Incorporation of pulse oximetry to the assessment of the newborn infant can enhance detection of critical congenital heart disease (CCHD). Recently, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommended that screening for CCHD be added to the uniform screening panel. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has been a strong advocate of early detection of CCHD and fully supports the deci...

Here we report a method to calculate Born radii, an important parameter used in a Generalized Born model. Traditional methods to derive Born radii are mostly based on a complicated formula, while our method is easier and more direct. Atoms are classified according to their atom type, and the Born radii of each type are obtained by fitting to experimental solvation free energy. The SMARTS langua...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Newborn pulse oximetry screening is recommended to promote early referral of neonates with critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) and reduce mortality; however, the impact of late referral on mortality is not well defined. The purpose of this population-based study was to describe the association between timing of referral to a cardiac center and mortality in 2360 liv...

Neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), who are treated according to INSURE protocol; require arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis to decide on appropriate management. We conducted this study to investigate the validity of pulse oximetry instead of frequent ABG analysis in the evaluation of these patients. From a total of 193 blood samples obtained from 30 neonates <1500 grams with RDS,...

In The Lancet, Shakila Thangaratinam and colleagues report fi ndings from a systematic review and metaanalysis of pulse oximetry screening for critical congenital heart defects in asymptomatic newborn babies. The investigators note that the overall sensitivity of pulse oximetry (76·5%, 95% CI 67·7–83·5) compared with other methods of detection (eg, prenatal ultrasound and routine physical exam)...

New electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) oximetry probes were identified in the class of carbon black materials. These compounds exhibit very high oxygen sensitivity and favorable EPR characteristics for biological applications. At low pO(2), the linewidth is particularly sensitive to changes in oxygen tension (sensitivity of 750 mG/mmHg). The application of the probes for oximetry was demonst...

Background: Encephaloceles result from failure of the surface ectoderm to separate from the neuroectoderm. We aimed to review the data of cases with occipital encephalocele. Case report: Patient records were reviewed retrospectively for encephalocele. The clinical, radiological and surgical data were evaluated. Five female newborns with occipital encephaloceles were included. All but one mother...