The Multiple Facets of Lutein: A Call for Further Investigation in the Perinatal Period

Lutein may have important antioxidant actions in free-radical-mediated diseases, in addition to its well-known antioxidant and cytoprotective effects on macula and photoreceptors. The peculiar perinatal susceptibility to oxidative stress indicates that prophylactic use of antioxidants as lutein could help to prevent or at least to reduce oxidative stress related diseases in newborns. Since lutein is not synthesized by humans, the intake primarily depends on diet or supplementation. Newborns receive lutein exclusively from breast milk. Lutein supplementation in term newborns has been reported to reduce oxidative stress and increase antioxidant capacities in the first days of life. Innovative frontiers concerning lutein supplementation are orientated toward cardiometabolic health improvement and cognitive benefits. The safety of lutein as an antioxidant agent has been confirmed in experimental and clinical studies, but its routine use is not recommended in perinatal period. This review summarizes what is known about the role of lutein as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent in animal model and humans

Lutein as protective agent against neonatal oxidative stress

Free radicals (FR) are important for a correct development of neonatal organs and tissues. However, newborn and fetus have profoundly impaired antioxidant system. In these subjects, oxidative stress (OS) may be detrimental by activating deleterious cellular processes. Decreasing FR and restoring oxidative imbalance certainly appear to be beneficial in perinatal period. Among the therapeutic antioxidant approaches in newborns, lutein, a compound belonging to the xanthophyll family of carotenoids, is one of the emerging strategies. Humans cannot synthesize lutein, hence the intake primarily depends on diet. In the neonatal period, fresh, non-processed human milk is the main dietary source of lutein, while infant formula is lacking it. Lutein has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Lutein supplementation in human newborns during the first days of life has been demonstrated to decrease plasma biomarkers of OS and increase antioxidant capacities. Numerous experimental study have demonstrated that lutein effectively neutralizes oxidants and modulates inflammatory processes, showing particular protective effects on macula and photoreceptors against phototoxicity and oxidative injury. Only few clinical studies evaluated the effectiveness of lutein in reducing preterm and term infant morbidity, reporting no definitive results. The challenge for the future is to better clarify the timing, the optimal dose and the duration of lutein intervention in perinatal period and to verify its impact on infants’ health.   Proceedings of the 10th International Workshop on Neonatology · Cagliari (Italy) · October 22nd-25th, 2014 · The last ten years, the next ten years in Neonatology Guest Editors: Vassilios Fanos, Michele Mussap, Gavino Faa, Apostolos Papageorgio

Contextualized pain management in newborns

Neonatal pain treatment requires personalization, and pain assessment should be contextualized to be effective. Here we summarize the available tools in neonatal analgesia, paying a special attention to highlight the personalization of antalgic behavior, both in assessment and in treatment of neonatal pain.   Proceedings of the 11th International Workshop on Neonatology and Satellite Meetings · Cagliari (Italy) · October 26th-31st, 2015 · From the womb to the adult Guest Editors: Vassilios Fanos (Cagliari, Italy), Michele Mussap (Genoa, Italy), Antonio Del Vecchio (Bari, Italy), Bo Sun (Shanghai, China), Dorret I. Boomsma (Amsterdam, the Netherlands), Gavino Faa (Cagliari, Italy), Antonio Giordano (Philadelphia, USA

Should we assess pain in newborn infants using a scoring system or just a detection method?

Newborn infants' pain should be scored indirectly using dedicated pain scales. Unfortunately, while some scales for prolonged pain have given good results, a gold standard to assess acute pain does not exist. Acute pain scales still have weak points, most are complex and are scarcely used in neonatal departments. Moreover, carefully scoring pain in clinical practice seems redundant, because any avoidable pain is a concern. This suggests that researchers must find new ways to assess acute pain. A possible approach is to settle for pain detection instead of pain scoring in selected cases. Here, we describe a two-point method that illustrates this approach

A case study of the implementation of autonomous learning in English and Chinese language studies in a local private secondary school

abstractpublished_or_final_versionLinguisticsMasterMaster of Arts in Applied Linguistic

Selective functionalization of mesoporous silica nanoparticles with ibuprofen and Gd(iii) chelates: a new probe for potential theranostic applications

Organo-modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles, loaded with ibuprofen into the pores and functionalized on the external surface with a stable Gd(iii)-DOTA-monoamide chelate, were prepared and explored as potential theranostic probes

Recurrent Miller Fisher syndrome in children

Background Miller Fisher syndrome is usually a monophasic disorder. Recurrent Miller Fisher syndrome is extremely rare, and all patients with recurrences have been adults. Although the optimal treatment for Miller Fisher syndrome has yet to be established, the typical therapy includes intravenous immunoglobulin or plasma exchange. The efficacy of steroids is still debated. Patients We describe two children with recurrent Miller Fisher syndrome. Episodes occurred at the age of 11.5 and 13 years in patient 1 and at the age of 8 and 13 years in patient 2. Results Clinical patterns of the first and recurrent episodes of Miller Fisher syndrome were overlapping. In both patients, steroids were effective in controlling clinical deterioration of Miller Fisher syndrome recurrences. Conclusions Recurrent Miller Fisher syndrome is a rare disorder that may occur in children. Our observations and a review of the literature suggest that there may be a small group of patients in whom steroids may be a therapeutic option when intravenous immunoglobulin fails to control clinical symptom

Personality, emotional and cognitive functions in young adults born preterm

Background: Survival of preterm very low birthweight infants resulted in high risk for developmental cognitive deficits, poor academic achievement, and behaviour disorders. While numerous studies evaluated the prevalence of neurodevelopmental disability in early childhood, poor literature is available for infants born very low birthweight in adulthood. Materials and methods: Fifty-five young adults born preterm (mean age: 18 +/- 2.42 years; <33 weeks of gestational age and/or with birth weight <1500 g) were enrolled. The Verbal Intelligence Quotient (vIQ), Performance Intelligence Quotient (pIQ) and Total Intelligence Quotient (tIQ) were assessed through the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Revised (WAIS-R). Personality profiles were investigated using Rorschach test. Both WAIS-R and Rorschach scores were subsequently compared to 13 matched controls born at term. Data were analysed with the SPSS v20 for Windows statistical package. Results: Young adults born preterm showed lower IQ scores than young adults born at term: tIQ 90.95 +/- 22.46 versus 108.77 +/- 16.14, p = 0.006; vIQ 89.85 +/- 21.85 versus 107.69 +/- 18.33, p = 0.009, and pIQ 92.40 +/- 22.90 versus 108.31 +/- 14.52, p = 0.011. No differences emerged in personality profile as most subjects showed adequate internal resources in both groups, but a trend towards anxiety and insecurity were identified in young adult born preterm. Conclusions: Young adults born preterm show psychological fragility and lower cognitive pattern than young adults born at term. Data support the need of an early psychological intervention that could help these individuals at greater risk to face a young society that is changing and that necessarily requires stronger internal resources