Neonatal incubators provide suitable environmental conditions for premature newborns and allow for medical treatment such as medication and monitoring of vital functions such as blood pressure. The incubator includes several system components such as a control system, an oxygen supply, a scale or flaps and drawers for patient care and storage of medical material, respectively. These system components generate noise such as monitoring alarms, noise of the oxygen supply, or noise due to opening and closing of flaps during medical treatments. The noise leads to a significantly increased sound exposure inside the incubator. Increased sound exposure is known to cause distress and to increase the risk of acute or chronic diseases in the preterm neonate. This paper presents acoustic measurements on an incubator in a neonatal intensive care unit. Several vibration and acoustic measurements are performed inside the incubator as well as in the surrounding environment in order to characterize typical acoustic scenes from everyday life on the neonatal intensive care unit. Based on the measurement results, the scenes are categorized in terms of sound exposure. This forms the basis for a future design for acoustics of the incubator.

Background: Histologic chorioamnionitis is only diagnosed postnatally which prevents interventions. We hypothesized that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the amniotic fluid might be useful biomarkers for chorioamnionitis and that VOC profiles differ between amnionitis of different origins.Methods: Time-mated ewes received intra-amniotic injections of media or saline (controls), or live Ureaplasma parvum serovar 3 (Up) 14, 7 or 3d prior to c-section at day 124 gestational age (GA). 100 μg recombinant ovine IL-1α was instilled at 7, 3 or 1d prior to delivery. Headspace VOC profiles were measured from amniotic fluids at birth using ion mobility spectrometer coupled with multi-capillary columns.Results: 127 VOC peaks were identified. 27 VOCs differed between samples from controls and Up- or IL-1α induced amnionitis. The best discrimination between amnionitis by Up vs. IL-1α was reached by 2-methylpentane, with a sensitivity/specificity of 96/95% and a positive predictive value/negative predictive values of 96 and 95%. The concentration of 2-methylpentane in VOCs peaked 7d after intra-amniotic instillation of Up.Discussion: We established a novel method to study headspace VOC profiles of amniotic fluids. VOC profiles may be a useful tool to detect and to assess the duration of amnionitis induced by Up. 2-methylpentane was previously described in the exhalate of women with pre-eclampsia and might be a volatile biomarker for amnionitis. Amniotic fluids analyzed by ion mobility spectrometry coupled with multi-capillary columns may provide bedside diagnosis of amnionitis and understanding inflammatory mechanisms during pregnancy.

Background As neonates are susceptible for many diseases, establishing noninvasive diagnostic methods is desirable. We hypothesized that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could be successfully measured in diaper samples. Methods We performed a feasibility study to investigate whether ambient air‐independent headspace measurements of the VOC profiles of diapers from premature infants can be conducted using ion mobility spectrometer coupled with multi‐capillary columns (B & S Analytik GmbH). Results We analysed 39 diapers filled with stool (n = 10) or urine (n = 20) respectively, using empty diapers as a control (n = 9). A total of 158 different VOCs were identified, and we classified the content of the diapers (urine or stool) according to their VOC profiles with a significance level of p < 0.05. Conclusions We have developed a novel method to study headspace VOC profiles of biosamples using ion mobility spectrometry coupled with multi‐capillary columns. Using this method, we have characterized the VOC profiles of stool and urine of preterm neonates. Future studies are warranted to characterize specific VOC profiles in infections and other diseases of the preterm neonate, thus establishing quick and noninvasive diagnostics in the routine care of the highly vulnerable preterm and term neonates.

Background The intrauterine and early extrauterine development represents a “window of opportunity” in the immuno-logical development. The underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to provide reference values B cell subpopulations in cord blood of term newborns, juveniles and in adults to find the spectrum of their physiological age-related variation. Methods In this study, we used flow cytometry to evaluate human B lymphocytes and subpopulations in cord blood (n = 10), in peripheral blood from healthy juveniles aged 1 to 17 years (n = 20) and from donors aged 24 to 62 years (n = 10). Results Our findings showed increasing frequencies of IgM memory B cells, class-switched memory B cells, marginal zone B cells and plasmablasts, from cord blood to peripheral blood of juveniles and adults. In contrast, the percentage of naïve B cells was higher in newborns than in juveniles and adults. The frequencies of immature B cells were similar were similar in cord blood and peripheral blood of adults. Interestingly, transitional B cells frequencies were similar in cord blood and adults but significantly lower in juveniles. Conclusions The frequencies of circulating B cell subpopulation are subject to considerable changes during ontogeny, reflecting overlying effects of maturation and of the acquisition of an adaptive immune memory.

Background As neonates are susceptible for many diseases, establishing non-invasive diagnostic methods is desirable. We hypothesized that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could be successfully measured in diaper samples. Methods We performed a feasibility study to investigate whether ambient air-independent headspace measurements of the VOC profiles of diapers from premature infants can be conducted using ion mobility spectrometer coupled with multi-capillary columns (B & S Analytik GmbH, Dortmund, Germany). Results We analyzed 39 diapers filled with stool (n = 10) or urine (n = 20) respectively, using empty diapers as a control (n = 9). A total of 158 different VOCs were identified, and we classified the content of the diapers (urine or stool) according to their VOC profiles with a significance level of p < 0.05. Discussion We have developed a novel method to study headspace VOC profiles of biosamples using ion mobility spectrometry coupled with multi-capillary columns. Using this method, we have characterized the VOC profiles of stool and urine of preterm neonates. Future studies are warranted to characterize specific VOC profiles in infections and other diseases of the preterm neonate, thus establishing quick and non-invasive diagnostics in the routine care of the highly vulnerable preterm and term neonates.