This paper reports the present results of an ongoing program aimed at preventing homozygous beta-thalassemia by means of heterozygote screening and antenatal diagnosis in the Sardinian population. Screening based on the knowledge of carrier frequency and types of thalassemia prevalent in this population was designed to discover all heterozygotes except the few silent beta-thalassemia carriers. Most of the couples at risk were informed and accepted testing. Information was conveyed by mass media, midwives and marriage registry offices. Antenatal diagnosis was accepted by the majority of the couples counselled. The results of antenatal testing were very accurate. There was only one misdiagnosis out of 949 pregnancies tested. This risk of fetal loss was 7.5%. The program was highly effective, as shown by the decline of the incidence of the homozygous state from 1:205 live births in 1976 to 1:557 in 1981.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1399-0004.1984.tb00781.x | DOI Listing |
Soft Matter
January 2025
School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural and Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
The surface morphology of the developing mammalian brain is crucial for understanding brain function and dysfunction. Computational modeling offers valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms for early brain folding. Recent findings indicate significant regional variations in brain tissue growth, while the role of these variations in cortical development remains unclear.
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December 2024
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Blythedale Children's Hospital, Valhalla, USA.
Retroperitoneal teratomas are rare neoplasms in neonates, presenting with nonspecific symptoms and variable clinical features, making diagnosis challenging. Radiological investigations, particularly fetal ultrasound and contrast-enhanced computed tomography, play a critical role in their detection. Differential diagnoses include neuroblastoma, adrenal hemorrhage, and congenital cystic lesions, which share overlapping clinical and imaging features.
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December 2024
Neonatology, Souss Massa University Hospital Center, Agadir, MAR.
Hydranencephaly (HE) is a severe and isolated malformation affecting the cerebral mantle. In this condition, the cerebral hemispheres are entirely or almost entirely absent, replaced by a membranous sac filled with cerebrospinal fluid, while the midbrain is usually preserved. Although HE is a relatively rare brain disorder, the differential diagnosis must include conditions such as severe hydrocephalus, porencephalic cysts, and alobar holoprosencephaly.
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December 2024
Gynecology and Obstetrics Department, Unidade Local de Saúde de Viseu Dão-Lafões, Viseu, PRT.
Iniencephaly is a rare malformation of the base of the cranium, with an almost always fatal prognosis. This condition is part of the category of defects related to neural tube closure. Prenatal diagnosis can now be performed through ultrasound evaluation, allowing timely counseling.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAddiction
January 2025
Center for Health Systems Effectiveness, Department of Emergency Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
Background And Aims: Medication is the gold standard to support a healthy pregnancy for pregnant people with opioid use disorder (OUD). This study measured inequities and differences in OUD medication treatment among pregnant people in Oregon, USA.
Design, Setting, Participants And Measurements: Our study population consisted of Medicaid enrollees across the US state of Oregon who had at least one live hospital birth between 2012 and 2020 and one diagnosis of OUD prenatally (n = 4363).
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