2017-02-14

[public] 1.35M views, 28.4K likes, dislikes audio only

MinuteEarth

This video is in collaboration with Bill and Melinda Gates. You can check out the Gates Annual Letter here: http://b-gat.es/2lhhtmJ.

Doctors beat back a disease that was killing tens of thousands of babies a year with a machine based on a simple principle of physics.

Thanks to Bill and Melinda Gates for their financial support. Thanks also to our supporters on https://www.patreon.com/MinuteEarth

___________________________________________

FYI: We try to leave jargon out of our videos, but if you want to learn more about this topic, here are some keywords to get your googling started:

Preterm Birth: The leading cause of death of children under five years old, prematurity occurs for a variety of different reasons.

Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A syndrome in premature babies caused by insufficient production of pulmonary surfactant.

Alveoli: Tiny air sacs in the lungs that allow for rapid gas exchange

Pulmonary Surfactant: A mixture of lipids and proteins that decreases surface tension in the alveoli.

Law of Laplace: A law of physics stating that the pressure within a sphere is inversely proportional to its radius.

CPAP: A ventilator that provides Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) to keep the airways open.

___________________________________________

Credits (and Twitter handles):

Script Writer: David Goldenberg (@dgoldenberg)

Script Editor: Emily Elert (@eelert)

Video Illustrator: Ever Salazar (@eversalazar)

Video Director: Kate Yoshida (@KateYoshida)

Video Narrator: Emily Elert (@eelert)

With Contributions From: Henry Reich, Alex Reich, Peter Reich

Music by: Nathaniel Schroeder: http://www.soundcloud.com/drschroeder

_________________________________________

Like our videos?

Subscribe to MinuteEarth on YouTube: http://goo.gl/EpIDGd

Support us on Patreon: https://goo.gl/ZVgLQZ

Also, say hello on:

Facebook: http://goo.gl/FpAvo6

Twitter: http://goo.gl/Y1aWVC

And find us on itunes: https://goo.gl/sfwS6n

___________________________________________

If you liked this week’s video, we think you might also like:

10 Awesome Balloon Tricks by Mr. Hacker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXqmvFy9cXE

___________________________________________

References:

Gregg, R. Bernstein, J. (1961). Pulmonary Hyaline Membranes and the Respiratory Distress Syndrome. American Journal of Diseases of Children 102 (871-889). Retrieved from: http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/500014

Gregory, G., Kitterman, J., Phibbs, R., Tooley, W., and Hamilton, W. (1971). Treatment of the Idiopathic Respiratory-Distress Syndrome with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. New England Journal of Medicine 284 (1333-1340). Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4930602

Kamath, B., MacGuire, E., McClure, E., Goldenberg, R., and Jobe, A. (2011) Neonatal Mortality From Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Lessons for Low-Resource Countries. Pediatrics 127 (1139-1146). Retrieved from: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/127/6/1139

Mai, C., Yaster, M., Firth, P. (2013). The development of continuous positive airway pressure:an interview with Dr. George Gregory. Pediatric Anaesthesia 23 (3-8). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23170829