Clinical features and follow-up study of neonatal asymmetric crying facies / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the clinical characteristics and short-term outcomes of neonatal asymmetric crying facies (ACF), in order to improve recognition of the disease.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical data of 11 infants with ACF between January 2010 and February 2012 were retrospectively studied. Physical and neurological development were followed up at correct gestational age 44 weeks and 3 months.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 11 infants with ACF, 4 had ipsilateral ear malformation, 2 had congenital heart disease and 1 had syndactyly and polydactyly. Of the 11 infants, 8 were male and 3 were female. Eight infants presented with lesions on the left side and 3 presented with lesions on the right. The fathers were aged over 35 in 8 cases and the mothers were over 30 in 7 cases. Eight mothers had a history of at least 3 pregnancies and 2 infants were born to mothers with diabetes mellitus. Physical index was below P10 in 1 case and 2 cases showed a low NBNA score and mild abnormal GMs (poor repertoire PR) during the writhing period at correct gestational age 44 weeks. Physical index was between P10-P90 and GM assessment during the fidgety period showed normal movements in all infants at correct gestational age 3 months, but they still had ACF.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>ACF is associated with a high rate of other congenital malformations. The short-term outcomes of ACF infants are satisfactory, but long-term follow-up and interdisciplinary cooperation are necessary to improve prognosis.</p>

Effects of preweaning enrichment on activity-regulated cytoskeletal protein expression and long-term memory in rats / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of preweaning enrichment on the expression of activity-regulated cytoskeletal protein (Arc), an immediate early gene, and on the long-term memory in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to control group (standard environment, n=20) and experimental group (enriched environment, n=20). The experimental group received enriched environment exposure from postnatal day 10 until weaning (2 weeks, 20 minutes per day). The open field and novel object recognition tests were performed at postnatal day 28. Arc expression was detected by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was no significant difference in the open field test between the two groups. However, in the novel object recognition test, the experimental group rats performed significantly better than the control rats after 1 and 24-hr retention. The preference index in the experimental group after 1-hr (59.61%+/-9.61% vs 50.46%+/-9.34%; P<0.05) and 24-hr retention (62.72%+/-14.12% vs 52.39%+/-9.16%; P<0.05 ) was significantly higher than that in the control group. Arc expression in both areas CA1 and DG of hippocampus in the experimental group increased significantly compared with that in the control group (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Preweaning enrichment can up-regulate the expression of immediate early gene, Arc, in the hippocampus of the rats, and promote their long-term memory.</p>