Newborn News and Research

RSS

Telomere length decreases most rapidly from birth to age 3, shows study

Telomeres are protective caps on DNA that shorten as we grow older. Now, one of the first studies to examine telomere length (TL) in childhood finds that the initial setting of TL during prenatal development and in the first years of life may determine one's TL throughout childhood and potentially even into adulthood or older age.

25 May 2021

Scientists discover how immune response to TB differs in adults and newborn babies

The immune response to tuberculosis (TB) differs in adults and newborn babies due to the way immune cells use energy to kick into gear in a bid to kill the bacteria. This fresh discovery - just published in leading journal, Frontiers in Immunology - offers hope for improving treatments for what remains a deadly disease.

15 Apr 2021

Gut mycobiome correlates with metabolic outcomes in response to diet

Studies of the microbiome in the human gut focus mainly on bacteria. Other microbes that are also present in the gut -- viruses, protists, archaea and fungi -- have been largely overlooked.

8 Mar 2021

Immature dendritic cells in young children can induce robust immune responses

A new study performed by scientists from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen (LMU) has demonstrated that putatively immature dendritic cells in young children can trigger powerful immune responses. The findings may result in better vaccination protocols.

21 Jan 2021

Study reveals lower transfer of protective SARS-CoV-2 antibodies via the placenta

Recent analyses indicate that pregnant women and newborns may face elevated risks of developing more severe cases of COVID-19 following SARS-CoV-2 infection.

24 Dec 2020

Study demonstrates drug repurposing can be used to treat genetic diseases

A new study by researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago describes a potential technique of using drug repurposing for the treatment of genetic diseases.

18 Dec 2020

Obese, pregnant women can reduce infants' health risks through improved diet, physical activity

According to a new study, obese, pregnant women could decrease the health risks of their infants via better diet and increased physical activity.

9 Nov 2020

Study reveals developmental changes of the immune system in first days of life

Within the womb, a human fetus benefits from the protection of the placenta, limiting their contact with pathogens. However, once born, babies face a myriad of germs completely new to their bodies.

23 Oct 2020

Researchers uncover a new cellular mechanism for disposing of misfolded proteins

About 30 years ago, Dr. Richard Sifers set out on a journey to discover why people with a rare condition known as alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency present with high variation in the severity of liver disease.

21 Oct 2020

New technology rapidly diagnoses sickle cell disease

Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have developed a new way to diagnose diseases of the blood like sickle cell disease with sensitivity and precision and in only one minute.

16 Oct 2020

Genetic factor enables regeneration of adult skin like a newborn's

A newly identified genetic factor allows adult skin to repair itself like the skin of a newborn babe. The discovery by Washington State University researchers has implications for better skin wound treatment as well as preventing some of the aging process in skin.

30 Sep 2020

Study may lead to future treatments for hearing loss

Scientists have performed a study that has successfully established the role played by a crucial protein in the development of hair cells.

14 Sep 2020

Study shows misfiring brain cells can create swallowing problems in children with neurodevelopmental disorders

According to neuroscientists, misfiring brain cells that regulate vital parts of the tongue and mouth might be creating swallowing problems in kids.

2 Sep 2020

Australia's endangered native carnivores can adapt to dramatically different landscapes

The northern quoll, one of Australia's most adorable and endangered native carnivores, appears to be adapted to dramatically different landscapes - which may be key to the species' survival.

31 Aug 2020

Children exposed to cannabis in pregnancy have greater risk of autism

In the largest study of its kind, Ottawa researchers found that children whose mothers reported using cannabis during pregnancy were at greater risk of autism.

11 Aug 2020

Novel therapeutics targeting primary cilia may reverse neurodevelopmental disorders

Primary cilia are structures that act like antennas for cells to identify signals and occur less in mice affected by Fragile X syndrome since birth.

31 Jul 2020

Combined antenatal therapy improves outcomes in extremely preterm babies

Tiny infants known as extremely preterm children have very low birth weights, underdeveloped organs, and risks of long-term problems or disabilities.

14 Jul 2020

Dramatic increase in immune cells in mouse lungs after birth may help protect against infections

An explosion in the number and types of immune cells in the lungs of newborn mice likely helps them adapt to breathing and protects them from infection, says a new study published today in eLife.

3 Jun 2020

Scientists discover molecular mechanism that regulates the body's immune sentinels

A team at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, working in partnership with researchers at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, has discovered a new molecular mechanism mediated by nuclear receptors that determines the identity and expansion of macrophages--one of the cell types that act as immune sentinels in the body.

6 Apr 2020