Mercy Research

Altered sperm DNA methylation provides an epigenetic route from overweight and older men to intergenerational disease transmission

The occurrence of childhood neurodevelopmental disorders has been steadily increasing for decades, yet we have little understanding of modes of inheritance implicated in these diseases. Epidemiology studies have revealed an association between an elevated paternal Body Mass Index...

Optimizing Antibiotic Duration for Pneumonia and Sinusitis in the Pediatric Emergency Department

OBJECTIVE Updates to national and international guidelines now recommend shortening antibiotic durations to 3 to 5 days for uncomplicated community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and 5 to 7 days for acute bacterial rhinosinusitis (ABRS). We aimed to increase the percentage of children...

Sex-dependent effects of neonatal hyperoxia on prefrontal cortex development

Premature infants often require supplemental oxygen therapy, a major risk factor for bronchopulmonary dysplasia and subsequent neurodevelopmental impairment. To determine how neonatal hyperoxia affects prefrontal cortex (PFC) development, we exposed neonatal mice to 85% oxygen (O...

Sociodemographic and Clinical Factors Associated With Nirsevimab Receipt Among Children Aged Younger Than 20 Months in the New Vaccine Surveillance Network in 2023 to 2025

OBJECTIVES: We aim to evaluate the association of sociodemographic and clinical factors with nirsevimab receipt among children with medically attended acute respiratory illness (ARI) across multiple seasons and beyond birth hospitalization. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We included nirse...

E-cigarette use and nicotine dependence among hospitalized youth: influence of nicotine metabolism and CYP2A6 variability

Background Youth e-cigarette use is a public health concern, yet cessation approaches remain suboptimal. In adults, faster nicotine metabolism is linked with better cessation outcomes with varenicline compared to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). This remains unexplored in yout...