The Lipid A moiety is a very conserved component of the LPS. However Lipid A structure varies among bacterial species. Lipid A structure largely defines the degree and nature of the overall host immune activation. Lipooligosaccharides
The "rough form" of LPS has a lower molecular weight due to the absence of the O polysaccharide. In its place is   a short oligosaccharide: this form is known as Lipooligosaccharide (LOS), and is a glycolipid found in the outer membrane of some types of Gram-negative bacteria, such as Neisseria spp. and Haemophilus spp. LOS plays a central role in maintaining the integrity and functionality of the outer membrane of the Gram negative cell envelope. LOS play an important role in the pathogenesis of certain bacterial infections because they are capable of acting as immunostimulators and immunomodulators. Furthermore, LOS molecules are responsible for the ability of some bacterial strains to display molecular mimicry and antigenic diversity, aiding in the evasion of host immune defenses and thus contributing to the virulence of these bacterial strains. In the case of Neisseria meningitidis, the lipid A portion of the molecule has a symmetrical structure and the inner core is composed of 3-deoxy-D-manno-2-octulosonic acid (KDO) and heptose (Hep) moieties. The outer core oligosaccharide chain varies depending on the bacterial strain. LPS detoxification
A highly conserved host enzyme called acyloxyacyl hydrolase (AOAH) may detoxify LPS when it enters, or is produced in, animal tissues. It may also convert LPS in the intestine into an LPS inhibitor.
The study used measures of health available at the time of birth such as highest intrapartum maternal temperature, rupture of membranes, whether or not the mother has group b streptococcus, and if the mother was given any intrapartum antibiotics. Intrapartum prophylaxis is a strategy for "the secondary prevention of early-onset GBS disease in newborns" that could lead to EOS. The Sepsis Risk Calculator (SRS) is meant to be another clinical measure that physicians can use in conjunction with physical examination.An evaluation of the SRS was done in an independent retrospective cohort study by doctors at a University Hospital in Greece. The study aimed to "compare our clinical practice based on risk-factor guidance with that projected through the application of the SRC". The study incorporated 2,084 infants and found that "The adoption of SRC would have significantly reduced antibiotic usage; however, a significant portion of cases with clinical EOS would have been missed". Another study evaluated the impact of Integrating the SRC into the electronic health record in order to "improve compliance and accuracy through automation". The study concluded that the integration of the EOS into the electronic health record system "significantly increased calculator accuracy". References


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