich, Stefano and Lanzara, Carmela and Clarici, Andrea and Demarini, Sergio and Tepper, Beverly J and Gasparini, Paolo and Grasso, Domenico L} }