Background: Mass spectrometry (MS) methods exhibit higher accuracy and comparability in measuring serum C-peptide concentrations than immunoassays. We developed and validated a novel isotope dilution-ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem MS (IDUPLC-MS/MS) assay to measure serum C-peptide concentrations. Methods: Sample pretreatment involved solid-phase extraction, ion-exchange solid-phase extraction, and derivatization with 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidylcarbamate (Cayman Chemical, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA). We used an ExionLC UPLC system (Sciex, Framingham, MA, USA) and a Sciex Triple Quad 6500 + MS/MS system (Sciex) for electrospray ionization in positive-ion mode with multiple charge states of [M+3H]3+ and multiple reaction monitoring transitions. The total run time was 50 mins, and the flow rate was 0.20 mL/min. We evaluated the precision, trueness, linearity, lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ), carryover, and matrix effects. Method comparison with electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) was performed in 138 clinical specimens. Results: The intra- and inter-run precision coefficients of variation were < 5% and the bias values for trueness were < 4%, which were all acceptable. The verified linear interval was 0.050–15 ng/mL, and the LLOQ was 0.050 ng/mL. No significant carryover or matrix effects were observed. The correlation between this ID-UPLC-MS/MS method and ECLIA was good (R = 0.995, slope = 1.564); however, the ECLIA showed a positive bias (51.8%). Conclusions The developed ID-UPLC-MS/MS assay shows acceptable performance in measuring serum C-peptide concentrations. This will be useful in situations requiring accurate measurement of serum C-peptide in clinical laboratories.

Purpose: Pregnant women with diabetes mellitus (DM) and their babies are affected by complications and congenital abnormalities during pregnancy. This study aimed to examine the risk factors for cardiac anomalies and the characteristics of pregestational DM and GDM in mothers and babies in Korea. Methods: This retrospective study used medical records from Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital between January 2013 and July 2021. We studied 1983 infants, with 335 neonates from mothers with DM. Results: Body weight and body mass index were high in mothers with pregestational DM at delivery (p<0.005). The rate of preterm births was lower in the pregestational DM group than in the GDM group. Furthermore, the cardiac anomaly rate was high in the pregestational DM group (p<0.001). The rate of hyperbilirubinemia in the DM group was higher than that in the control group (p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed no significant risk factors for congenital heart disease. Conclusion DM in pregnant women is associated with congenital anomalies. Therefore, the appropriate management of mothers with DM is important for the prognosis of their neonates.

Although advances in neonatology have reduced the mortality rate of high-risk infants, sick newborns or pre-mature infants undergo more intensive monitoring, pain-ful procedures, and lengthy hospitalization, leading to pro-longed separation from their parents. In recent decades, the importance of parent-infant closeness early in life has become more apparent, especially in preterm infants who are prone to neurodevelopmental deficits. There is an increasing body of evidence regarding the benefits of family-centered care (FCC) in neonatal intensive care units. Key aspects related to neonatal FCC include the parents’ presence in the ward and their participation in infants’ daily care and decision-making processes. In addition, an environment that supports a private and comfortable space for each family member and infant, such as a single-family room, should be provided. To successfully implement FCC in neonatal intensive care units, the culture of care and hospital policies should be changed to successfully implement FCC in neonatal intensive care units, and appropriate training for medical staff is also required.

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a major cause of morbidity in premature infants. However, effective treatment options for NEC are currently lacking. Purpose: This study aimed to determine the optimal dose of intraperitoneally administered bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) and investigate the therapeutic potential of orally administered BM-MSCs in NEC. Methods: Neonatal mice were fed maternal breast milk for the first 2 days of life. On day 3, the neonatal mice were randomly divided into control, negative control, and BM-MSC-treated groups. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was administered for 3 days, and cold stress (4°C, 10 minutes) was applied 3 times a day to induce NEC. High-dose (1×106 cells) or low-dose (1×105 cells) BM-MSCs were administered intraperitoneally 1 or 3 times between days 6 and 8 to treat the NEC. The orally administered group received a low dose of BM-MSCs on day 6. Furthermore, except for the control group, intraepithelial cells (IECs) of the small intestine of neonatal mice were treated with LPS and exposed to 5% O2/95% N2 hypoxic stress for 2 hours. Thereafter, each was treated with BM-MSCs. Results: Tissue injury, apoptosis, and inflammatory marker levels were significantly reduced after BM-MSC administration. Oral administration was as effective as intraperitoneal administration, even at a low dose (1×105 cells) of BM-MSCs. The efficacy of high (1×106 cells) or multiple divided doses of BM-MSCs did not differ from that of low-dose treatment. Significantly improved wound healing was observed after BM-MSC administration to injured IECs. Conclusion The oral administration of BM-MSCs is a promising treatment option for NEC in infants. Further human studies of BM-MSCs are necessary to determine the optimal dose required to achieve safe and effective outcomes.

Although advances in neonatology have reduced the mortality rate of high-risk infants, sick newborns or pre-mature infants undergo more intensive monitoring, pain-ful procedures, and lengthy hospitalization, leading to pro-longed separation from their parents. In recent decades, the importance of parent-infant closeness early in life has become more apparent, especially in preterm infants who are prone to neurodevelopmental deficits. There is an increasing body of evidence regarding the benefits of family-centered care (FCC) in neonatal intensive care units. Key aspects related to neonatal FCC include the parents’ presence in the ward and their participation in infants’ daily care and decision-making processes. In addition, an environment that supports a private and comfortable space for each family member and infant, such as a single-family room, should be provided. To successfully implement FCC in neonatal intensive care units, the culture of care and hospital policies should be changed to successfully implement FCC in neonatal intensive care units, and appropriate training for medical staff is also required.

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a major cause of morbidity in premature infants. However, effective treatment options for NEC are currently lacking. Purpose: This study aimed to determine the optimal dose of intraperitoneally administered bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) and investigate the therapeutic potential of orally administered BM-MSCs in NEC. Methods: Neonatal mice were fed maternal breast milk for the first 2 days of life. On day 3, the neonatal mice were randomly divided into control, negative control, and BM-MSC-treated groups. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was administered for 3 days, and cold stress (4°C, 10 minutes) was applied 3 times a day to induce NEC. High-dose (1×106 cells) or low-dose (1×105 cells) BM-MSCs were administered intraperitoneally 1 or 3 times between days 6 and 8 to treat the NEC. The orally administered group received a low dose of BM-MSCs on day 6. Furthermore, except for the control group, intraepithelial cells (IECs) of the small intestine of neonatal mice were treated with LPS and exposed to 5% O2/95% N2 hypoxic stress for 2 hours. Thereafter, each was treated with BM-MSCs. Results: Tissue injury, apoptosis, and inflammatory marker levels were significantly reduced after BM-MSC administration. Oral administration was as effective as intraperitoneal administration, even at a low dose (1×105 cells) of BM-MSCs. The efficacy of high (1×106 cells) or multiple divided doses of BM-MSCs did not differ from that of low-dose treatment. Significantly improved wound healing was observed after BM-MSC administration to injured IECs. Conclusion The oral administration of BM-MSCs is a promising treatment option for NEC in infants. Further human studies of BM-MSCs are necessary to determine the optimal dose required to achieve safe and effective outcomes.

Although advances in neonatology have reduced the mortality rate of high-risk infants, sick newborns or pre-mature infants undergo more intensive monitoring, pain-ful procedures, and lengthy hospitalization, leading to pro-longed separation from their parents. In recent decades, the importance of parent-infant closeness early in life has become more apparent, especially in preterm infants who are prone to neurodevelopmental deficits. There is an increasing body of evidence regarding the benefits of family-centered care (FCC) in neonatal intensive care units. Key aspects related to neonatal FCC include the parents’ presence in the ward and their participation in infants’ daily care and decision-making processes. In addition, an environment that supports a private and comfortable space for each family member and infant, such as a single-family room, should be provided. To successfully implement FCC in neonatal intensive care units, the culture of care and hospital policies should be changed to successfully implement FCC in neonatal intensive care units, and appropriate training for medical staff is also required.

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a major cause of morbidity in premature infants. However, effective treatment options for NEC are currently lacking. Purpose: This study aimed to determine the optimal dose of intraperitoneally administered bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) and investigate the therapeutic potential of orally administered BM-MSCs in NEC. Methods: Neonatal mice were fed maternal breast milk for the first 2 days of life. On day 3, the neonatal mice were randomly divided into control, negative control, and BM-MSC-treated groups. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was administered for 3 days, and cold stress (4°C, 10 minutes) was applied 3 times a day to induce NEC. High-dose (1×106 cells) or low-dose (1×105 cells) BM-MSCs were administered intraperitoneally 1 or 3 times between days 6 and 8 to treat the NEC. The orally administered group received a low dose of BM-MSCs on day 6. Furthermore, except for the control group, intraepithelial cells (IECs) of the small intestine of neonatal mice were treated with LPS and exposed to 5% O2/95% N2 hypoxic stress for 2 hours. Thereafter, each was treated with BM-MSCs. Results: Tissue injury, apoptosis, and inflammatory marker levels were significantly reduced after BM-MSC administration. Oral administration was as effective as intraperitoneal administration, even at a low dose (1×105 cells) of BM-MSCs. The efficacy of high (1×106 cells) or multiple divided doses of BM-MSCs did not differ from that of low-dose treatment. Significantly improved wound healing was observed after BM-MSC administration to injured IECs. Conclusion The oral administration of BM-MSCs is a promising treatment option for NEC in infants. Further human studies of BM-MSCs are necessary to determine the optimal dose required to achieve safe and effective outcomes.

Although advances in neonatology have reduced the mortality rate of high-risk infants, sick newborns or pre-mature infants undergo more intensive monitoring, pain-ful procedures, and lengthy hospitalization, leading to pro-longed separation from their parents. In recent decades, the importance of parent-infant closeness early in life has become more apparent, especially in preterm infants who are prone to neurodevelopmental deficits. There is an increasing body of evidence regarding the benefits of family-centered care (FCC) in neonatal intensive care units. Key aspects related to neonatal FCC include the parents’ presence in the ward and their participation in infants’ daily care and decision-making processes. In addition, an environment that supports a private and comfortable space for each family member and infant, such as a single-family room, should be provided. To successfully implement FCC in neonatal intensive care units, the culture of care and hospital policies should be changed to successfully implement FCC in neonatal intensive care units, and appropriate training for medical staff is also required.

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a major cause of morbidity in premature infants. However, effective treatment options for NEC are currently lacking. Purpose: This study aimed to determine the optimal dose of intraperitoneally administered bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) and investigate the therapeutic potential of orally administered BM-MSCs in NEC. Methods: Neonatal mice were fed maternal breast milk for the first 2 days of life. On day 3, the neonatal mice were randomly divided into control, negative control, and BM-MSC-treated groups. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was administered for 3 days, and cold stress (4°C, 10 minutes) was applied 3 times a day to induce NEC. High-dose (1×106 cells) or low-dose (1×105 cells) BM-MSCs were administered intraperitoneally 1 or 3 times between days 6 and 8 to treat the NEC. The orally administered group received a low dose of BM-MSCs on day 6. Furthermore, except for the control group, intraepithelial cells (IECs) of the small intestine of neonatal mice were treated with LPS and exposed to 5% O2/95% N2 hypoxic stress for 2 hours. Thereafter, each was treated with BM-MSCs. Results: Tissue injury, apoptosis, and inflammatory marker levels were significantly reduced after BM-MSC administration. Oral administration was as effective as intraperitoneal administration, even at a low dose (1×105 cells) of BM-MSCs. The efficacy of high (1×106 cells) or multiple divided doses of BM-MSCs did not differ from that of low-dose treatment. Significantly improved wound healing was observed after BM-MSC administration to injured IECs. Conclusion The oral administration of BM-MSCs is a promising treatment option for NEC in infants. Further human studies of BM-MSCs are necessary to determine the optimal dose required to achieve safe and effective outcomes.