The purpose of this study is to characterize the time to maturation of neutrophil extracellular trap(NET) formation capability in polymorphonuclear leukocytes(PMNs) isolated from newborn premature and term infants as well as infants <1 year of age undergoing elective surgery. This study will also determine whether NETs contribute to the pathogenesis of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). We hypothesize that NET formation contributes to the pathogenesis of NEC by inappropriately releasing degradative proteins and tissue destructive enzymes into the inflammatory milieu of the premature infant gastrointestinal tract following bacterial translocation. We also hypothesize that the delay in NEC development in premature infants (3rd - 4th week of life) as compared to at-risk term infants (1st week of life) results from a developmental delay in PMN ability to form NETs.