Ventricular septal defects (VSD) are the most common form of congenital heart disease, which is the leading non-infectious cause of death in children; nevertheless, the exact cause of VSD is not yet fully understood. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to play key roles in various biological processes, such as imprinting control, circuitry controlling pluripotency and differentiation, immune responses and chromosome dynamics. Notably, a growing number of lncRNAs have been implicated in disease etiology, although an association with VSD has not been reported. In the present study, we conducted an integrated analysis of dysregulated lncRNAs, focusing specifically on the identification and characterization of lncRNAs potentially involving in initiation of VSD. Comparison of the transcriptome profiles of cardiac tissues from VSD-affected and normal hearts was performed using a second-generation lncRNA microarray, which covers the vast majority of expressed RefSeq transcripts (29,241 lncRNAs and 30,215 coding transcripts). In total, 880 lncRNAs were upregulated and 628 were downregulated in VSD. Furthermore, our established filtering pipeline indicated an association of two lncRNAs, ENST00000513542 and RP11-473L15.2, with VSD. This dysregulation of the lncRNA profile provides a novel insight into the etiology of VSD and furthermore, illustrates the intricate relationship between coding and ncRNA transcripts in cardiac development. These data may offer a background/reference resource for future functional studies of lncRNAs related to VSD.

Human breast milk (HBM) effectively prevents and cures neonatal bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Exosomes are abundant in breast milk, but the function of HBM‐derived exosomes (HBM‐Exo) in BPD is still unclear. This study was to investigate the role and mechanism of HBM‐Exo in BPD. Overall lung tissue photography and H&E staining showed that HBM‐Exo improved the lung tissue structure collapse, alveolar structure disorder, alveolar septum width, alveolar number reduction and other injuries caused by high oxygen exposure. Immunohistochemical results showed that HBM‐Exo improved the inhibition of cell proliferation and increased apoptosis caused by hyperoxia. qPCR and Western blot results also showed that HBM‐Exo improved the expression of Type II alveolar epithelium (AT II) surface marker SPC. In vivo study, CCK8 and flow cytometry showed that HBM‐Exo improved the proliferation inhibition and apoptosis of AT II cells induced by hyperoxia, qPCR and immunofluorescence also showed that HBM‐Exo improved the down‐regulation of SPC. Further RNA‐Seq results in AT II cells showed that a total of 88 genes were significantly different between the hyperoxia and HBM‐Exo with hyperoxia groups, including 24 up‐regulated genes and 64 down‐regulated genes. KEGG pathway analysis showed the enrichment of IL‐17 signalling pathway was the most significant. Further rescue experiments showed that HBM‐Exo improved AT II cell damage induced by hyperoxia through inhibiting downstream of IL‐17 signalling pathway (FADD), which may be an important mechanism of HBM‐Exo in the prevention and treatment of BPD. This study may provide new approach in the treatment of BPD.

Objective: To provide an overview and critical appraisal of prediction models for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants.Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library to identify relevant studies (up to November 2021). We included studies that reported prediction model development and/or validation of BPD in preterm infants born at ≤32 weeks and/or ≤1,500 g birth weight. We extracted the data independently based on the CHecklist for critical Appraisal and data extraction for systematic Reviews of prediction Modelling Studies (CHARMS). We assessed risk of bias and applicability independently using the Prediction model Risk Of Bias ASsessment Tool (PROBAST).Results: Twenty-one prediction models from 13 studies reporting on model development and 21 models from 10 studies reporting on external validation were included. Oxygen dependency at 36 weeks’ postmenstrual age was the most frequently reported outcome in both development studies (71%) and validation studies (81%). The most frequently used predictors in the models were birth weight (67%), gestational age (62%), and sex (52%). Nearly all included studies had high risk of bias, most often due to inadequate analysis. Small sample sizes and insufficient event patients were common in both study types. Missing data were often not reported or were discarded. Most studies reported on the models’ discrimination, while calibration was seldom assessed (development, 19%; validation, 10%). Internal validation was lacking in 69% of development studies.Conclusion: The included studies had many methodological shortcomings. Future work should focus on following the recommended approaches for developing and validating BPD prediction models.

Background: Prematurity significantly impacts neonatal health worldwide, necessitating effective interventions to improve outcomes for these vulnerable infants. While breastfeeding has emerged as a cornerstone of preterm care, its precise impact on neurodevelopment remains a subject of ongoing inquiry and debate. This systematic review aims to investigate the existing evidence in this area.Methods: On December 17, 2023, online databases including PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, VIP, CBM, and Wan Fang Data were searched. Comparisons were classified into several categories: never breastfeeding (Never-BF) versus exclusive breastfeeding, Never-BF versus any breastfeeding (Any-BF), predominant preterm formula (Pre-PTF) versus predominant breastfeeding (Pre-BF), and Pre-PTF versus predominant donor breast milk (Pre-DBM) groups. Randomized controlled trials and observational studies were analyzed separately through meta-analyses. Each study’s risk of bias was assessed, and the GRADE system was utilized to evaluate the certainty of the findings.Results: Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising one RCT and 15 cohort studies. The key findings indicated that infants in the Any-BF groups demonstrated superior long-term cognitive scores compared to those in the Never-BF groups, particularly evident in infants assessed before 18 months in the Pre-BF groups versus Pre-PTF groups. A reduced risk of neurodevelopmental impairment was also observed in preterm infants in the Any-BF groups. Evidence regarding the effect of breastfeeding on motor development was inconclusive, except for potential motor improvement in extremely low birth weight infants in the Any-BF groups. Neither exclusive breastfeeding nor pre-DBM exhibited clear superiority over Pre-PTF in terms of neurodevelopmental outcomes for preterm infants. Caution is warranted due to potential publication bias impacting the assessment of breastfeeding’s impact on motor skills.Conclusion: Our systematic review supports current recommendations for breastfeeding in preterm infants, emphasizing its positive effects on cognitive abilities and reduced risk of neurodevelopmental disorders. Further studies are needed to clarify if DHM provides neurodevelopmental benefits comparable to maternal milk, as current evidence does not sufficiently address this question. Additionally, future investigations should prioritize refining our understanding of the influence of breastfeeding on motor development in this vulnerable population.Systematic review registration: PROSPERO, identifier CRD42023492274, Available at: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023492274.

Objectives: To explore and validate the differential expression of circRNAs in the myocardium of congenital ventricular septal defect (VSD) and to explore a new avenue of research regarding the pathological mechanisms of VSD.