During development, activation of Cl -permeable GABAA receptors (GABAA-R) excites neurons as a result of elevated intracellular Cl levels and a depolarized Cl equilibrium potential (ECl). GABA becomes inhibitory as net outward neuronal transport of Cl develops in a caudal-rostral progression. In line with this caudal-rostral developmental pattern, GABAergic anticonvulsant compounds inhibit moto...

The cyanobacterial neurotoxin β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) has been implicated in the etiology of neurodegenerative disease and proposed to be biomagnified in terrestrial and aquatic food chains. We have previously shown that the neonatal period in rats, which in humans corresponds to the last trimester of pregnancy and the first few years of age, is a particularly sensitive period for expo...

The yolk sac of the fetal rat and the proximal small intestine of the neonatal rat selectively transport maternal IgG. IgG-Fc receptors are thought to mediate transport across the epithelium of both tissues. We used a mouse mAb (MC-39) against the 45-54-kD component of the Fc receptor of the neonatal intestine to find an antigenically related protein that might function as an Fc receptor in fet...

Fetal and neonatal immune thrombocytopenia (FNIT) is a severe bleeding disorder in which maternal antibodies cross the placenta and destroy fetal/neonatal platelets. It has been demonstrated that the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) regulates immunoglobulin G (IgG) homeostasis and plays an important role in transplacental IgG transport. However, the role of FcRn in the pathogenesis and therapy of FN...

AIM To share information on the organization of perinatal care in Portugal. METHODS Data were derived from the Programme of the National Committee for Mother and Child Health 1989, National Institute for Statistics, and Eurostat. RESULTS In 1989, perinatal care in Portugal was reformed: the closure was proposed of maternity units with less than 1500 deliveries per year; hospitals were class...

BACKGROUND Low birth weight has been shown to be closely associated with neonatal mortality and morbidity, inhibited growth, poor cognitive development, and chronic diseases later in life. Some studies have also shown that excessive mobile phone use in the postnatal period may lead to behavioral complications in the children during their growing years; however, the relationship between mobile p...

Most newborns with complications are identified and cared for in community hospitals or level II perinatal centers (American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP], 2012). Perinatal nurses must have a thorough understanding of pathophysiologic and clinical signs of illness during the immediate newborn period. The length of stay limits the time to identify behavioral cues or subtle changes that could poten...

Aim. Chronic maternal iron deficiency anemia has been found to be related with preterm delivery, low birth weight and intrauterine growth retardation. The potential detrimental effects of maternal anemia on the transplacental fetal oxygen extraction during labor have not been investigated yet. Method. Upon the spontaneous initiation of delivery among 32 term pregnant women, half of them with he...

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in pregnant women can cause neonatal thrombocytopenia by transport of antiplatelet autoantibodies across the placenta. Usually, an infant's platelet count normalizes within 2 months. We observed neonatal thrombocytopenia that persisted more than 4 months and disappeared following discontinuation of breastfeeding. The aim of our study was to discern whether breast m...

Abbreviations: CO2, Carbon dioxide; PaCO2, Arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide; PtcCO2, Transcutaneous partial pressure of carbon dioxide; PetCO2, End-tidal partial pressure of carbon dioxide; NETS, Newborn Emergency Transport Service (Victoria); NICU, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; PaO2/PAO2 ratio, alveolar-arterial ratio. ADC-FNN Online First, published on April 29, 2005 as 10.1136/adc...