Mostly 3D printed chemical synthesis robot.

Thanks to the current technology derived from the open-source world of 3D printers, it is conceivable to automate some laboratory activities remotely. In fact, simple operations, such as mixing liquids or solutions, stirring, heating and sampling to control the reaction course can be easily implemented. The idea of ​​automating the chemical laboratory would have immediate advantages, for example in terms of safety. The operators will be able to remotely control the machines and in case of handling dangerous material or accidents, there would only be damage to the hardware components. Many of the process parameters can also be read with low-cost probes and devices that can be easily interfaced with microprocessors. We include for example, but not limited to, temperature, pH, redox potential, electrochemical measurements in general or the use of probes for specific analytes. In this work we wish to present our liquid sampling station able to control up to 6 reagents and a temperature controlled chemical reactor. The workstation can be used graphically with an intuitive interface written in Python. The control program is structured to have modularity and contains a built-in programming language to control the interfaces.

Factors affecting yawning frequencies in preterm neonates.

Yawning is a long neglected behavioral pattern, but it has recently gained an increasing interdisciplinary attention for its theoretical implications as well as for its potential use as a clinical marker, with particular regard to perinatal neurobehavioral assessment. The present study investigated the factors affecting yawning frequencies in hospitalized preterm neonates (N = 58), in order to distinguish the effects of hunger and sleep-related modulations and to examine the possible impact of demographic and clinical variables on yawning frequencies. Results showed that preterm neonates yawned more often before than after feeding, and this modulation was not explained by the amount of time spent in quiet sleep in the two conditions. Moreover, second born twins, known to be more prone to neonatal mortality and morbidity, showed increased yawning rates compared to first born twins. Overall, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that yawning frequencies in preterm neonates are modulated by separate mechanisms, related e.g. to hunger, vigilance and stress. These findings, although preliminary and based only on behavioral data, might indicate that several distinct neuropharmacological pathways that have been found to be involved in yawn modulation in adults are already observable in preterm neonates.

Two forms of yawning modulation in three months old infants during the Face to Face Still Face paradigm.

The last decades have seen an increasing interest in the phenomenon of yawning and the dynamics of its modulation, yet no widespread consensus exists on its origins and potential functions. Although most scholars have focused on its potential physiological functions, e.g., related to thermoregulation, arousal modulation or cortisol levels and distress, an emerging line of research has been also investigating the social implications of yawning, including its hypothesized relationship with empathy. In order to explore the dynamics of yawning modulation in infants, we investigated whether a social perturbation-like the one induced by the Face to Face Still Face paradigm, a procedure designed to assess socio-emotional regulation in infants-affects yawning and self-touch hand movements behavior in three-months old infants. As the Still Face episode represents a source of mild distress, we hypothesized that during this phase yawns would be more frequent. Moreover, through the use of path analysis, we investigated potential dynamics of facilitation, inhibition or covariance between the frequencies of these behavioral patterns. Our results showed a sharp increase in self-touch hand movements as well as in the likelihood of yawning during the stressful phase of the procedure (still-face) compared with the two minutes of face-to-face interaction and the reunion episode. Regressions also showed a higher incidence of yawns among girls, consistently with the hypothesis that the analysis of yawning behavior might capture subtle differences in regulatory strategies of infants, possibly related to the transient sex-specific activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis known as mini-puberty. The path analysis showed a greater consistency between the frequencies of self-touch hand movements during the three episodes of the procedure, compared with yawning. This finding could be a result of distinct yawning-regulating mechanisms being at play in different conditions, e.g., a modulation related to stress and one to social interaction. Taken together, these results suggest that human yawning regulation is an irreducibly complex and multifaceted phenomenon since early age. Moreover, the gender differences highlighted might suggest an early diversification in yawning modulation.

Methodological Issues in the Study of the Development of Pain Responsivity in Preterm Neonates: A Systematic Review.

The study of the development of neonatal pain responses is of key importance, both for research and for clinical reasons, with particular regard to the population of preterm neonates, given the amount of painful procedures they are exposed to on a daily basis. The aim of this work was to systematize our knowledge about the development of pain responses in prematurely born neonates by focusing on some key methodological issues. Studies on the impact of age variables, namely gestational age (GA), postmenstrual age (PMA) and chronological age (CH), on pain responsivity in premature neonates were identified using Medline and Scopus. Studies (N = 42) were categorized based on terminological and methodological approaches towards age variables, and according to output variables considered (facial, nonfacial behavioral, physiological). Distinct multidimensional developmental patterns were found for each age-sampling strategy. Overall, each of the three age variables seems to affect pain responsivity, possibly differently across age windows. Targeted as well as integrated approaches, together with a renewed attention for methodological consistency, are needed to further our knowledge on this topic.

Identifying fetal yawns based on temporal dynamics of mouth openings: A preterm neonate model using support vector machines (SVMs).

Fetal yawning is of interest because of its clinical, developmental and theoretical implications. However, the methodological challenges of identifying yawns from ultrasonographic scans have not been systematically addressed. We report two studies that examined the temporal dynamics of yawning in preterm neonates comparable in developmental level to fetuses observed in ultrasound studies (about 31 weeks PMA). In Study 1 we tested the reliability and construct validity of the only quantitative measure for identifying fetal yawns in the literature, by comparing its scores with a more detailed behavioral coding system (The System for Coding Perinatal Behavior, SCPB) adapted from the comprehensive, anatomically based Facial Action Coding System for Infants and Young Children (Baby FACS). The previously published measure yielded good reliability but poor specificity, resulting in over-representation of yawns. In Study 2 we developed and tested a new machine learning system based on support vector machines (SVM) for identifying yawns. The system displayed excellent specificity and sensitivity, proving it to be a reliable and valid tool for identifying yawns in fetuses and neonates. This achievement represents a first step towards a fully automated system for identifying yawns in the perinatal period.

Is startle a lateralised response in early infancy?

The aim of the study was to explore whether the acoustic startle response shows signs of early lateralisation. Using non-invasive startle measurements (Automated Infant Motor Movement Startle Seat and Facial Action Coding System), an analysis of response latencies and intensities on the right and left body sides was performed, investigating the presence of asymmetries on the whole-body startle and on the facial component of the startle motor pattern in a group of 5-month-old infants. The findings suggest that the infant whole-body startle is a lateralised response, characterised by a right bias latency. This lateralisation could reflect an underlying lateralised organisation of the infant startle neural circuitry. On the other hand, the analysis of the facial component of the startle motor pattern did not reveal any significant asymmetry. The discrepancy found in the whole-body response and in the startle facial component will be discussed, reflecting on the limits of the adopted methodologies. The use of a high-speed camcorder might allow future research to analyse more in depth the startle fast face responses.

Three methodologies for measuring the acoustic startle response in early infancy.

The present study investigated whether three methodologies currently used in animal as well as human adult startle research could be adapted for measuring the startle response in 5-month-old infants. The three methods performed: an automated and computerized recording of the infants' whole-body motor reactions (Automated Infant Motor Movement Startle Seat, AIMMSS); a coding of the infants' facial muscular contractions involved in the startle response (FACS, Baby FACS); an analysis of the infants' eyeblink intensity in response to the startle probes (Eye-Blink Strength scale). The results showed that these methods accurately registered the latency and intensity parameters of the reactions to acoustic startle stimuli. A correlational analysis showed, also, that the three methods registered the same motor reaction measuring the infant acoustic startle response in a consistent way.